BIOLOGY AT NCBS, BANGALORE AND DBS, MUMBAI (PhD/Int-PhD/ MSc-by-Research/ MSc in Wildlife Biology & Conservation) (Please check

the websites: Admissions at www.ncbs.res.in; http://www.tifr.res.in/~dbs/web/Home.html for additional information and updates). and

The National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bangalore, is a part of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), which operates under the aegis of the Department of Atomic Energy. The Department of Biological Sciences (DBS) is located at TIFR in Mumbai. Both units have been set-up with a mandate to pursue basic research in the frontier areas of biology. FACILITIES NCBS and DBS offer state-of-the art facilities for modern biology (Research Infrastructure at http://www.ncbs.res.in and http://www.tifr.res.in/~dbs/web/Home.html). Housing is provided for students selected into the programs. We provide opportunities for our studentsto interact with students and faculty from other research institutions and Universities in the country and abroad. Student participation in international meetings and workshops both within the country and outside is actively encouraged. Libraries subscribing to a large number of journals covering the various fields of research are available at both Bangalore and Mumbai campuses. Internet access, e-mail and bibliography search support are also provided.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS Both NCBS and DBS offer PhD and Integrated-PhD programs leading to the award of a PhD degree. The M.Sc.-by-Research Program is only offered at DBS and the MSc in Wildlife Biology & Conservation only at NCBS. The PhD program accepts candidates with a Masters in any Basic Science discipline or a basic degree in any applied science such as Medicine and Engineering.. The Integrated PhD program and M.Sc.-by-Research Program (the latter only at DBS) seek students with an excellent academic record at the B.Sc. level, strongly motivated to pursue a career in research. Students register for a PhD at the TIFR Deemed University typically 1.5-2 years from the date of joining, after meeting course requirements and qualifying a comprehensive examination. Students enrolled in the M.Sc.by-Research program are registered on completing course requirements (typically one year from admission) and have to submit a thesis at the end of the third year. The M.Sc. Wildlife Biology and Conservation program accepts candidates with a Bachelors degree in any discipline and a strong interest in wildlife research and conservation. Students of this course are registered on completing course requirements typically one year from admission and have to submit a thesis at the end of the second year. Programs at both campuses encourage interdisciplinary research. The Integrated Biology (iBio) program at NCBS provides a stimulating environment for students with strong physical sciences backgrounds. This initiative encourages students with backgrounds in physics, chemistry and mathematics to apply their knowledge to understanding concepts in biology. Students who are interested in iBio research projects must first be accepted into the PhD or integrated-PhD program at NCBS through the standard application procedure. Preference for this program is indicated at the time of the interviews.M.Sc. in Wildlife Biology & Conservation (only at Bangalore) is offered by NCBS on alternate years and is open this year.

THE SELECTION PROCESS PhD/ Int-PhD/ M.Sc.-by-Research Programs All applicants for any of the aforementioned programs are required to take a written test conducted jointly by NCBS and DBS on December 11, 2011. The test assesses basic analytical skills and +2 level mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology. There is no specified syllabus. The DBS and NCBS admission processes for the PhD/Int-PhD/M.Sc.-by-Research Programs are common up to the Entrance Test stage. DBS invites students for interviews based on the performance in the entrance exam. NCBS sends out an application package to students who qualify the written test for the next phase of the selection procedure. Performance in the written test, together with the information requested in the application package is used to short-list candidates for interviews at Bangalore in May/June 2012. Interviews for the PhD/Int-PhD programs at NCBS and DBS typically comprise two rounds. The details of these will be provided to candidates short-listed for the interviews. Interviews are conducted at Bangalore (May/June 2012) and Mumbai (February/March 2012). There is some overlap in the list of candidates invited to interview at DBS or NCBS and it is possible that some candidates are offered admission both to DBS and to NCBS. Candidates are however expected to accept the offer at only one centre. Information on the interview for the M.Sc.-by-Research Program is provided on the DBS-TIFR website. MSc in Wildlife Biology & Conservation The entrance test consists of multiple choice questions that assess skills in English language, general knowledge, basic biology, logic, mathematics and statistics (+2 level), and knowledge about wildlife and conservation issues. There is also an essay question on a conservation issue. There is an interview with shortlisted candidates in June 2012 at NCBS. RESEARCH GROUPS AT DBS, MUMBAI Gotam Jarori A.S. Rama Koti (also at DCS, Mumbai) Roop Mallik Maithreyi Narasimha B.J. Rao Krishanu Ray Ullas Kolthur Seetharam Shobhona Sharma Himanshu Sinha Mahendra Sonawane Structure-activity relationship in malarial proteins Single-molecule protein mechanics and mechanochemistry Biophysics of molecular motors and motor complexes Cell adhesion, epithelial morphogenesis and cellular reorganization Molecular mechanisms that repair genetic instabilities Cell biology of motor proteins in Drosophila Sirtuins:linking metabolism to aging and cancer Biology of the malarial parasite Functional genomics and quantitative traits in yeast Genetic analysis of cellular adhesion in developing zebrafish epidermis

V. Sriram Shubha Tole Subrata Tripathi Vidita Vaidya

Real-time whole organism mitochondrial demographics Genetics mechanisms and signaling pathways in developing brain Membrane biophysics Neurobiology of stress and depression

Please visit the webpage http://www.tifr.res.in/~dbs/web/Home.html for more information on research programs at DBS RESEARCH GROUPS AT NCBS, BANGALORE Madhusudhan Venkadesan Sandeep Krishna Aswin Sai Narain Seshasayee Vatsala Thirumalai Raghu Padinjat Shachi Gosavi Mahesh Sankaran Dominik Schwudke Mukund Thattai Suhel Quadar Deepak T. Nair Sanjay P. Sane Yamuna Krishnan Uma Ramakrishnan Apurva Sarin R. Sowdhamini Sumantra Chattarji Morphology and control in animals and machines Feedback in biological response systems Computational and functional genomics of bacterial gene regulation Neural control of movement during development and in adulthood The architecture of phosphoinositide signalling in vivo Computational folding and functional dynamics of proteins Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, plant herbivore interactions Linking biological phenotypes to their chemical basis The dynamics and evolution of living networks Evolutionary ecology and environmental conservation Structural biology and macromolecular crystallography Neural and physical basis of insect flight Structure and dynamics of nucleic acids The genetic heritage of South Asia: Tracking its history, conserving its future Mechanisms of apoptosis Computational approaches to protein science Plasticity in the amygdale: Implications for stress disorders and mental retardation

Upinder S. Bhalla Satyajit Mayor Sudhir Krishna M.M. Panicker Gaiti Hasan M.K. Mathew Jayant B. Udgaonkar K. VijayRaghavan K.S. Krishnan Obaid Siddiqi

Computational neuroscience of olfaction and memory Only Connect: How cells tune-in via multiple mechanisms of endocytosis The role of papillomaviruses and Notch signaling in the progression of human cervical cancers Gene regulation in the mammalian nervous system Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate signaling in cellular and systemic physiology Exploring the architecture and function of transmembrane ion channels How do proteins fold, unfold and misfold? Developmental genetics and neurobiology of flight and locomotion Cell biology of the synapse Genetic analysis of chemosensory perception in Drosophila

Please visit the webpage http://www.ncbs.res.in for more information on research programs at NCBS