Department of Botany

The Department of Botany was established in 1972 at the Postgraduate Centre of the University of Madras. Since its inception, the Department has been offering M.Sc. in Plant Science, M.Phil., and Ph.D. programmes in Botany, with research expertise spanning Mycology, Microbiology, Plant Physiology, Nutraceuticals and Phytomedicine, Tissue Culture and Reproductive Biology, Molecular Biology, Genetics and Plant Breeding, and Plant Systematics.

In 2001, the Department pioneered the introduction of a Master’s programme in Bioinformatics—the first of its kind in the country—which was subsequently elevated to an independent Department in 2006. In addition, the Department offers a Postgraduate Diploma in Herbal Technology, exclusively for M.Sc. Plant Science students, with the objective of enhancing employment opportunities. To date, the Department has produced 161 Ph.D. and 126 M.Phil. scholars. Currently, 35 Ph.D. scholars and 43 M.Sc. students are pursuing their studies.

The Department has an impressive academic record, with faculty members and students contributing over 750 research papers to reputed national and international journals, in addition to authoring seven books and monographs. The faculty have participated in 161 conferences at various levels and have successfully organized 30 symposia, conferences, refresher courses, and workshops. Collectively, they have completed 27 research projects funded by national and international agencies, with seven research projects presently ongoing cumulating to a funding support of Rs. 1.93 Crores.

The Department is also actively engaged in industrial collaborations and consultancy services. It has signed an MoU with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul etc to promote scientific collaboration in the fields of biodiversity conservation, energy crops, and herbal medicine. Faculty and students have participated in academic exchanges and research visits to countries including the USA, UK, Japan, Brazil, Dubai, South Africa, Singapore, Germany, China, France, Thailand, and Malaysia.
 

• Research Infrastructure developed under DST–FIST, UGC–SAP, and MoE–RUSA.

• Advanced instrumentation facilities including HPLC, FTIR, CO₂ incubator, qPCR, Auto-analyzer, and Puriflash chromatography unit.

• Bharathi Herbarium: ~8,000 plant specimens, including 6 holotypes, 3 isotypes, and 21 new distribution records; complemented by a globally accessible Digital Lichen Herbarium.

• Herbal Garden (4 acres) with 153 endemic and endangered plant species, supported by MoE–RUSA and Govt. of Tamil Nadu.

• Dedicated laboratories for Plant Tissue Culture, Nanobiotechnology, Phytomedicine, Soil and Root Biology, and Molecular Biology.

• MoU with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul etc to promote scientific collaboration in the fields of biodiversity conservation, energy crops, and herbal medicine.

• Bioprospection of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
• Nanobiotechnology and Plant Tissue Culture
• Root and Soil Biology
• Biomedical Research
• Plant Molecular Biology
• Plant and Algal Biotechnology
• Ecology and Phytoremediation
• Plant Systematics

• Prof. K. K. Lakshmanan (HoD)
• Prof. K. Udhaiyan (HoD)
• Prof. K. Janardhanan
• Prof. K. Francis
• Prof. S. Manian (HoD)
• Prof. V. Narmadhabai (HoD)
• Prof. V.R.K. Reddy
• Prof. V.S. Ramachandran
• Dr. T. Sekar
• Prof. Dr. A. Rajendran (HoD)