Science Trek draws huge crowds

The centre of attraction at this year's Bangalore Bio 2006 was Science Trek, a state-of-the-art, world class laboratory on wheels dedicated to biotech, pharmacology and other science students in India. The lab on wheels is an initiative by Millipore India, Eppendorf India and Micro Devices Metrohm. It is for the first time ever that three majors have come together and invested in an initiative for students.

The mission of Science Trek is to showcase and demonstrate the latest lab equipment for applications ranging from PCR, membrane filtration, ion analysis and tissue culture to sample preparation for HPLC, LCMS among others. The mobile lab will visit educational/research institutions all over the country providing a opportunity for students to see the latest lab equipment in use, get practical insights, ask questions and widen their scientific horizons.

Additionally, the mobile lab will bridge the gap between the privileged, urban centers of learning in metros and the relatively unequipped labs in semi-urban and rural colleges. "Students in rural schools and colleges are at a major disadvantage, very often even basic lab equipment is not accessible to them. Science Trek will do its bit by making biotech lab related education more accessible," said Sudhir Kant, president, Millipore India. "Everyone should and will get a chance to see, touch, feel the latest in lab equipment. Our people will be at hand to explain and answer questions, clarify concepts. It is for this that all three companies have invested nearly Rs 25 lakhs in the van and the equipment," he added.

Among the many Millipore products on display in the lab is Direct Q 3 - the water purification system specially designed for educational institutions. The other products from Millipore include sample preparation kits and devices, sterile and non sterile filtration units, centrifugals, general filtration accessories, ion analysis instruments from Metrohm and

Cell manipulation and DNA amplification devices from Eppendorf India.

The lab was inaugurated by Dr Goverdhan Mehta, former director of IISc, Bangalore. Subhash Bagaria, chairman, Millipore India and teams from Eppendorf and Metrohm were present.

To begin with, Science Trek will cover educational institutions in the four states of South India. With success, the concept will be extended to other states as well.

Namratha Jagtap