DEPARTMENT OF PLANT BIOLOGY AND PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY

 

Unit of Algal Physiology and Biotechnology

The Unit of Algal Physiology and Biotechnology has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chennai based Indo-Japan joint venture company M/s Nichi-In Biosciences (P) Ltd., for a multifaceted research project with emphasis on microbial biotechnology and environment safety to (i) develop technology for environment friendly plastic materials, (ii) find ways to safely dispose the plastic materials using microbes, and (iii) develop and validate polymers useful for water conservation in agriculture and horticulture. This project is being technically supported by and represented by Japanese institutes like Waseda University, Yamanashi Medical University and Mebiol Inc, whose Indian operation is headed by Dr. Samuel J. K. Abraham, a cardiac surgeon. Prof. Mori Yuichi of Waseda University, Japan, Dr. Yoshioka Hiroshi of Mebiol Inc., the scientists participating in this collaboration developed various polymers for water conservation and microbial degradable plastic materials would provide the technological support.

 

On 7th March 2006, Dr. N. Thajuddin, Reader, National Facility for Cyanobacteria, Bharathidasan University, gave a talk on “DNA Finger Printing” and inaugurated the PCR machine. Research Scholars attended a National Symposium of Marine Plants in Tuticorin during June 2005.

 

Algal biotechnology unit organized a National Symposium on “Algae and Environment” in collaboration with Krishnamurthy Institute of Algology during September 2005.

 

Mr. P. Hanumantha Rao, Research Scholar, presented a paper on “Bioremediation of Industrial Effluent” in the National Symposium on “Algae Man and Biosphere” organized by Seaweed Research Utilization Association in Poondi Pushpam College from 23rd to 25th February 2006.

 

Dr. V. V. Subramanian

 

Research Papers Published/Presented:

  1. Muthukumaran, M, B G Raghavan, V V Subramanian and V Sivasubramanian 2005 Bio-remediation of industrial effluent using micro algae. Indian Hydrobiology 7(suppl.): 105 – 122.
  2. Raghavan BG, R Ranjithkumar, P Hanumantha Rao, M Muthukumaran, V V Subramanian and V Sivasubramanian. 2006. Phycoremediation of effluent from a chemical industry. Presented in the National Symposium on “Algae, Man and Biosphere” held at Poondi Pushpam College during 24 and 25th February 2006.

 

Dr. T.S. Suryanarayanan,

Dr. T.S. Suryanarayanan was awarded a research project on ‘Diversity of Micro-fungi in leaf litter of different forests of Western Ghats’ by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

He was awarded an Indo-German research project funded by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India on ‘Screening of tropical fungal endophytes for novel secondary metabolites’. Dr. Suryanarayanan visited the German Biotechnology Research Centre, Braunschweig, Germany, to interact with the German co-investigator.

           

Mr. P.T. Devarajan and Mr. T.S. Murali, under the guidance of Dr. T. S. Suryanarayanan, were awarded their Ph.D. degree by the University of Madras in the year 2005-06.

 

Research Papers:

 

1.                              Manoharachary, C., Sridhar, K.R., Singh, R., Adholeya, A., Suryanarayanan, T.S., Rawat, S. and Johri, B.N. (2005) Fungal biodiversity: Distribution, conservation and prospecting of fungi from India. Current Science 89: 58-71.

 

2.                              Suryanarayanan, T.S., Wittlinger, S.K. and Faeth, S.H. (2005) Endophytic fungi associated with cacti of Arizona. Mycological Research 109: 635-639.

 

Symposia attended:

 

1.                              Murali, T.S. and Suryanarayanan, T.S. (2006) Fungal endophytes of dicot trees: A community level study. National Seminar on Fungal Biodiversity, Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, Bangalore.

 

2.                              Suryanarayanan, T.S., Geeta, V. and Murali, T.S. (2005) Fungal endophytes of Rutaceae members with special reference to Citrus aurantifolia. Asian conference on emerging trends in plant – microbe interactions. University of Madras, Chennai.

 

3.                              Suryanarayanan, T.S., Johnson, J.A. and Murali, T.S. (2005) Fungal endophytes of tropical forests: A critical review. Microbial Diversity: Current perspectives and potential applications. University of Delhi, New Delhi.

 

Dr. V. Sivasubramanian

Research Papers Published/Presented:

1.                              Vignesh,M. S Shivsankar, R Hanumantha Rao, R Ranjithkumar and V Sivasubramanian 2006 Phycoremediation of effluent from tannery and pharmaceutical industries - a lab study. Indian Hydrobiology (Accepted).

2.                              Sivasubramanian, V. 2006 Phycoremediation – Issues and Challenges. Indian Hydrobiology (Accepted).

3.                              Murugesan, S and V Sivasubramanian. 2005. Cyanobacteria of Porur Lake, Chennai, Tamilnadu. Indian Hydrobiology, 8 (1): 49 – 54.

 

Lectures delivered:

Delivered a Special Lecture on “Bioremediation”  in the Refresher Course conducted by CAS in Botany, University of Madras, during February 2006.

 

Prof. S. Kumaresan 

He attended a Refresher Course in “Life science” conducted by the UGC-Academic Staff College, University of Madras from 8th to 28th February 2006.

 

Prof. B.S. Balakumar

He submitted his Ph.D. synopsis under the guidance of Dr. V. Sivasubramanian. He participated in a workshop on Applied Statistics conducted by ICFAI, Chennai.

 

Prof. J. Mohandoss

He participated and presented a paper in National Seminar on Fungal Biodiversity, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics conducted by Mycological society of India in Sri Bhagavan Mahaveer Jain College, Bangalore. The title of the paper was “Effect of Fungicide Treatment on the Occurrence of Foliar Endophyte of Mangifera”.

 

Prof. B. Sankaran

He participated in a National Level Symposium on “Marine plants and their utilization” conducted by Seaweed Research and Utilization association in Tuticorin during June 2005. He also participated in a National symposium on “Algae , Man and Biosphere” conducted by Seaweed Research and Utilization Association in Poondi Pushpam College, Tanjore during February 2006.

 

Association activities:

Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology Association Activities for the academic year 2005-2006 were inaugurated on 24th August 2005 by Dr. N. Madhu Shankar, MS Ph.D., Surgeon, K. M. Cherian Heart foundation, Chennai. He gave a talk on “Drugs Extracted from Plants for Cardiac Diseases”.

Dr. Jayaprakash, M.D., Retired Principal, Arignar Anna Govt Siddha College, Chennai spoke on “Medicinal Plants and their Uses” on 1st  September 2005.

 

VIVENVIRON 2006, an intercollegiate event

It was conducted by the department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology on 7th March 2006, in which students from several city colleges participated and won prizes. This was followed by Valedictory Function of the department association in which Dr. N. Anand, Director, C.A.S. in Botany, University of Madras distributed prizes and gave a talk on “Algae and their Uses”.

 

Student achievements

The students of the department participated in the following intercollegiate competitions and won the rolling shield:

1.Decode 2005 – 2006 – conducted by Stella Maris College

2.Lantana 2005 – 2006 – conducted by Stella Maris College

 

K. Navaneetha Krishnan and E. Buvanesh Sankaran from II B.Sc. participated in an Inter-Collegiate debate on “Chennai and its Environment” at Madras Christian College in December 2005 and they were selected for a National Oratorical Competition in New Delhi:

 

M. Vignesh of III B.Sc. participated in an inter-collegiate paper presentation competition in Microbiology conducted at Ethiraj College and won the best presentation award.