DBT India Call for Proposals: Establishing Bioinformatics & Computational Biology Centers under BIO-GRID

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, has launched an ambitious call for proposals to establish or upgrade Bioinformatics Centers (BICs) under the national BIO-GRID network. This initiative is a cornerstone of India’s strategy to become a global biotechnology leader by 2030, transforming massive biological data into tangible healthcare, agricultural, and environmental solutions.

This program seeks to bridge the gap between experimental biology and computational innovation by creating state-of-the-art hubs equipped with high-performance computing and AI/ML capabilities.

Key Objectives of the BIO-GRID Network

The mission is to build a robust ecosystem where computational insights drive transformative discoveries.

Advanced Infrastructure: Establishment of centers with high-performance computing (HPC) clusters, secure data storage, and specialized workstations for whole-genome assembly and molecular dynamics.
Interdisciplinary Synergy: Bridging the gap between mathematicians, statisticians, computer scientists, and experimental biologists.
Translational Impact: Connecting “dry lab” research to precision medicine, crop improvement, and sustainable biomanufacturing.
Resource Sharing: Developing open-access tools, algorithms, and repositories to support the national research community.

Core Research & Activity Areas

Proposals are invited in specialized domains including:

Omics Analysis: Genomics, transcriptomics, and microbiome profiling.
Structural Biology: Protein structure prediction and molecular modeling.
Systems Biology: Network analysis and metabolic modeling.
Drug Discovery: Computational pharmacogenomics and target validation.
Agricultural Biotech: Plant genomics and climate-resilient crop development.

Eligibility & Guidelines

Institutional Limit: Each institution can host only one Bioinformatics Center.
Leadership: The Coordinator must be an expert in Bioinformatics/Computational Biology (not an administrative lead).
Personnel: Any Indian National in a regular position at a recognized Govt/Private academic or research institute (DSIR-SIRO recognized).
Collaborations: Multi-institutional proposals (up to 3 partners) are encouraged, especially those involving Computer Science departments.

Financial Support

The DBT envisages significant grants-in-aid for projects with a duration of up to 5 years.

Maximum Budget: Up to ₹5.00 Crore per project.
Capital Cap: Non-recurring costs (equipment/HPC) should not exceed 30% of the total budget.
Private/NGO Support: Capped at ₹2.5 Crore.
Profit-making Entities: Funding limited to ₹50 Lakh.

Important Submission Details

All data generated must be deposited in the Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC) as per BIOTECH-PRIDE guidelines.

Submission Portal: Online via DBT eProMIS under the “BTIS-Network” area.
Deadline: January 31, 2026
Contact for Queries: Dr. Richi V Mahajan, Scientist ‘D’ (Email: rv.mahajan@dbt.nic.in)