OU Life Sciences Students Told To Turn Research Into Start-Ups
Young researchers can access small grants for projects lasting up to 18 months, besides scholarships, travel grants and funding for innovation, start-ups and commercialisation of technologies: Reports
HYDERABAD: Life sciences students and young researchers should look beyond academic research and explore opportunities to turn their work into useful products, technologies and start-ups, scientist and innovation strategist Dr Ramji Pallela said at Osmania University (OU) on Wednesday.
Addressing postgraduate students, research scholars and faculty at the Department of Zoology, Pallela said the growing life sciences sector offered opportunities through internships, fellowships, grants, incubation programmes and seed funding, both in India and abroad.
He urged M.Sc. students to seek internships at research laboratories, biotechnology companies, incubation centres and academic institutions to gain hands‑on experience. Short‑term summer and winter research programmes under established scientists could also provide valuable training, he said.
Young researchers can access small grants for projects lasting up to 18 months, besides scholarships, travel grants and funding for innovation, startups and commercialisation of technologies.
Pallela pointed to programmes offered by agencies including the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).
“Research, innovation and entrepreneurship need to work together,” he said, encouraging researchers to focus on problems with practical scientific and social applications.
Pallela also spoke about intellectual property rights, technology transfer and startup incubation, explaining that scientific discoveries need pathways to move from laboratories to wider use. Interdisciplinary work, project management and effective science communication were equally important, he said.
He encouraged students to participate in innovation challenges, funding competitions and entrepreneurship programmes rather than waiting until the end of their academic careers to explore such opportunities.
The session also covered career planning, biotechnology startups, research funding and emerging opportunities in life sciences. Zoology department head Prof. B. Reddya Naik and Board of Studies chairperson Prof. A. V. Rajashekar participated in the programme.