IISc opens up its nano science lab for external researchers

The institute charges Rs 2,500 per hour for individual researchers

The Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, (IISc) has been facilitating research at some of its facilities by people in dire need of the right facilities. A prominent one among them is the lab of the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering or better known as CeNSE.

When many a researcher in the country wants to test a hypothesis or wants to verify data relating to nano particles, they have two places to turn to in the country. One, IIT-Bombay and the other CeNSE at IISc. The two are among the only eight facilities with advanced nanotech research laboratories in the world. The other such labs are those in Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, Cornell University, and Purdue University among others.

Speaking of those who have been using or have used the facilities, said Rudra Pratap, chairperson, CeNSE: "There are about 300 universities across the country. We are only one of the two in the country and over 300 people from outside the IISc have used the facility." About 500-odd studies have been done at the facility.

The four year old facility, set up at a cost of Rs 150 crore, has helped many a company in its endeavours by allowing access to its labs for a fee. According to IISc sources, an individual user may need to pay Rs 2,500 for using the lab for one hour. It could go up to Rs 5,000 depending on the equipment, and if it's an individual or an organisation using the lab and its other facilities, said a researcher who has used the lab.

The researchers who have been using the facilities include those from the healthcare sector across disciplines, including homoeopathy.

“We have received a request from a researcher in Ayurveda now who wants to do some studies at the nano level,” added Pratap. The largest number of studies at the facility have been by researchers from the field of electronics.

Debunking allegations
The lab has also now helped debunk the allegations against homoeopathy that it is not effective or that in higher dilutions, it only has a placebo effect.

But, a two-year-long research by Dr E S Rajendran, director of Vinayaka Missions Homoeopathy Medical College, Salem has proved that they do contain nano-particles even at higher dilutions. “This could open up vistas of research in future,” said Dr Rajendran. A paper on his research will be presented at the World Homoeopathy Summit to be held in Mumbai.