JNU research facility attracts global talent

New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), which has carved a niche for providing a high standard of education in the country, is also home to a state-of-the art research facility, the Advanced Instrumentation Research Facility (AIRF). 

The unique research facility not only provides research assistance to research scholars enrolled in the university, but also to academic research institutes, universities, and private industries across the nation to make maximum utilisation of the resources.

The facility boasts of researchers from neighbouring countries including Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bhutan and from industrial giants such as Glaxo Smith, Ranbaxy, Indian Yamaha Motors, and many others who continue to conduct their research using AIRF’s resources.

The facility was inaugurated in 2008 by former vice chancellor Prof. B.B. Bhattacharya and the rector, Prof. Rajendra Prasad.

AIRF, a specialised research facility, houses 25 sophisticated instruments with supporting and basic facilities that was created with an objective of providing a central facility of latest and advanced analytical instruments for research in the application areas of physical, environmental, biological, allied, and interdisciplinary sciences. The state-of-the-art instruments are operated by dedicated and skilled personals under the guidance of specialised faculty members of JNU.

“AIRF is a new concept where advanced sophisticated research facilities are provided under one roof. The institutes or industries can get their samples here for an in-depth data analysis. By offering this kind of research facility, we aim to make JNU and the country excel in scientific research,” said Prof. Rakesh Tyagi, the AIRF director.

“Of the 25 instruments, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) is the most ‘heavy in-demand’ instruments. It is a microscopy technique in which a beam of electrons is transmitted through an ultra-thin specimen, interacting with the specimen as it passes through,” AIRF systems analyst, Dr Gajender Saini, said.

Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) is another instrument owned by AIRF, which is used for quantification and identification of the amount of adulteration and chemicals in volatile organic compounds. Similarly, confocal and live cell imaging facilities are also in high demand by researchers.

The AIRF is supported and maintained primarily by funds from JNU and the Department of Biotechnology, government of India.

“As our objective, we provide training through short term courses, workshops, and hands on training for users on the applications of these instruments. Moreover, we also train the existing in-house staff members in the latest developments and updates on the applications of the emerging technologies,” Prof. Tyagi added.