Course Structure Overview
The Biotechnology program at Malwanchal University Indore is structured over eight semesters, with a blend of core science courses, departmental electives, science electives, and laboratory components. Each semester includes a minimum of 16 credit hours, distributed across lectures, tutorials, and lab sessions.
| Year | Semester | Course Code | Course Title | Credit Structure (L-T-P-C) | Prerequisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | BIO101 | Introduction to Biology | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 1 | I | CHEM101 | Chemistry for Biotechnology | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 1 | I | MATH101 | Mathematics I | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 1 | I | PHYS101 | Physics for Biotechnology | 3-0-0-3 | - |
| 1 | I | BIO102 | Cell Biology | 3-0-0-3 | BIO101 |
| 1 | I | LAB101 | Basic Laboratory Techniques | 0-0-6-3 | - |
| 1 | II | BIO201 | Genetics | 3-0-0-3 | BIO102 |
| 1 | II | CHEM201 | Organic Chemistry | 3-0-0-3 | CHEM101 |
| 1 | II | MATH201 | Statistics and Probability | 3-0-0-3 | MATH101 |
| 1 | II | BIO202 | Microbiology | 3-0-0-3 | BIO102 |
| 1 | II | LAB201 | Advanced Lab Techniques | 0-0-6-3 | Laboratory Experience I |
| 2 | III | BIO301 | Protein Chemistry | 3-0-0-3 | BIO202 |
| 2 | III | BIO302 | Enzymology | 3-0-0-3 | BIO301 |
| 2 | III | BIOPHYS301 | Biophysics | 3-0-0-3 | PHYS101 |
| 2 | III | BIO303 | Molecular Biology | 3-0-0-3 | BIO201 |
| 2 | III | LAB301 | Research Methods Lab | 0-0-6-3 | Laboratory Experience II |
| 2 | IV | BIO401 | Bioprocess Engineering | 3-0-0-3 | BIO303 |
| 2 | IV | BIO402 | Genomics and Bioinformatics | 3-0-0-3 | MATH201 |
| 2 | IV | BIOTECH401 | Industrial Biotechnology | 3-0-0-3 | BIO401 |
| 2 | IV | LAB401 | Scale-Up Processes Lab | 0-0-6-3 | Laboratory Experience III |
| 3 | V | BIO501 | Drug Discovery and Development | 3-0-0-3 | BIO402 |
| 3 | V | BIO502 | Biomedical Diagnostics | 3-0-0-3 | BIO301 |
| 3 | V | BIO503 | Bioinformatics Applications | 3-0-0-3 | BIOMATH501 |
| 3 | V | LAB501 | Mini Project I | 0-0-6-3 | Lab Experience IV |
| 3 | VI | BIO601 | Synthetic Biology | 3-0-0-3 | BIO501 |
| 3 | VI | BIO602 | Environmental Biotechnology | 3-0-0-3 | BIO402 |
| 3 | VI | BIO603 | Plant Biotechnology | 3-0-0-3 | BIO501 |
| 3 | VI | LAB601 | Mini Project II | 0-0-6-3 | Lab Experience V |
| 4 | VII | BIO701 | Capstone Project | 0-0-12-6 | Final Year Thesis Approval |
| 4 | VIII | BIO801 | Internship | 0-0-0-6 | Internship Eligibility |
Detailed Course Descriptions for Advanced Departmental Electives
Drug Discovery and Development: This course explores the entire pipeline of pharmaceutical development, from target identification to clinical trials. Students learn how new drugs are discovered using computational modeling, high-throughput screening, and medicinal chemistry principles.
Bioinformatics Applications: Designed for students interested in data science and biology integration, this elective covers genomic sequence analysis, protein structure prediction, pathway mapping, and machine learning techniques applied to biological problems.
Synthetic Biology: Focused on designing and constructing new biological systems, students learn about genetic circuits, gene regulation, and synthetic pathways. The course emphasizes both theoretical knowledge and practical lab applications.
Plant Biotechnology: This course covers modern techniques in plant transformation, including CRISPR-Cas9 editing, transgenic crop development, and sustainable agriculture strategies. Students engage with field experiments and laboratory-based plant transformation protocols.
Biomedical Diagnostics: Students explore the principles of diagnostic assays, immunoassays, PCR technologies, and point-of-care testing systems. The course includes hands-on lab sessions on developing diagnostic tools for infectious diseases.
Environmental Biotechnology: This elective focuses on bioremediation techniques, waste management strategies, biodegradable materials, and ecological restoration methods. It emphasizes field-based projects involving real-world environmental challenges.
Bioprocess Engineering: Students study fermentation technology, bioreactor design, scale-up processes, and process optimization. Labs involve working with pilot-scale bioreactors and analyzing production yields.
Genomics and Bioinformatics: A foundational course in genomics that introduces students to genome assembly, annotation, comparative genomics, and functional genomics using bioinformatics tools and databases.
Protein Engineering: This advanced elective covers protein structure-function relationships, mutagenesis strategies, enzyme engineering, and directed evolution techniques used in industrial applications.
Neurobiotechnology: Students investigate neural interfaces, brain-computer interfaces, neurodegenerative diseases, and bioelectronic medicine. Labs include electrophysiology and neural recording techniques.
Project-Based Learning Philosophy
The department's philosophy on project-based learning centers on the idea that real-world problem-solving drives innovation and deepens understanding. Students begin their journey with mini-projects in their third year, working in teams to address challenges in biotechnology such as optimizing fermentation conditions or designing diagnostic kits.
Mini projects are evaluated through progress reports, peer reviews, and final presentations. Faculty mentors guide students throughout the process, ensuring they gain technical skills while learning to collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary environments.
The capstone project in the final year allows students to undertake an independent research initiative guided by a faculty advisor. Projects often lead to publishable results or patent applications. The thesis must demonstrate originality, depth of analysis, and practical relevance to the field.
Project selection is facilitated through a formal proposal process where students pitch ideas to faculty members based on their interests and available resources. Selection criteria include feasibility, novelty, alignment with departmental strengths, and potential for impact.