Molecular Biology and rubber products manufacture are focus areas for the development of the rubber sector, Dr K. N. Raghavan, Chairman & Executive Director of the Indian Rubber Board said at the inauguration of the certificate courses offered at Rubber Training Institute, Kottayam. He furthered that applied research in the molecular field is essential for better rubber clones, better yield, disease resistance, etc.
The Rubber Research Institute of India has developed GM clones, which are ready for field trials. Focus on rubber product development is also very important as there are many areas with which natural rubber can come as a substitute for products that are harmful to nature, Raghavan added.
The Molecular Biology & Biotechnology Techniques course hones in on building hands-on experience in some of the essential molecular techniques right from the extraction of nucleic acids (DNA, RNA) to gene cloning, sequencing, gene expression and development of transgenic. For the conduct of the course, the infrastructure and expertise of the Advanced Centre for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the Rubber Research Institute of India will be utilised.
Meanwhile, the Rubber Products Manufacture course aims to build hands-on expertise in rubber compounding, product manufacturing, testing of raw materials/compounds/ products and exposure to latex technology, as well as equip the participants for advancing in their academic/industrial carriers and also for entrepreneurship.