The Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA), in collaboration with Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) and Agri Biotech Foundation (ABF), successfully completed its 1st “Finishing School” programme on June 4, 2025, at the ABF campus in Rajendranagar, Hyderabad.
This unique one-month initiative was envisioned to address a persistent challenge in the biotechnology landscape, the critical gap between academic education and industry expectations.
Through a meticulously curated 27-day curriculum, the Finishing School trained a select cohort of 20 life sciences graduates, postgraduates and entry level industry employees equipping them with the technical proficiency, laboratory competence, and professional discipline required to excel in real-world biotech and pharmaceutical industries.
Participants underwent intensive hands-on training in microbiology, molecular biology, mammalian cell culture, and laboratory instrumentation, using industry-standard tools such as CO₂ incubators, SDS-PAGE, Western blotting units, HPLC and electrophoresis systems.
The curriculum also integrated sessions on biosafety, Record keeping, quality control protocols, and regulatory framework - areas essential to contemporary biotech practices.
Strategic Saturdays, a highlight of “finishing school” has significant emphasis on soft skills and career readiness. Through dedicated mentoring sessions, intensive training on personal branding, CV structuring and scientific communication. Participants were groomed to present themselves as confident and competent professionals. These sessions were led by seasoned industry leaders, HR professionals, and academic experts who provided insights into work-place expectations, interview dynamics, and strategic career planning.
The programme was further enriched by a series of scientific lectures delivered by leading voices from academia and industry, including experts from the University of Hyderabad, Biological E. Ltd., NIAB, Dr. Reddy’s Labs, Indian Immunologicals Limited, IKP Knowledge Park, UMED Pharma and various industries.
Participants engaged in meaningful discussions with these thought leaders, gaining clarity on advanced research areas such as Gene editing, plant biotechnology, Bio informatics, virology, and drug discovery and development.
Complementing these academic experiences were curated industrial visits and to ASPIRE Incubation Centre and School of Life Science at University of Hyderabad, UR therapeutics, Bycus therapeutics, Umed Pharma, Huwel Life Sciences, and YMC India. These visits offered participants direct exposure to core technologies such as RT-PCR, chromatography, flow cytometry, and advanced bioprocessing platforms. The program featured technology demonstrations by 30M Genomics and Thermo Fisher Scientific, offering hands-on exposure to advanced tools in genomics and laboratory instrumentation.
In his opening remarks, Prof Reddanna emphasised that the Finishing School is not a one-time effort but the beginning of a long-term industry-academia collaboration through enhancing skills in life sciences.
“My experience at the FABA Finishing School internship was transformative and highly enriching. The programme offered a well-balanced combination of practical exposure, theoretical clarity, and soft skills development, all of which significantly enhanced my academic foundation and professional readiness.From a practical perspective, I had the opportunity to gain hands-on training in microbiology, molecular biology, and animal cell culture techniques. The chance to work directly in laboratory settings allowed me to apply theoretical knowledge to real-time experiments and procedures with precision and confidence.” – Nikitha G
“Soft skills are like oil that greases the wheels of our career success. I highly recommend this training to anyone who wants to improve their skills. The trainer was knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I learned a lot about “Communication abilities" and feel more confident in my abilities. This training has given me the knowledge I need to achieve a specific goal. And also I learned Interpersonal skills, Social skills, Laboratory notebook maintenance, career development strategies, Personal branding and CV building using AI tools for scientific research.” – Durga Harika R
