TIFR Annual Report, 1979 - 1980

Genetic mutants were used to study chemosensory perception in Drosophila; wing muscle mutations in Drosophila were studied; Cellular differentiation was studied using moss (F. hygrometrica); Highlights: P.K. Maitra- Fellow at Indian National Science Academy; O. Siddiqi - Chairman of Basic Science Committee II of DAE; V.Singh - Member of Council of Indian Academy of Sciences; December '79 - International Conference on Development and Behavior of Drosophila organised; Ultrasonic spectrometer and micro processor based online computer systems, scanning and transmission electroscope were added to the molecular biology facility; V. Rodrigues discovered a method for measuring chemosensory responses of Drosophila; M.M. Johri was at University of Missouri, U.S.A.; L.C. Padhy was at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, U.S.A.; K.S. Krishnan visited Cambridge, U.K.; Summary: Progress in technology that led to development of various computers and scanners played a great part in contributing to the study of biological sciences, new instruments that were available in the market were added to the TIFR laboratories, many devices had to be improvised by the scientists as well, first mention of Drosophila studies.