Biocon Foundation in collaboration with BeST Cluster, NCBS introduces BioWISE Program - to Empower Women in STEM

Bengaluru: Biocon Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of Biocon Group, in collaboration with The Bengaluru Science and Technology (BeST) Cluster, and National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), has announced the launch of first-of-its-kind program BioWISE - Women in STEM Empowered. This program is for disadvantaged science students from tier 2 and 3 universities across Karnataka, who want to build a career in life sciences.

As the first state-level cohort, the BioWISE program will support 25 women students, including 15 postgraduates (PG) and 10 undergraduates (UG) from life sciences backgrounds. The initiative is designed to run for 6 months for PG students and 3 months for UG students, offering them extensive exposure, training, and mentorship. BioWISE provides a multi-dimensional platform to build competencies, foster mentorship, and open up research and industry pathways for women entering the STEM specifically life sciences workforce.

The announcement was made at an event at NCBS campus, Bengaluru which was attended by R Anantharaman, CEO, BeST, Prof. L S Shashidhara, Director-NCBS, Prof. Vatsala Thirumalai, Dean Research, NCBS, and Dr. Anupama Shetty, Mission Director, Biocon Foundation along with Dr Sumana, Nodal Officer, DCE, Govt of Karnataka, Some of the other guests also included Prof Uma Ramakrishnan, Dean Faculty, NCBS, Dr Vineeta Ragavan, Research Development Officer, Instem, Prof. TNC Vidya & Dr Achira Roy from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR, Dr Rajeswari Shome from ICAR-NIVEDI, Dr Mansi Malik & Dr Pankaj Gupta from Tata Institute for Genetics and Society (TIGS), among other dignitaries.

"BioWISE, a part of Biocon Biologics CSR initiative, is a transformative initiative aimed at enhancing access, participation, and retention of women from underserved communities in STEM, particularly life sciences. By supporting 25 women students from diverse communities through scholarships, extended internships, and mentorship, this program is a significant step towards building a scientific ecosystem, which is diverse, inclusive, and equitable," the release stated.

Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson, Biocon Group, said, “At Biocon Group, we believe that science must be inclusive. Empowering women in STEM through our program BioWISE, is not just a moral imperative; it is a strategic investment in our nation’s future. Our commitment to supporting women in science stems from our broader vision of enabling equitable access to health, education, research, and opportunity.”