National Brain Research Centre (NBRC), Manesar

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) established National Brain Research Centre (NBRC) to provide the state of art facilities for a coordinated multi-disciplinary team of scientists to work in the frontier areas of Neurosciences.

About NBRC

The proposal for creating the National Brain Research Centre was revived on 5^th October 1995. The creation of National Brain Research Centre was announced on 14^th November 1997 as a part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of India's Independence and the birth anniversary of our first Prime Minister, Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, the architect of modern science in India. A Management Advisory Committee chaired by the author was constituted.  On 16^th December 2003, the foundation stone of NBRC was laid at the foothills of Aravalli Range in Manesar, Haryana.

NBRC is an autonomous institute funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and is also a Deemed-to-be University. NBRC has been recognised as an Institution of Excellence by the Government of India. National Brain Research Centre is the only institute in India dedicated to Neuroscience Research and Education. Scientists and students at NBRC come from diverse academic backgrounds, including biological, computational, mathematical, physical, engineering and medical sciences, and use multidisciplinary approaches to unravel secrets of the brain.

Mandate

The mandate of the National Brain Research Centre (NBRC) is to:

• Pursue research to understand brain function in health and disease
• Generate trained human resources with the capability to carry out interdisciplinary research in neuroscience
• Promote neuroscience in India through networking among institutions across the country

Vision

The vision for NBRC is that it would not only grow into a world-class institute for brain research but also create a vibrant, active neuroscience community by catalysing the overall growth of this discipline in the country. The expected benefit from this initiative would be the generation of skilled manpower in this important area of research who would help India achieve international leadership in this frontier area of science. This initiative would also help Indian neuroscientists to participate in global research efforts as equal partners. The knowledge base generated from these efforts would help diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies for the treatment of brain-related disorders. A unique role for NBRC is that it will act as a node with linkages to other centres carrying out neuroscience research in the country, acting in effect as the “hub of the wheel” rather than the wheel itself.

Academics

Ph.D. (Neuroscience)

Given the fact that modern-day neuroscience is highly interdisciplinary in nature and relies on a spectrum of techniques spanning different disciplines, students from diverse academic backgrounds are encouraged to join NBRC and excel in neuroscience research. The Ph.D. students come from vastly different backgrounds such as Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering and Medical Sciences.

Eligibility

• Master's degree or equivalent in any branch of Science such as Life Sciences/Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics/Statistics/Computer Applications/Pharmacy/Veterinary Science/Psychology from a recognized Institute/University
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Engineering/Technology/Medicine from a recognized Institute/University

Recognized National Entrance Examinations for Ph.D. at NBRC

• Joint Graduate Entrance Examination for Biology and Interdisciplinary Life Sciences (JGEEBILS)
• Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) in Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics/Electrical Engineering/Electronics and Communications Engineering/Computer Science and Information Technology/Instrumentation Engineering 
• Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST)
• CSIR/UGC/DBT/ICMR JRF in Biology/Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics
• UGC-NET Lectureship/JRF

Based on their performance in any of the above qualifying examinations, candidates will be short-listed for interviews to be held at NBRC.

M.Sc. (Neuroscience)

NBRC is one of the first Institutes in the country to develop an integrated multidisciplinary teaching programme in Life Sciences. The institute has initiated an M.Sc. Programme in Neuroscience to develop trained manpower possessing a broad overview of different aspects of Neuroscience. NBRC inducts students for its M.Sc. (Neuroscience) programme from diverse backgrounds, with the understanding that brain functions requires a fusion of knowledge from multiple disciplines. 

Eligibility

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in any branch of Science such as Life Sciences/Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics/Statistics/Computer Applications/Pharmacy/ Veterinary Science/Psychology/Engineering/Technology/Medicine from a recognized Institute/University
• M.Sc. programme candidates will be screened through Joint Graduate Entrance Examination for Biology and Interdisciplinary Life Sciences (JGEEBILS) only

Summer Training

Each summer, NBRC conducts an 8-week Summer Training Programme for students selected through three National Science Academies viz:

• Indian Academy of Sciences (IAS), Bengaluru
• Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi
• National Academy of Sciences (NASI), Prayagraj

Program Goals

• To give aspiring students the opportunity to experience the challenges and rewards of research in neuroscience
• To help inculcate hypothesis-based scientific thinking and teach the technical features of neuroscience research. These may include molecular biology, brain imaging, neurophysiology or behavioural assessments based on the research project
• The summer training programme gives students valuable exposure to Neuroscience and encourages them to consider it as a future career option. Selected students conduct research investigating diverse aspects of neuroscience under the guidance of NBRC faculty

Useful Links

• Centre of Excellence for Epilepsy
• National Neuroimaging Facility
• Major Equipment & Facilities Division
• Dementia Science Programme
• Society for Epilepsy Neurobiology and Neuromodulation Surgery (SENNS)

Source: National Brain Research Centre (NBRC), Manesar