National
Institute of Oceanography
Bioinformatics is the area of interaction between the
information technology and Life-Sciences including Biotechnology. Recognizing
the importance and necessity to develop the emerging area of Bioinformatics,
the national Biotechnology Board (NBTB) of Government of India recognised
that the growing stores of biological data could speed research and ultimately
improve health, food production and live stock quality if data were properly
collected and maintained. Department of Biotechnology responded to the need
for information storage, retrieval and analysis system by establishing the
Biotechnology Information System for biotechnologists.
The Biotechnology Information System was established
to serve as distributed database and network organisation for harnessing
the scientific knowledge in various inter-disciplinary areas of Biotechnology
and its dissemination to R & D institutions, universities and industry.
Presently it is comprises of nine specialised Distributed Information Centres
(DICs) in six identified areas of Biotechnology, twenty one Sub-DICs for
diffusiion of scientific information across the network and an Apex Centre
at the Department of Biotechnology to coordinate the network activities.
DICs have been established with the task of providing subject oriented (disciplines
oriented) information to all institutions belonging to the branch and other
institutions and individual users interested in the particular subject of
information related to the branch.
Distributed Information Sub-centres provide an access
mechanism for the information to be available at added dimension of access
and diffusion of information across the network.
The Apex centre at DBT is responsible for coordinating,
organising and providing information services at national level covering
a wide range of subjects on large sector of national endeavours in Biotechnology.
It coordinates the activities of other DICs and provide a nation-wide communication
network between the DICs and other Sub centres. It also coordinates linkage
and cooperation with external sources of Bioinformatics including documentation
and information centres abroad.
Recognising the importance and necessity to develop the
emerging areas of Bioinformatics and its application in Marine Sciences,
Bioinformatics Centre (Sub-DIC) at National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR)
Dona Paula, Goa was established in January 1990 under the biotechnology
Information System (BTIS) programme. , Bioinformatics Centre at NIO has
been engaged in :
- Collection, collation and dissemination
of data/information on Marine Biodiversity.
- Assistance to the scientists especially
marine biologists and biotechnologists with computer/computational problems.
- Building Database in the subject field
related to marine biology and biotechnology.
- Facililating online search through
network and offline through CDROMs.
- Networking and communication
- Building up of active network of marine
biologists and biotechnologists in the country.
- Training to potential users.
- Development of CD-ROMs on "NIO's Database
on Marine Life of India (NIODMLI)"
- Participation in international programmes
through centres like ICLARM, Philippines, ETI, The Netherlands.
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Vishwas
Chavan |
Information
Officer |
 |
Devanand
Kavlekar |
Technical
Assistant |
 |
Vishwanath
Kulkarni |
Laboratory
Assistant |
 |
 |
|
Bioinformatics Staff
|
Staff at Work
|
Developed by Devanand Kavlekar, NIO, Goa, INDIA
