M. Phil. and Ph.D. programs are offered in Zoology, Botany, Microbilogy and Biotechnology by research. Dissertation is an important component of the postgraduate programs. Students are also encouraged to work in National Institutes in the vacation.

Prof. S. Mohan Karuppayil

One of the major thrust areas of Research of the school could be said as the Bioprospecting of local Biodiversity for Useful compounds. One of the ongoing projects funded by the Maharashtra State Cell on Science and Technology (Dr. K.S. Mohan and Dr. B. S. Surwase) is on the exploration of a wild plant as an import substitute for the well-known crude drug, Licorice. Our studies have shown that this plant could be a source of useful bioactivities which include, antiinflammatory, anti fungal, antibacterial, cytotoxic, anti- germ tube formation in Candida albicans, protection from mutagenicity to cite a few. Another CSIR (SRF) project deals with the exploration and identification of plant molecules as inhibitors of filamentous growth by the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Regulation of phenotypic switching and identification of anti- fungal targets in infectious fungi is the major area of research directed by. A study is undertaken on the anti-fungal drug sensitivity of clinical isolates of Candida albicans from Nanded. This study has identified Dose dependent sensitivity to anti-fungal agents like Fluconazole among clinical isolates of Candida albicans.

Dr. G. Gyananth

His major research areas of interest includes Environmental Biotechnology research. Studies on ecologically bioactive compounds from shellfish waste and Bioremediation. Fermentative production of some of the biopolymers is done and their antibacterial activities are studied. Methods have been standardized for the antibiotic resistance of coliforms from wastewater samples. Emergence of antibiotic resistance is reported among environmental isolates. The effects of neem extracts on fry of fishes, biomonitoring of water bodies, Water quality Assessment, Restoration of Ecology, and Bioremediationare some of the research areas pursued in his Major research project funded by the UGC on Aldose Reductase inhibition was successfully completed.

Dr. C. N. Khobragade

Enzyme production, characterization and immobilization for the industrial and clinical purpose. Development of antigout drug from phytochemicals. Development of therapy using phytochemicals against urolithoasis. Digitization of indigenous medicinal plant recourses. Drug development against urinary tract infection causing organisms using wetlaband insilico approach. Production of biofuels using algae. The Major research projects ongoing in the laboratory are - 1. Drug development against grouti arthritis. 2. Search for role of phytochemicals as antiurolithic agents. 3. Development of drug against urinary tract infection causing microorganisms. 4. Digitization of indigenous plant recourses.

Dr. A. P. Pathak

has carried out studies on the Development of vaccines against Herpes Viruses using Bioinformatics approaches. Herpes virus infections, colloquially known as Nagin, are becoming a major Health issue. One of the approaches to prevent the infection from herpes viruses is to develop effective vaccines. Subsequently traditional vaccines like, live attenuated and killed viral preparations were developed and discontinued due to several reasons. One of the major problems is the reversion of pathogenecity of attenuated viruses. This has encouraged the attempts to develop subunit vaccines through the use of Bioinformatics based technologies. Glycoprotein sequences, the integral part of virus coat proteins have been downloaded from the protein data banks. These Glycoprotein H sequences were aligned using Clustlw package to locate the conserved regions. The Glycoprotein H sequence aligned revealed divergence of the Herpes Viruses. The conserved amino acid sequences of the Glycoprotein H has been scanned using various computer programs to find out structural details like Helix, sheet or turn motifs. The amphipathic and antigenic index has also been determined. The sequence motifs that exhibited high antigenic index, high hydrophobic index and low hydrophilic index have been selected as epitopes that may stimulate the immune system of the host. The Immunogenic peptides could be developed in to a subunit vaccine. She has carried out studies on the development of peptide assay for identification of HSV-1 virus using bioinformatics approach. She is working on the isolation and identification of extremophiles from different locations like hot springs (Unkeshwar, Nanded), Lonar Mateorite impact cretor lake in Buldhana district, Maharashtra, working on the isolation and identification of industrially important enzymes producers. She is recognized guide in Biotechnology.

Dr. T. A. Kadam

conducts and guides research in Microbiology and Microbial Technology. He recently completed a UGC minor research project on the Development of Biofertilisers. Excessive use of inorganic fertilizers and plant protection agents (Pesticides) for maximizing crop yield and changes in traditional cultivation practices has resulted in deterioration of chemical, physical and biological health of cultivated land. Free-living nitrogen fixing microorganisms play very important role in soil fertility. Many saprophytic microorganisms are known to degrade pesticides. However very few reports are available on the role of nitrogen fixing organisms in the pesticide degradation. Organisms with both capabilities may serve the purpose of application of biofertilizers and also may solve the problem pesticide pollution of soil. The following studies are carried in the laboratory:

Isolation of Azotobacter and Azospirillum from the soils of cultivated fields of Marathwada, Study of biochemical characteristics, efficacy of the isolates on important crop plants, Development of pesticide resistant strains through chemical and physical mutagenesis, Tolerance of Azotobacter isolates to pesticides, analysis of pesticide degradation products, studies on plasmids in pesticide degradation, Interactions between pesticide degrading isolates with other microbes in soil and in the rhizosphere of a crop. Synergistic effect of other agrochemicals on the pesticide degradation and Use of efficient pesticide degrading strains as biofertilizers.

Dr. Rajesh . N. Gacche

is working in the area of natural products and drug discovery. He has published several research articalsin the area of anticancer research (Efficacy of natural products as antiangiogenicagents), antioxidant potential of natural products etc. Dr. Gacche has delivered invited talks in the world Ayurvedic congress held at Klagen forte, Austria. He was also invited to deliver in EPS Global Health Summit held at Jiayagin, CHINA. University has recognized the work of Dr. Gacche and awarded him the Best Teacherof the Year 2009. He has research projects from several funding agencies like UGC, CSIR, DST etc.

Dr. B. S. Surwase

Guides Plant Biotechnology research. He is currently working on Taverniera cuneifolia an alternative for Jeshtimadh (Glycyrrhiza glabra),Kali Jiri ( Vernonia anthelmintica) and Bibba (Semecarpus anacardium) a popular drug used in Ayurvedic and other Traditional systems of Medicine. This work is a part of the Projectsfunded by the UGC, New Delhi and Rajiv Gandhi Science and technology Commission, Government of Maharashtra, Micropropogation techniques, fast growing normal root cultur, Heavy root culture techniquesfor these plants is standardized in the laborator. A Chemo and bio-activity profile for in-vitro produced secondary metabolites of value in medicine and pharmaceutical industries is developed. In addition to this, a study is being undertaken as a part of the project funded by RC: NAEB, MOEF, Mumbai to find out the status of forest elements that have potential for the development of viable, small and medium scale forest based enterprise in Dhule and Bhandara District of Maharashtra.

Dr. Chavan S. P.

His major thrust area of research is Cestode parasite Bio-geographical Diversity and host specificity, Distribution and Molecular Taxonomy. Specially his interest is in the Cestode and Nematode parasites from Freshwater fishes. Application of (SEM) Scanning Electron Microscopic and (TEM) Transmission Electron Microscopic methods for the ultrastructural Morphology and Anatomy for systematics in cestode parasites. Isolation of LSU rRNA for the sequencing and COX I isolation for the phylogenetic studies. He is also working on the review and recollection of reported species of Proteocephalid and Caryophyllid cestode parasites and parasites from Elasmobranchs from west coast of India, from fresh water fishes in Marathwada and western Ghats of Maharashtra. He is also working on the Freshwater leech ecology and distribution, Leech therapy, Isolation and characterization of symbiotic bacterial species from the leech species Asiaticobdella birmanica, Bioprospecting of leech from Marathwada region of Maharashtra State. Heavy metal ion deposition in the cestode parasites as marker for heavy metal ion bioaccumulation studies, Reservoir fisheries management and Aquaculture are his other interests. Barcoding of cestode Parasites for their systematics. He has presented a research paper in the 13th World Lake Conference, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in October 2009 on the ‘ Fisheries Potential of reservoirs in Marathwada and reasons behind the low fish production’. Visited the Institute of Parasitology, Czech Republic for one month Post Doctoral research in fresh water fish Cestode parasite systematics, Poster presentation in the Workshop at University of Kansas, USA for the Taxonomy of Cestode Parasites from vertebrates in July 2011 (7th International Workshop on cestode systematics and phylogeny). He is working on the World review Project on the Gangesia sp. a common tapeworm from freshwater fishes with the team of scientists in Czech Republic and Slovak Republic for the recollection and review for the host and parasites.

Dr. R. M. Mulani

is working in the field of assessment of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi from the campus of Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Nanded as well as the other localirties in Nanded area. The study also includes assessment of colonization of AM Fungi in the roots of higher plants. The flora of SRTM University campus is undertaken during this academic year and he has observed number of medicinal plants occur in the S. R. T. M. University campus mainly include Tylophora asthematica, Carraluma, Hemidesmus indicus etc. Some of the rare plants are Ceropegia bulbosa, Iphiginia indica, Iphiginia pallida, Carraluma sp.. He is carrying out research work on physicochemical properties of starch In perenating organs of tuberous plants occur in wild Nanded area which can be used as an alternative sourse of starch for the trible people. Some wild plants are eaten as leafy vegetables by the natives and analyzed for its nutritive content. Variation in the taxonomical species are undertaken by using morphological, phytochemical and molecular characters for the separation of sub-species. He is working on the micropropogation of Vernonia antihelmintica and semicarpus anecardium L. which are important medicinal plants occur in this area.

Dr. Zore Gajanan

Molecular Pharmacology, Plant Biotechnology. Regulation of dimorphism and virulence in Candida albicans. Transplastomics, Natural products. Inducers specific proteomic analysis of hyphae and role of differentially expressed proteins in virulence and dimorphism in Candida albicans. I have taken up investigations on regulation of dimorphism to understand what lies beneath the hyphae of C. albicans? This study is aimed at understanding ultra structure and identifying differentially expressed protein (cytoplasmic and membrane) of C. albicans hyphae induced under different stimulus conditions. Detailed characterization of differentially expressed proteins using 2–D gel is currently in progress in my laboratory. Ultra structural study has revealed difference in the hyphae (preliminary data of this study). I am also working on bioactive natural products especially with immunomodulatory potential Plant Biotechnology -- Chloroplast engineering proved to be an excellent alternative system for nuclear transformation in recent past with several advantages. At present it is a prime necessity to optimize and implement plastid engineering in plants with potent applications in agriculture and industry to minimize bio safety concerns associated with nuclear transformation. We are optimizing a process of transformation and transgene expression in chloroplast to generate transplastomic of one of the economically important crop plant of Maharashtra.

Dr. Bhosale H. J.

Application of Azatobacter species in soil fertility. Isolation of useful microflora from different cropfields. Bacterial enzymology and technology.

Dr. Nile S. H.

Main research Area: Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Medicinal Plants, Biofules, Enzymes and pharmaceutical biotechnology. Research basically focuses on Protein purification, Food chemistry, Natural Products, Enzymes, Enzyme Inhibition, Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Anticancer, Antibacterial, Antifungal study, Biofules, Medicinal plants, microbial biochemistry and Medicinal Chemistry. In vitro, in vivo, in silico assay for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, cytotoxicity and enzyme inhibition study. I am along with our research group actively involved in isolation, purification and characterization of Plant flavonoids. Sugars, secondary metabolites and their biological evaluation with reference to in vitro, in vivo and in silico antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and cytotoxicity study. working in the area of Biotechnology, Bioinformatics and Clinical Data Management and nanobiotechnology studies using softwares like Biomed Cache, PASS, PALLAS, Discovery Studio etc; His interest is also to develop new methods and processes in Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Enzymes, Proteins, Medicinal Plants, Biofules, Drug Discovery, biochemical and Bioinformatics Research.