August 2022: One week long “Hands-on Training on Materials Characterizations, Lipidomics and Proteomics Techniques” is being conducted by Amity University Haryana from 22 nd Augus to 28 th August, 2022 which is sponsored by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) under ‘Synergistic Training program Utilizing the Scientific and Technological Infrastructure’ (STUTI).

The Scheme ‘SynergisticTraining program Utilizing the Scientific and Technological Infrastructure’ (STUTI) is intended to build human resource and its knowledge capacity through open access S&T Infrastructure across the country. As a complement to the various schemes of DST funding for expansion of R&D Infrastructure at academic institutions, STUTI scheme envisions hands-on training program, sensitization and sharing of the state-of-the-art equipment while ensuring transparent access of S&T facilities. The training is conducted on a hub-and-spoke model approach, where DST as the apex body, identifies an Institute/University that shall function as a Project Management Unit (PMU).

Under the vision and mission of the Hon’ble Founder President Dr Ashok K. Chauhan Sirand dynamic leadership of Dr Nitin Batra CEO Amity Institute of Training and Development, Amity University AUUP has been recognised as a STUTI’s project hub as ‘Project Management Unit’ (PMU). Under this scheme, the Amity Universe would be conducting 22 PAN India training programs in various Science and Engineering Institutes and Departments of Universities. Such programs have already been successfully conducted by Amity at IIT Delhi, IIT
Roorkee, IIT Patna, BHU, Guru Nanak Dev University, IIT Rourkela, AMITY Noida, NEHU Shillong. This time, the 9 th training program is being organized by Amity University Haryana as Spoke (Partner Institute) for students/post-doctoral fellows/young faculty and researchers to impartseven day hands-on training on the state-of-the-art equipmentinfrastructure created under DST-FIST program; used for Materials
Sciences; Lipidomics and Proteomics. Amity University Haryana, a NAAC accredited A Grade University is running two DST-FIST programs one in Biotechnology and the other in Physical Sciences and has a Central Instrumentation Research Facility.

For this 9 th hands on training program, more than 600 applications were received and after careful shortlisting, 34 participantswere selected from institutions and universities all over India including post graduate students, PhD scholars, post-doctoral fellows and young faculty. It was mandatory for the participantsto stay on campus to have 24×7 basis access to facilities.

The workshop started with the registration of all participants followed by a theoretical session conducted by Dr Dipankar Malakar, Application Support Manager from Sciex. He explained the basics of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry with special emphasis on QTRAP technology. This was followed by an expert lecture by Dr Ashutosh Singh, Assistant Professor, University of Lucknow. He elucidated the day to day challenges faced while working with mass spectrometer. The session was interactive and the participants had a lot of queries
that followed intense interaction.

The highlight of afternoon session was the inaugural session compered by Dr Deepa Suhag. The program started with welcome address by Prof. Atul Thakur, Head of Institute for Amity Centre for Nanotechnology and Amity School of Applied Sciences, Amity University Haryana. Prof. Rajendra Prasad, Dean, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology and Directors of Amity Institute of Biotechnology and Amity Integrative Sciences and Health shared the research highlights of the university with the audience.

Pro Vice Chancellor Dr. Vikas Madhukar gave his opening remarks and discussed the research ecosystem of the university and introduced various inter-disciplinary research cluster at AUH.

Prof P B Sharma, Vice Chancellor, AUH, is an Eminent Academician and Institution Builder, encouraged young minds to utilize science for nation building. He urged that outcome of research should be to eradicate hunger, finding solutions for environmental and health issues that are faced by mankind. The key note address was delivered by the Guest of Honour, Prof. Arindam Bhattacharya. Scientist ‘E’, Research and Development Infrastructure Division of DST. Dr. Bhattacharyya emphasised on the optimal utilization of funded equipment across the country and suggested that these facilities should be provided at nominal cost to all researchers. Moreover, he encouraged to work in collaboration for better research outcome. He discussed how the STUTI program contributes in producing skilled manpower. Finally as a DST representative he complimented and congratulated Amity University Haryana for organising the workshop.

The keynote speaker of the day was Dr. Nitin Batra, CEO Amity Institute of Training and Development, thanked DST for constant support and feedback. He also shared that a LinkedIn account have been created with mission to keep all participants of STUTI program in touch and emphasised on the societal impact of such programs in the area of science and technology. Prof. A Chakraborty, the officiating Director General of Amity Foundation for Science, Technology & Innovation Alliances (AFSTIA), gave an introduction on “Amity’s contribution in
shaping the research ecosystem of the country”.

With the mission of “Synergy of Brains”, Founder President, Dr. Ashok K. Chauhan, explained how this STUTI program with 22 spokes, each having approx. 30 participants is going to create to a reservoir of 660 scientists. He encouraged audience to have faith in themselves and to boost their morals, he shared his story of success. He also shared his mission on “SSE-Sense, Search and Explore”. He believes that Indians have the intelligence, talent and the potential to be the most successful people in the world and have capacity to change the world. Dr. Ujjaini
Dasgupta introduced the participants and Founder President, Dr. Ashok K. Chauhan congratulated all the participants who have been selected for this workshopand encouraged them to do their best. The event was well attended that was marked with the physical presence of Prof. A Chakraborty, the officiating Director General of Amity Foundation for Science, Technology & Innovation Alliances (AFSTIA) and of Ms Shefali Kashyap, Assistant Director, Amity Foundation for Science, Technology & Innovation Alliances (AFSTIA), Amity Education Group, India and her team.

The workshop programme is spread over for 7-day intense training aiming to equip participants with the basic knowledge and skills required to function in material characterization and lipidomics and proteomics. The participants will experience hands-on training on DLS, TGA-DSC, UV DRS, Modular Spectrophotometer and Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. The training program also includes lectures by eminent experts who are using these advanced facilities and pursuing high end research.

The event is blessed with the expert support of Dr. Nitin Batra CEO Amity Institute of Training and Development; Prof. Selvamurthy, Chief Advisor DST STUTI (Amity-PMU), Advisor, Dr Rajendra Prasad. The event is being coordinated by Dr Atul Thakur and Dr Ujjaini Dasgupta and along with the expert support team that included Prof Preeti Thakur, Dr Chander Shekhar, Dr Chander Mohan, Dr G K Rao, Dr Dipti Vaya, Dr Supreet Kaur, Dr Manish Shandilya, Dr Abhilash Pathania, Dr Deepa Suhag , Ms Kaushavi, Ms Kanchan, Mr Sarthak and PhD Scholars from School of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology.