This undergraduate degree in Biological Engineering (B.Tech.), offered by IIT Madras, brings together engineering principles and molecular life sciences to develop and operate biology-based technologies in diversified fields such as energy, environment, bioprocesses, biomaterials, diagnostics, biopharmaceuticals and food processing.
The programme will impart knowledge on different areas of the biology-engineering interface and hence, is designed to be a broad-based one. It will emphasize core courses in basic sciences, biological sciences and provide a solid foundation in application of engineering principles to biological systems, through courses in different areas such as bioprocess engineering, biomedical engineering, biomolecular engineering and computational biology.
This will enable the students to have a wider appreciation of the biology-engineering interface and allow them to evolve interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving, research and technology development. In addition to core theory and practical courses, a basket of elective courses will be offered in bioprocess engineering, biomedical engineering and computational biology for specialization. The programme is designed to allow the students sufficient time and courses to familiarize themselves with different areas of the biology-engineering interface before embarking on a specialization.
Upgrade options:
Students registered in this program will also be able to upgrade their degree into a BTech (Hons) or dual degree (BTech + MTech or BTech + MS) and earn the corresponding credit requirements for the upgraded programme for the successful award for the upgraded degree(s).
Program Overview:
This program is a credit based system where the students are required to earn a total of 400 credits. Among the total 400 credits, 164 must be earned from elective courses of which 36 credits must be from Biotechnology and 57 credits can be from any department within IITM including Biotechnology. The overall category-wise credit requirements for BTech is as below:
| Category | Core | Electives | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Sciences (S) | 46 | 27 | 73 |
| Basic Engineering (E) | 33 | 0 | 33 |
| Computing (C) | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Professional (P) | 136 | 36 | 172 |
| Humanities (H) | 0 | 27 | 27 |
| General (G) | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| Management (M) | 10 | 8 | 18 |
| Unallocated (S/E/P/H/C/M) | 0 | 57 | 57 |
| Total | 236 | 164 | 400 |
For B.Tech (Honors) and upgradation to B.Tech+M.Tech. or B.Tech+M.S., the students must have a minimum CGPA of 8.5 at the end of 5th semester without U or W grade in any course.
This undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences (B.S.), offered by IIT Madras, provides a strong foundation in biological sciences.The application of biological sciences to improve health, agriculture and environment is unlimited and currently there is a dearth of well-trained manpower in this area.
This programme encompasses the study of living organisms and life processes at all levels, including individual organisms, tissues, cells, subcellular structures, and molecules. Apart from the fundamental courses in biological sciences, the curriculum imparts specific skills on interfacing cellular, molecular and computational biology.
The students will be trained to undertake academic research in frontier areas in world class universities and equip students with skills to be employed in R&D laboratories of pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in India and abroad. The Department with its large faculty body and diverse expertise in various disciplines of biology, such as cellular & molecular biology, structural biology, chemical biology and computational biology, is uniquely positioned to offer a research-oriented programme in biological sciences. Biology at school level is not a prerequisite for admission to this programme.
Upgrade options:
Students registered in this program will also be able to upgrade their degree into a BS (Hons) or dual degree (BS + MS or BS + MTech) and earn the corresponding credit requirements for the upgraded programme for the successful award for the upgraded degree(s).
Program Overview:
This program is a credit based system where the students are required to earn a total of 400 credits. Among the total 400 credits, 163 must be earned from elective courses of which 45 credits must be from Biotechnology and 56 credits can be from any department within IITM including Biotechnology. The overall category-wise credit requirements for BS is as below:
| Category | Core | Electives | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Sciences (S) | 46 | 18 | 64 |
| Basic Engineering (E) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Computing (C) | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Professional (P) | 170 | 45 | 215 |
| Humanities (H) | 0 | 27 | 27 |
| General (G) | 10 | 8 | 18 |
| Management (M) | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| Unallocated (S/E/P/H/C/M) | 0 | 56 | 56 |
| Total | 237 | 163 | 400 |
For B.S. (Honors) and upgradation to B.S.+M.Tech. or B.S.+M.S., the students must have a minimum CGPA of 8.5 at the end of 5th semester without U or W grade in any course.
This postgraduate degree in Bioprocess Engineering (M. Tech.), offered by IIT Madras, is aimed at developing manpower with specialised skills in Biological Engineering.
Bioprocess Engineering is an interdisciplinary area involving principles of both life sciences and engineering. Advances in bioenergy, biofuel production, metabolic engineering for the production of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals, commodity and specialty chemicals, recombinant protein production are all contingent on a trained workforce of engineers in the ‘bio’ industries. In addition to industries, development of skilled bioprocess engineers in higher education and research is also very much needed. These specific needs of the Biotechnology and Biochemical industries are addressed through this rigorous programme in Bioprocess Engineering.
The programme is tailored to build strong fundamentals in chemical engineering principles applied to bioprocesses. Building on core concepts such as thermodynamics, reactor design, transport phenomena, and process control, the programme will help students acquire state-of- the-art knowledge in topics such as metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, modelling of biological systems, plant and mammalian cell bioprocessing, biomaterials, etc. The students will gain practical experience in genetic engineering, cell culture, upstream and downstream processing through two laboratory courses. The curriculum also includes a year-long project, which will hone the skills towards an industrial or academic career.
Program Overview:
This program is a credit based system where the students are required to earn a total of 200 credits. Among the total 200 credits, 45 must be earned from elective courses in the first two semesters of which 27 credits must be from Biotechnology and the remaining 18 credits can be from any department within IITM including Biotechnology. The list of core courses and electives are listed in the curriculum.
This postgraduate degree offered by the Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, IIT Madras, is a rigorous course which combines advanced coursework with experience in conducting practical research in Biotechnology.
This program will be well suited for students who wish to explore a particular domain in Biological Sciences or Biological Engineering and want to pursue a career in research (potentially into a doctorate level). The department focuses on a wide array of research topics, reflecting the diversity of modern biotechnology. The three major thrust areas of Research are: Biological Sciences, Biological Engineering and Computational Biology.
Students joined in this program shall enrol in advanced courses that focuses on active research topics and carry out independent research under a faculty member's supervision. Writing and defending a scientific thesis based on the research findings in front of a panel of scientific experts marks the program's completion.
Program Overview:
In the first year, MS students are required to complete five courses, recommended by the General Test Committee (GTC) which provide a solid foundation in key areas of study. Apart from these courses, students need to pass Introduction to Research, an Institute-wide module. Simultaneously, students also participate in lab rotations for one-two months to gain exposure to various research environments. After the lab rotation, a research guide is assigned based on the student's research interests and faculty preferences. Students are expected to maintain regular meetings with their guide.
Upon completing the coursework, students must pass a Comprehensive Examination, which consists of both written and oral components. Each student’s research progress is overseen by a General Test Committee (GTC), which includes the research guide, one member from the department, and one external member. The GTC reviews the student's progress at regular intervals.
MS students receiving the Half-Time Research Assistantship (HTRA) are also required to assist in research or teaching.
This postgraduate degree is awarded to individuals who have completed a rigorous course of study and research in a particular field.
This program will be well suited for students who wish to explore a particular domain in Biological Sciences or Biological Engineering and want to pursue a career in research (potentially into a doctorate level). The department focuses on a wide array of research topics, reflecting the diversity of modern biotechnology. The three major thrust areas of Research are: Biological Sciences, Biological Engineering and Computational Biology.
Students joined in this program shall enroll in advanced courses that focus on active research topics and carry out independent research under a faculty member's supervision. Writing and defending a scientific thesis based on the research findings in front of a panel of scientific experts marks the program's completion.
Program Overview:
The Department of Biotechnology at IIT Madras conducts a wide array of research, covering both basic and applied sciences. The department offers guidance for research across all major areas of bioscience, leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree. The program typically spans 5 to 6 years. In the first year, Ph.D. students are required to complete four courses, each worth nine credits, which provide a solid foundation in key areas of study. Apart from these courses, students need to pass two compulsory courses, Introduction to Research, an Institute-wide module, and Introduction to Research, a Department module. Simultaneously, students participate in lab rotations for one to two months to gain exposure to various research environments. After the lab rotation, a research guide is assigned based on the student's research interests and faculty preferences. Students are expected to maintain regular meetings with their guide.
Upon completing the coursework, students must pass a Comprehensive Examination, which consists of both written and oral components. Each student’s progress is overseen by a Doctoral Committee (DC), which includes the research guide, two members from the department, and one external member. The DC reviews the student's progress at regular intervals.
Ph.D. students receiving the Half-Time Research Assistantship (HTRA) are required to assist in research or teaching.
