The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) was set up in February, 1986. It is is part of the Ministry of Science and Technology. Its mandate consists of the following points
- Promote large scale use of Biotechnology
- Support R&D and manufacturing in Biology
- Responsibility for Autonomous Institutions
- Promote University and Industry Interaction
- Identify and Set up Centres of Excellence for R&D
- Integrated Programme for Human Resource Development
- Serve as Nodal Point for specific International Collaborations
- Establishment of Infrastructure Facilities to support R&D and production
- Evolve Bio Safety Guidelines, manufacture and application of cell based vaccines
- Serve as nodal point for the collection and dissemination of information relating to biotechnology
The DBT has responsibilities for autonomous institutes that perform R&D (List of autonomous institutes), including the National Institute of Immunology and the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS).
