Call for Proposals: Development of Next-Generation Vaccines, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics — Livestock and Animal Biotechnology & Aquaculture

Lead PI must be an Indian national holding a regular position in a DSIR-recognised academic/scientific institution. Eligible organisations: Central/State Govt institutions, DSIR-recognised private universities/research institutions, and DSIR-recognised NGOs registered on NITI Aayog DARPAN portal. PIs with ongoing DBT funding ≥ ₹20 Crore (as PI/Co-PI) are not eligible.

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, invites time-bound, outcome-oriented (TRL ~3) multidisciplinary consortia proposals to develop commercially viable next-generation solutions for animal health and aquaculture — ranging from mRNA vaccines and DIVA-compatible diagnostics to AI-driven drug discovery — to ensure a self-reliant and biosecure livestock and aquatic ecosystem.

Background:

• Animal Biotechnology: India's animal husbandry sector supports over two-thirds of the rural population. This call aims to leverage recent advances in omics, synthetic biology, and computational capacity for accelerated discovery and real-time customization of livestock interventions.
• Aquaculture: Indian aquaculture faces an annual burden exceeding ₹20,000 crore (~15% of total production) due to diseases. The call seeks science-driven solutions addressing disease prevention/management while mitigating AMR.

Priority Areas:

I. Animal Biotechnology (Livestock, Poultry, Canine, Feline):

• Next-Gen Vaccine Platforms: mRNA vaccines, viral/vector platforms, recombinant/subunit/synthetic proteins, toxoids, conjugate vaccines, virus-like particles, rationally engineered live attenuated vaccines, multi-epitope vaccines.
• Priority Needs: Vaccines for diseases lacking commercial options, improvements to current vaccines, multi-antigen poultry/canine vaccines, vaccines against parasitic/non-infectious conditions (methanogens, anti-fertility, cancer), import substitution vaccines.
• Advanced Formulations: Thermostable designs, novel adjuvants, delivery systems (including mucosal), broad-spectrum cross-reactive antigens.
• Diagnostics: DIVA-compatible, point-of-care, nucleic acid-based pathogen detection, multiplex syndrome panels.
• Therapeutics: Drug repurposing, broad-category anti-infectives, immunomodulators.
• Innovative Interventions: Precision nutrition, nutrigenomics, climate-resilient husbandry, manure/waste management.

II. Aquaculture (translational research for hatchery and farm production):

• Infectious disease control (vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics with clear market pathway).
• Mass delivery strategies for vaccines/therapeutics.
• High-efficiency prebiotics and probiotics.
• End-to-end solutions from pathogen detection to field validation at grow-out levels.

Mandatory Requirements:

• Translational feasibility (scalability, cost-effectiveness for Indian production systems).
• Regulatory compliance (Freedom-to-Operate on vectors/cell lines; GoI regulatory norms).
• Biosafety compliance (approved bio-safe laboratories and animal facilities).
• Emphasis on diseases impacting farmer livelihoods, trade, and animal/public health.
• Envisaged short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes.

Evaluation Criteria: Scientific merit, innovation, national priority (food security, biosecurity, One Health), consortium expertise (patents, publications, technology transfer track record), commercialization path and TRL advancement potential.

Financial Support:

• Individual proposals: up to ~₹2.5 Crore.
• Collaborative proposals: up to ₹10 Crore.
• Funding per DBT norms; continuation contingent on annual progress reports, UC/SE, and Technical Evaluation Committee appraisal.
• Manpower preferably as per DST/ICMR/ICAR/institutional guidelines.

Submission: Online only via eProMIS portal under 'Livestock and Animal Biotechnology' (for animal biotech) or 'Aquaculture Biotechnology' (for aquaculture). Consortia Leader/Coordinator to upload final proposal with endorsements from Executive Authorities of all partnering institutions. Applications incomplete, late, or via unauthorised channels will be rejected.

Contact: Dr. Manish Rana, Scientist 'F', Email: [email protected], Phone: 011-24363012. ePromis technical support: [email protected], 011-24365136.