Interview With Dr. Devi B Basnet

By E-Interview Team

Dr Devi B Basnet was born in Angkhibhuai, Sangkhuwasava and completed his schooling from Sauntha Secondary School, South, Shijuwa Morang. After completing ISc. and BSc. from Mahendra Morang Campus Biratnagar, he joined Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur to complete MSc in Organic Chemistry. Thereafter in 2001 Dr Basnet went to Korea to pursue PhD level of education, where he worked on bioinformatics (Genome analysis, protein modeling, sequence database analysis, and genetic engineering approaches associated with antibiotic production from bacterial strains (Streptomyces and Kanamyceticus).

During his stay in Nepal, prior to start of PhD, Dr Basnet was involved in teaching profession in schools and colleges in Nepal. After completing PhD in 2005, he joined Ewha Woman’s University as a post doctorate researcher. He worked there for 2 and ½ years and then moved to Medytox, a leading Global Biotech Company where he is currently based. Currently Dr Basnet is holding a post of senior researcher in Research and Development Centre of the company.

According to Dr Basnet, his areas of interest are protein therapeutics and antibody engineering. Particularly, antibody library construction; Antibody screening by phage display, humanization of chimeric antibody; development of mammalian expression system; eukaryotic gene expression in Yeast system (Pichia system). He is also interested to develop the protein/antibody therapeutics against the diseases which are incurable and are being the problem to millions of people in the world. At the same time, he is interested to develop a scientific community in Nepal which can be beneficial for development of Nepal.

Besides professional and academic carrier, Dr Basnet is equally involved in social activities as well. Dr Basnet was general secretary of ChemSA, TU (1998); founder Vice President (2004) of SONSIK, a society of Nepali Students Studying in Korea; founder Vice President (2006) of NRN-Korea, NRN Korea chapter. Currently, Dr Basnet is serving as ICC member for NRNA-ICC (2011-2013) for the second time and he is also involved in SKI Task Force group of NRNA.

He is working as Editor-in-chief of SONSIK Journal which has been publishing by SONSIK.

1.  How do you have opportunity to be associated with your current institution in Korea (please illustrate about past accomplishment……and track record till now)?

After completion of Masters degree with specialization in Organic Chemistry from Tribhuvan University in Nepal, I was actively involved in teaching profession at various colleges. In the mean time, I got an opportunity for PhD in Biochemistry in Sun Moon University, South Korea. After  completing PhD, to strengthen my knowledge and skill in the research field, I joined Ewha Womans’ University as a postdoctorate researcher where I worked for 2 and ½ years on combinatorial biosynthesis of Ketolides and mechanistic study of biosynthetic pathway of immunosuppressant FK506 from bacterium. Later, I moved to  a company to implement the research work industrially.

2. What is the recent research works undergoing in your association. Can you please shade some light on your current research project/ research assignment?

Our company- Medytox – is a Global Biotech Company, mainly marketed product is of toxin related, called neurotoxin - a competitor of Botox which has been used for cosmetic purpose. Our company has successfully developed the fourth botulinum toxin biopharmaceuticals in the world. The company not only conducts business in the domestic market but has also extended into about 40 countries particularly in the regions of Asia, Europe, and America. However, the company is also developing other products related to antibody and protein therapeutics.

3. What is the basic difference between the biological research during your time and in current time?

Biological research is rapidly evolving area with new discoveries, sophisticated tools and advanced technologies. More we study,  more it becomes complicated and opens new areas for study. It was started from simple genetic engineering to protein engineering, gene to genomics, single protein to proteomics etc. Good understanding and easily accessible database made the study much easier these days than before, however, it becomes more competitive and challenging.

4. How do you evaluate the research and academic studies in Nepal in comparison to other developed countries? In your opinion what should be our focus for improvement?

Nepal is still in infant state in research and development, particularly in science and technology. We lack many basic research tools related to biotechnology; even if present, not enough to to have access to many researchers/students.  In my understanding, it is hard to compare with developed countries where   cutting edge research has been well established.  To improve such things the following aspects should be considered.

   - The government should understand the essence of research for the development of country and thus needs to focus on it.

   - Our curriculum should be updated  regularly based  on research and findings.

   - The Practical/research classes in the Universities must be applied to the present context.

   - All universities and colleges should give high preference to research and development.

    - Like in Korean Universities, universities or professors in Nepal should  have industrial collaboration where they can test or apply their research findings directly and get funded from those industries.  

5. You are also member of NRN-SKI under Biotechnology theme, can you illustrate about the major contribution by the team?

Yes, it is a Task Force with a huge responsibility to take NRNA message of knowledge, investment and concept globally, create a database of the Diaspora professional community, advocate its objectives and roles, identify areas of potential collaboration, develop project proposal and launch flagship project scheme. It is working with Nepal Government, Research Institutes in Nepal and other foreign Universities. It has just started and is paving a way to go ahead. After NRNA-SKI establishment which was decleared in 4^th Kathmandu declaration, SKI’s focus was to form a team structure[S1]  identify potential projects in national priority areas, prepare project proposals and initiate potential projects. The best part of SKI during this time was to establish a strong network of professionals globally working as a team in various theme projects. Open University initiation, E-library project, Science fellowship project, Skills Inventory and Professional Mentoring Program and others are  major works to be considered. Different MoU were signed with government and different governmental or non-governmental organizations to run various potential projects. It is recommended to obtain the updated detail from our website http://www.nrn.org.np/taskforce/knowledge.php .

6. You are also associated with NRNA-ICC, in your opinion, how can Nepalese Diaspora contribute in development of research and academic field in Nepal?

Yes, I have been involving in NRNA-ICC after my involvement in NRNA-Korea since its establishment. It is the strategy of NRNA-ICC that the various programs can be run via particular Task Force (TF), 14 TFs were established to ease the work. Every TF is working with their best capacity; however, equal progress could not be made. As I discussed before, SKI is one of the TF among them and dealing with development of science and technology and related subjects in Nepal. Many progresses have been made on it. The important thing is that the SKI TF has considered of forming a permanent S&T committee during global ICC meeting in Kathmandu on October, 2011 to allow the TF to work with long term projects.

After 31^st  meeting of NRNA-ICC, we have introduced the concept of Campaign to lead the projects which are on progress. NRNA-ICC is trying to make a strong network of youth and women via their coordinators which would  play a great role in the mobilizing youths for the development of Nepal.

7. What do you think is the most important factor for research; idea or infrastructure?

Idea, of course, is the main factor without which we cannot do anything although with great infrastructure; however, in  context of Nepal, both are important and complementary. I argue that the globalized world is becoming small like a village, once you have good idea, you will be extracted where ever  you are. The important thing here is that we should be able to  communicate our idea to the world.

8.  How can we develop the status of biotechnological education and research in Nepal?

First, we need to disclose the potentiality of biotechnology for the future and attract the youth force. Second, the government/private academia must give high priority to biotechnology related education because they should not forget that the future will be dominated by biotech. Third, the education should be practical based. It is hard to use expensive instruments and biological tools; however, we can use multimedia as tool to teach with similar effectiveness.  Fourth, collaborative research with other universities  can provide the chance to students to realize and learn new technologies  and environment outside Nepal. Fifth, the potentiality of biotechnology can be illustrated by utilizing the simple biotech outcome in agriculture that draws  attention of high population leading the priority of its education in Nepal.

9. In your opinion, what should be role of government in development of research in Nepal?

The government has a great role in development of research in Nepal. First, GoN should make appropriate policies to run research in various fields. It does not mean that GoN just invests the money to the research; however, they can make the policy in such a way that each and every governmental or private institute or company must pay some part to research. In the other word, research and development should be one of the major units in every company.  That will create the demand for research man power. With this beginning, other educational institutes/universities also will start to do so.

10. In your perspective, what should be major thrust area for development of Biotechnology in Nepal?

Nepal is highly diversified country with respect to climate. It gives a different weather with huge diversified microorganisms/plants. There is a massive chance to isolate biologically novel compounds from them, and at the same time isolation of   unique enzymes from microorganism which grow at extreme condition (high altitude and low temperature) could be very interesting. Beside these, many basic biotechnological developments are yet to be explored in Nepal.

11. What is your opinion about the industrial prospect of Biotechnology in context to Nepal?

We still need to work hard to develop biotech industry in Nepal. However, in collaboration with  foreign coutries, we can do something. Since, Nepal is a mountainous country; we have  lots of high altitude resources to be developed industrially, however, we need to develop a complete concept starting from policy (patent registration to utilization for industrial development) to management of the resources. Since we have not had well established system of biotech industry in Nepal, everything should be started from the scratch.

12. What are your suggestions for students interested to pursue their further studies in foreign countries?

I suggest them to try their best to go in developed countries to pursue higher education and gather the knowledge on advanced science and technology. You should always try to be globalized in knowledge and  use it in our motherland. One important suggestion is not to be over ambitious in the context of Nepal. We need to develop it from the beginning, let’s be prepared when time comes.

13. What is your opinion regarding Korea as green destination for studies pertaining to Biotechnology?

Korea is one of the developed countries rendering high value to the research and development. In line with global trends, Korea's biotechnology is strengthening its R&D capacity in genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics. The annual average investment has increased at a heavy rate of 23%, which shows the strong will of the Korean government to promote the biotechnology sector. Therefore, Korea will be one of the green destinations for higher study. It has already been noticed that the presence of Nepali students studying  biotech is dramatically increasing day to day.  Presence of more than 300 Nepali students studying in different Korean universities,   science and technology being major subject for more than 80% students, suggests that Korea  is green destination for studies. The consumption of many graduates here in Korea is another positive signal.

14. Do you think about feasibility of collaborative research between Nepal and other countries, if you think yes then what can be modality for implementation?

There is a huge possibility of collaborative work between Korean Universities and Nepalese Universities. We need, at least, to prepare to do so in policy level. We already have examples of doing so in biotechnology and IT sectors. Korean government and Korean investors are interested in various sectors to invest in Nepal. Geographical distance of Nepal and Korea, the existence of Lumbini - birth place of Buddha-  and top of the world, Mt. Everest in Nepal are the main attractions of Nepal to Koreans. These things play a vital role in making brotherhood in between Nepalese and Korean which in turn ease in the investment to Nepal.

Similarly, we can expect the same with other countries  like Japan, Australia etc. The major role of collaborating work should be played by NRNA and Nepal government. I am pretty hopeful to play such role by SKI group.

15. Any suggestions for Biotechnology Society of Nepal?

BSN is doing very good job by providing the platforms of information of Nepal Biotech and others to the Nepali community and to the world. It is a good starting and I am with BSN to explore the idea of individuals from different parts of the world and suggest for the implementation. I am sure that BSN in coordination of NRNA intellectual over the world can do better on biotech. It would be very nice to follow some of NRNA in their respective country to collaborate either research or any other academic work. I wish for the success of BSN in the future.