AAU Jorhat hosts training on genome engineering to boost agricultural innovation in northeast

A major capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening agricultural biotechnology research in the Northeast began on Monday at Assam Agricultural University (AAU) in Jorhat, with scientists, researchers and students gathering for a three-day awareness-cum-training programme on genome engineering and gene editing in plants.

The programme is being organised by the DBT-North East Centre for Agricultural Biotechnology (DBT-NECAB) and the Department of Agricultural Biotechnology of AAU, in collaboration with the ICAR-National Institute for Plant Biotechnology (ICAR-NIPB), New Delhi. The initiative aims to provide researchers and students from the region with exposure to the latest innovations and technological advancements in modern gene technology.

The training programme was formally inaugurated on March 9 at the DBT-NECAB auditorium at AAU headquarters in Jorhat. The inaugural session was attended by several distinguished scientists and academicians, including Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture Prasanna Kumar Pathak, Chief General Manager of **Biotech Consortium India Limited Vibha Ahuja, Principal Scientist at ICAR-NIPB Debasis Pattanayak, and Director of DBT-NECAB and Head of the Department of Agricultural Biotechnology at AAU Bidyut Kumar Sarmah.

In his inaugural address, Dr. Pathak praised the organisers for hosting the workshop on an emerging and highly relevant scientific domain, stressing the importance of advanced biotechnology research in addressing food security and agricultural sustainability challenges.

Dr. Ahuja and Dr. Pattanayak encouraged participants to make full use of the discussions, expert lectures, and hands-on training sessions to develop a deeper understanding of modern genome engineering techniques.

Delivering the welcome address, Dr. Sarmah highlighted the achievements of the Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and emphasised the importance of such workshops in motivating young researchers and students to pursue cutting-edge research in the biotechnology sector. He also acknowledged the efforts of the organising team, particularly the local course coordinator and Associate Professor Sumita Acharjee, for successfully arranging the programme.

The workshop has brought together 40 participants from across Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Manipur, reflecting growing interest in advanced agricultural biotechnology in the Northeast.

Over the three days, participants will receive training on key areas including genetic engineering, CRISPR Gene Editing, molecular breeding and sustainable agricultural practices. The sessions will be led by experts from AAU as well as leading institutions in India and abroad, combining lectures with interactive discussions and practical demonstrations.

Organisers say the programme is expected to foster scientific collaboration and inspire new research directions aimed at tackling pressing global agricultural and environmental challenges while strengthening the region’s research capacity in modern biotechnology.