The Symbiosis School of Biomedical Sciences (SSBS) was established in June 2011, to fulfill the long standing need for teaching and training in the field of Biomedical Sciences. The School has also laid the foundation for research on which the upcoming Symbiosis School of Medicine will build, to train not only doctors but also physician scientists.
The focus of SSBS is to groom life science graduates into scientists who will serve the community, in addition to exploring the horizons of research. The classrooms here strongly integrate with the laboratories, so that the theoretical concepts taught can be simultaneously demonstrated, to give the students greater understanding and igniting a spark in them to learn more.
An integrated course leading to M. Sc and Ph. D is offered in various disciplines of Biomedical Sciences including Drug Discovery and Development, Biotechnology, Nutrition and Dietetics, and Medicinal Chemistry. The students have the opportunity to pursue a career in academia and industry after finishing their Masters.
The faculty at the SSBS is chosen from among the best in the field, with the sole criterion for selection being excellence. The vast research and training experience that the faculty brings in, forms the basis of research done by students. From the day one, students are encouraged to think research, plan research and do research. The projects that they undertake form an important part of their regular assessment.
In-house expertise of the faculty is complimented with expertise of scientists from overseas as well as elsewhere in the country. Leading academic centers like the Universities of Leeds, Strathclyde, John Hopkins and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology have sent their delegations to explore the possibility of joining hands with the School. One student from the very first batch of SSBS has been chosen for advance training at the Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany.
At SSBS students are encouraged to design, plan and execute research projects, under the guidance of their mentors. To ask unanswered questions and attempt to answer them is an important exercise for the students. They are trained to prepare and submit research projects and apply for funding. This is a part of the academic activity, so that they become proficient not only in laboratory activities but also the administrative and communicative aspects of research. These activities, in addition to the classroom teaching, are enriched with debates, seminars, journal club presentations and group discussions.
An interdisciplinary approach is favored at SSBS, and students of any branch, whether drug discovery, biotechnology or nutrition and dietetics share common elective subjects which include intellectual property rights, ethics, nutrition education and patient counseling etc. Students gain an insight into the problems faced and skills developed by others due to this cross functional exposure.
Life at SSBS is not all work and study; there is a lot of fun and play too. Our students go out on treks, picnics and take part in sports and cultural events which are a regular feature of campus life at Symbiosis. Community service is something that SSBS puts heavy emphasis on. Our students go out to neighboring villages, to interact with the inhabitants of small hamlets, learning their problems and attempting to solve them.
It is not surprising that even for the first batch the applicants outnumbered the available seats. The trend is set to continue as SSBS grows. At SSBS we recognize that the student of today demands all round development and we actively work towards this. At SSBS we aim not only to produce employable scientists but to produce good scientists, who are good citizens and good humans too.
Admissions are open for 2012-2014 batch of the integrated M.Sc-Ph.D program. The last date for applications is 30thJune 2012. Get a preview of life at SSBS through its Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Symbiosis-School-of-Biomedical-Sciences-SSBS/363913850337345
CONTACT DETAILS
Dr. Kalpana Joshi, Symbiosis International University, + 91 (20) 39116496, director@ssbs.edu.in