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Career Guidance… Virologists

Zika, Ebola and now Corona (Covid-19) …from time to time, new viruses are spreading and questioning the existence of human race.
Scientists who work on inventing drugs and vaccines and control such viruses are called Virologists. The science of studying viruses is called Virology. If viruses horrify mankind, virologists are there to challenge and control them. Virologists will study about the infections, treatment, control, etc. by doing researches to save mankind. In present situation of huge cases of corona outbreaks, the role of virologists is vital. Hence, let us know about virology, virologists, their duties, available courses and career opportunities...

Virology is the study of viral – submicroscopic, parasitic particles of genetic material contained in a protein coat– and virus-like agents. It focuses on the following aspects of viruses: their structure, classification and evolution, their ways to infect and exploit host cells for reproduction, their interaction with host organism physiology and immunity, the diseases they cause, the techniques to isolate and culture them, and their use in research and therapy. Virology is considered to be a sub-field of microbiology of medicine.

Virologists are medical doctors that oversee the diagnosis, management and prevention of infection.

National Institute of Virology (NIV):
This is the Virus Research Center that was established in Pune, in 1952 in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Rockefeller Foundation. This was upgraded in 1972 as National Institute of Virology (NIV). It is the leading institute of research on viruses in the country. The NIV is currently the Nodal Center for Coronal Diagnosis. It is popularly known as the WHO of South East Asia Regional Center for the Study of Viruses.

NIV is offering a two-year M.Sc Virology Course with international standards since 2005 at Savitribai Phule University, Pune, in collaboration with the Institute of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics. Very few institutes in the country offer this course. NIV has sophisticated infrastructure for advanced molecular virology and immunology research. NIV specializes in Advanced Electron Microscopy, Animal Experimental BSL-3 and BSL-4 facilities.

Eligibility:
MBBS / B.V.SC / B.Sc (Biotechnology / Botany / Chemistry / Chemical Laboratory Science / Life sciences / Microbiology / Zoology) with minimum 60% marks are eligible for admission in M.Sc Virology. Reserved category candidates will be eligible to pass with 55% marks.

Entrance Test:
National Institute of Virology (NIV), offers M.Sc courses in virology and the admission is through the entrance test. The exam is for 200 marks. It contains 100 objective- type questions of two marks each.

Career Opportunities
NIV designed the M.Sc virology course with the aim of providing well-trained virologists in the fields of teaching, research and healthcare. The students of NIV are in forefront of getting higher education and employment opportunities. NIV organizes on-campus interviews annually to benefit students. It is also working to meet domestic needs.

Recently NIV, has completely changed the syllabus related to Bio-Safety and Bio-Security. So that the students of NIV can acquire the skills to work in all pathogenic viruses or organisms laboratories. Currently, 47 per cent of M.Sc virology students in NIV are enrolling for PhD thereby engaging in research. Of them, 35 per cent are hired in India and 4 per cent in foreign countries.

Sri Venkateswara University
Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, has set up the Department of Virology in 1988. Since then is is offering M. Sc Virology and PhD Virology courses. Interested students can get admission in M. Sc Virology Course through SVUCET. SVU students, who had already completed their respective courses, were inducted in National Level Research Institutes like AIIMS, TIFR and ICRISAT through GATE and CSIR-NET.

Manipal University
Manipal University offers 2 year M.Sc Clinical Virology Course . Admission to this course is through Manipal Entrance Test (MET). The application process is ongoing. Apply by May 15.

Amity Varsity:
Amity Institute of Virology and Immunology in Noida offers 2 year M. Sc Virology course . Candidates who have graduated with at least 50% marks in Life Sciences are eligible to apply. Passing with 50% marks in Inter is compulsory. Candidates are selected through the English Language Test and Personal Interview.

Job opportunities
M. Sc Virology candidates have huge employment opportunities in the companies like, Actis Biologics, Bharat Biotech, Hindustan Unilever, National AIDS Research Institute, The National Center for Cell Science, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Serum Institute of India, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Venkateshwara Hatcheries and many other companies. They can find jobs in research departments in universities and research institutes of Belgium, Canada, Finland, Germany, India, Italy, Singapore, Thailand and the United States.

For more details, please visit : http://www.niv.co.in
Published date : 08 Apr 2020 04:00PM

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