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Hail young scientists

Jute genome decoding hero introduces his team

Staff Correspondent
Young boffins of Bangladesh who worked passionately to decode the jute genome proved it again that brilliance and dedication can turn dreams into reality.
They had the zeal because it was a huge matter of pride for science in Bangladesh. They knew that if they failed others would get the intellectual property right, said Sharmin Jahan, a molecular biologist of Dhaka University.
Sharmin said they all took it as a challenge as no other developing country has decoded the jute genome. "When we started the project, an inspiring force worked behind it," she said in a bold voice.
The scientists shared their experience of decoding the jute genome at a press conference at tire Jatiya Press Club in the capital yesterday. It was the decoding of the plant's blueprint that has opened up a new era. This achievement would help develop high-quality, saline soil- and pest-tolerant jute varieties through genetic engineering, the scientists said.
The genetically-engineered jute seeds could take five years to arrive.
Researchers from Dhaka University, Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) and Software Company DataSoft in collaboration with Centre for Chemical Biology, University of Science, Malaysia and University of Hawaii, USA decoded the genome under the project Swapno Jatra with funding from the MinistryofAgriculture.
Thirty-five researchers were engaged in the project led by Bangladeshi scientist Prof Maqsudul Alam of the University of Hawaii, who earlier decoded the genome of papaya in the US and rubber in Malaysia.
However, the main strength of the project was the young boffins ofBangladesh,Maqsudul said.
The molecular biologists, fresh graduates from Dhaka University, had limited hands-on training on genome sequencing, assembly, and annotation, but they were passionate and they jumped into this exciting endeavour, says Swapno Jaatra in its statement
"This project is the answer to
anyone who doubted the potential of local talents in Bangladesh and their immense intellectual contribution to science," said MaqsudulAlam.
Soroj Roy, another young scientist, said, "We did not have any fixed time for work. We forgot when to leave work We even stayedatthelabatnight."
Asked how far the scientists would go to be in the project when they will receive greater opportunities abroad, Zakir, one of the young scientists, said, "We shall make commitments anew to complete ourproject."
Swapno Jaatra Project Manager MZH Lashkar said there were instances of some of the researchers not accepting scholarships forthesakeofthisproject
They are so talented but Bangladesh does not have such high-end lab facilities, which could have kept them home, he said.
"I told them not to get married or have children until the project was complete. And they made such private sacrifices," Maqsudul saidsmiling.
"The government is very positive. I hope it will do everything, including funding, to make ourprojectasuccess."
Prof Haseena Khan of Dhaka University, Kamal Uddin, director general of BJRI; and Mahboob Zaman, managing director of DataSoft, assisted Maqsudul in their respective areas.
The IT specialists of DataSoft never had any experience in bioinformatic areas. Working slowly but steadily with the Dhaka University team members, DataSoft took the challenge and gave a high-performance computational solution to this complex and huge data-crunching project, says the Swapno Jaatra statement.
The jute plant specialists from BJRI are ready to continue the functional genomic phase ofthe project “Genome to Seed”, the statement said.