<p>Hundreds of alumni converged on Thursday at the Central College’s botany department to celebrate its centenary.</p>.<p>The department went to the parent Bangalore University during the trifurcation, as part of the centenary celebrations, the Bengaluru Central University (BCU) gave it a new lease of life and has started the Department of Life Sciences.</p>.<p>BCU will enrol 30 students each in the postgraduate course in Animal Sciences and Plant Sciences from the current academic year.</p>.<p>Inaugurating the celebrations, Biocon’s managing director and founder Kiran Mazumdar Shaw said: “Genetics wasn’t offered as a subject when I was a student here and gene research started a few years later. I did my honours programme at this department 50 years ago and I’m delighted it’s celebrating its centenary. It’s also good that the university is starting the post graduate programme.”</p>.<p>Kiran said immunology is key to life sciences in both plants and animals. “There’s a huge transformation in healthcare, especially in cancer (treatment). Today, biological science is helping cure cancer,” she said. “The world’s focus is shifting from radiation and chemotherapy to immune oncology.”</p>.<p>BCU vice chancellor Prof S Japhet said the university aims to become the city’s premier brand.</p>.<p>The celebrations were organised with support from the Central College Botany Alumni Charitable Trust, which honoured 30 teachers associated with the<br />department.</p>.<p>Kiran also mentioned that Science Gallery Bengaluru will be set up at Hebbal in association with the Science Gallery International.</p>
<p>Hundreds of alumni converged on Thursday at the Central College’s botany department to celebrate its centenary.</p>.<p>The department went to the parent Bangalore University during the trifurcation, as part of the centenary celebrations, the Bengaluru Central University (BCU) gave it a new lease of life and has started the Department of Life Sciences.</p>.<p>BCU will enrol 30 students each in the postgraduate course in Animal Sciences and Plant Sciences from the current academic year.</p>.<p>Inaugurating the celebrations, Biocon’s managing director and founder Kiran Mazumdar Shaw said: “Genetics wasn’t offered as a subject when I was a student here and gene research started a few years later. I did my honours programme at this department 50 years ago and I’m delighted it’s celebrating its centenary. It’s also good that the university is starting the post graduate programme.”</p>.<p>Kiran said immunology is key to life sciences in both plants and animals. “There’s a huge transformation in healthcare, especially in cancer (treatment). Today, biological science is helping cure cancer,” she said. “The world’s focus is shifting from radiation and chemotherapy to immune oncology.”</p>.<p>BCU vice chancellor Prof S Japhet said the university aims to become the city’s premier brand.</p>.<p>The celebrations were organised with support from the Central College Botany Alumni Charitable Trust, which honoured 30 teachers associated with the<br />department.</p>.<p>Kiran also mentioned that Science Gallery Bengaluru will be set up at Hebbal in association with the Science Gallery International.</p>