The school of Biological Sciences,
earlier called as the Department of Biological sciences
during its formative days is one of the pioneering institutions
to provide an integrated approach to the study of biology
in the country. Founded by the late Prof.S Krishnaswamy
and nurtured by his eminent colleagues, the school stands
as one of the internationally reputed centers for research
in modern biology, today. It also endeavored to raise
the standards of biology teaching in colleges affiliated
to Madurai Kamaraj University and other universities
as well.
The integrated approach to biological
research and teaching in the last two decades has kept
the School of Biological Sciences a forerunner among
University Departments of the country. Various disciplines
such as Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Immunology,
Microbiotic, Animal Sciences and Plant Sciences under
one single umbrella made it possible to bring the modern
billow into the curriculum of Postgraduate studies of
the Madurai Kamaraj University. The modern biology researchers
in the school have attracted enormous funds from various
agencies and this has helped to build the infra-structural
and special instrumentation facilities to undertake
reseals in modern areas. The research publications coming
out of the school have gained international standards
and are cited extensively in Journals and Books of prestigious
Press/publishers.
In the beginning,
the focus of research in the different disciplines
of various departments of the school was on the functional
aspects at the organ as well as organism levels. The
earlier contributions slowly got polarized towards
molecular genomic level of understanding the various
functions in the last eve years. Several contributions
were made in the basic fundamental aspects of gene
expression in both prokaryotic as well as eukaryotic
organisms within the framework of transgenic biology
and biomedical research. The highlights of some of
the disciplines outlined below readily show the present
trends of research in the school towards a more specialized
area. Currently the school is working on:
School of Biological
Sciences consists of following Departments:
* Department of Plant Morphology & Algology
* Department
of Biochemistry
* Department
of Plant Sciences
* Department
of Molecular Biology
* Department
of Genetics
* Department
of Animal Behaviour & Physiology
* Department
of Microbial Technology * Department of
Immunology
Name
Designation
Department of Plant Morphology & Algology
Dr. Kailash Paliwal, M.Sc. Ph.D
Professor & Head
Department
of Biochemistry
Dr.G.S.
Selvam, M.Sc. M.Phil, Ph.D
Professor & Head
Department
of Plant Sciences
Dr.P.
Sudhakarsamy, M.Sc. Ph.D
Reader
& Head
Dr.K. Manoharan, M.Sc. Ph.D
Reader
Department
of Molecular Biology
Dr.
Hussain Munavar, M.Sc. Ph.D
Reader
& Head
Department
of Genetics
Dr.P.
Gunasekaran M.Sc., Ph.D.
Professor
& Head
Department
of Animal Behaviour & Physiology
Dr.
G. Marimuthu, M.Sc. Ph.D
Professor & Head
Department
of Microbial Technology
Dr.
S. Shanmugasundaram. M.Sc. Ph.D.
Sr.Professor
& Head
Dr. Suguna Shanmugasundaram, M.Sc. Ph.D.
Lecturer
Department of
Immunology
Dr. Sripathy Kandula,
M.Sc.,Ph.D.
Professor
& Head
Selvi M.Jayalakshmi
Lecturer
It is explicit and anyone can visualize
as well that the focus of research in the whole school
is on an unique aspect called FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS.
In view of this, the School of biological Sciences is
elevated to the status of Center for Advanced Studies
in Functional Genomics by the University Grants Commission.
Genomics is an emerging area of
modern biology, with vast potential for application
in diverse areas including basic sciences, agriculture,
biomedical sciences, industry, environmental sciences,
etc. Over the past three decades of its existence the
School of Biological Sciences has built up a formidable
array of expertise in plant, animal and microbial sciences
to venture the realm of Functional Genomics.
Broadly our thrust could be brought
under three broad categorical Animal Genomics, Plant
Genomics and Microbial Genomics.
Animal Genomics:
The thrust will be on (a) Functional
knockouts and genome scanning with respect to diseases
(cardiac, malignant, metabolic and infectious), (b)
Gene expression in insect and mammalian cell lines.
Plant Genomics:
The thrust in the area will include
(a) Stress Physiology in crops and weeds (b) Gene expression
in cultured plant cells.
Microbial Genomics
:
The thrust in
this area will include (a) Molecular Biology of mutagenesis
and gene expression in microbes, (b) Reverse genetics
identifying unknown gene from known genome sequences,
(c) Cloned gene expression in Zymomonas spp., Pseudomonas
spp., and Aspergillus spp.
Presently, Madurai Kamaraj University
has emerged as a University with excellence plus potential
in genomic sciences as rated by the University Grants
Commission (UGC).
Courses
offered:
M.SC. Integrated Biology
Full time
2 years
CBCS
Up to 2002-.03
M.SC. Biochemical Technology
Full time
2 years
----
From 2002 onwards
M.SC. Microbial Gene Technology
Full time
2 years
----
From 1997 onwards
M.SC. Genomics
Full time
2 years
CBCS
From 2002-'03 onwards
P.G. Diploma in Medicinal
Part time
1 year
----
On Saturdays only
Bacterial Genomics (Certihcate course)
On line
6 months
----
From 2002-'03
* Choice Based Credit
System
Service(s) offered
Transplantation matching (for
human kidney, bone-marrow and other transplantations)
