India links strong
The biotechnology links between Queensland and India have been strengthened by a research agreement between the University of Queensland (UQ) and the Manipal Academy of Higher Education in India’s smart state Karnataka.
UQ has also established a PhD student exchange program with India’s top post-graduate university, Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. Sonika Tyagi and Ragothaman Yennamalli, both 25, are the first Indian students to study at UQ under the exchange. Ragothaman is working with Dr Bostjan Kobe and Dr Paul Young investigating new drug treatments to combat the dengue virus while Sonika is working with Dr. Tim Bailey on novel DNA sequences.
Both programs were set up by UQ’s Biotechnology Program Director, Associate Professor Ross Barnard. The agreement with Manipal is a result of the MOU on higher education co-operation between Karnataka and the Queensland Government, signed by Premier Peter Beattie on a trade mission to India in February 2003.