Khorana Program

The Khorana program was created to foster a scientific two-way exchange between India and the United States, enabling Indian and US university students to work and study in the partner country's research laboratories, thereby cultivating the upcoming scientific generation's sense of science on a more global scale.

Founded in 2007, the Khorana Program honors Har Gobind Khorana, the Indian-born scientist whose research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison led to the first synthesis of a gene and ushered in the era of Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology. This ground breaking research won him and fellow researchers Marshall Nirenberg and Robert Holley a Nobel prize in 1968. Not only did Khorana contribute scientifically, but he also exemplifies the value of global scientific partnerships.

The Khorana Program for Scholars receives generous support from the Government of India's Department of Biotechnology, the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum, and WINStep Forward. American and Indian undergraduates in the fields of biology, biochemistry, and biotechnology are encouraged to apply.

Objectives:
(*) Provide an opportunity to Indian students to experience world-class research facilities in leading U.S. institutions
(*) Introduce talented American students to the long-standing tradition of scientific inquiry and innovation in India
(*) Encourage students to take up research as a career
(*) Foster interactions between the next generation of pioneers in science and technology
(*) Build long-term R&D linkages and collaborations across disciplines, cultures and geographical boundaries
(*) Transform research into societal benefits
(*) Build a seamless scientific community between India and the United States

The Khorana Program was founded in 2007 by Ansari at the University of Wisconsin. The program allows India’s highest ranking undergraduate students to do research for a summer term at a top U.S. university. After being selected, students are matched with a host faculty member and are given independent research projects for the 10-week term. The government of India, through scientific agencies such as the Scientific and Engineering Research Board (SERB), provide the stipend, airfare, and health insurance for Khorana Scholars. Living accommodations and administrative fees are covered by the host institution or mentor. SERB, in partnership with the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), also offers funds for U.S. scholars who wish to do an 8-12 week internship in India through the U.S. Scholars Bose Program.