CAIUS LABORATORY FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
A quest for excellence in interdisciplinary research

Profile
Founded in 1947 and named after the late Fr. Jean Ferdinand Caius S.J., the Caius Research Laboratory initiated research work on the medicinal plants of India. "The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of India" authored by Fr. Caius is still a standard reference volume. Streptomyces caiuseae, a microorganism secreting the antibiotic streptomycin that is catalogued in the Bergey's Manual, is one of the early discoveries from this laboratory.

In 1978, the Caius Research Laboratory was re-designated as the Caius Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Research and has since been conducting research on various projects involving microbiology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, botany and geology. The laboratory has produced a large number of Ph.D. and M.Sc. scientists who are occupying important positions in academia and industry in different parts of the world.

The Caius Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Research now proposes to make its expertise and facilities available to industries, pharmaceutical companies, and entrepreneurs for carrying out R&D projects, on a collaborative or contract research basis.  Faculty and ex-students who are now professionals having several years of experience are offering their expertise in the fields of biotechnology, toxicology, bioremediation, industrial fermentation, chemical and biological process development at laboratory scale, pollution control and water and soil analysis. An Institutional Biosafety Committee has been established since 2003, under the auspices of Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, to review any work related to genetic engineering of micro-organisms being carried out in the Caius Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Research. This committee sends its report to DBT, Government of India, New Delhi.

Expertise Available

Name, Specialization, Research Interests.

Ø      Dr. Sheela Donde, Director, Caius Research Laboratory (Molecular Genetics) - Bioremediation using Recombinant DNA techniques, Fermentation technology, Environmental Toxicology,

Ø      Dr. Vivien Amonkar Vice Principal Academic Improvement (Microbiology) - Enzyme Biotechnology;

Ø      Dr. Samuel Namdas (Biochemistry) – Biotechnology;

Ø      Dr. Vishwas Sarangdhar ( Molecular Biology) - Recombinant DNA Techniques, Cell Culture

Ø      Dr. Radiya Pacha Gupta (Molecular Biology) – Microbial Pesticide Degraders, Molecular Biology, Malarial Parasite Studies

Ø      Dr. Ujwala Bapat (Plant Physiology) - Phytochemistry

Ø      Dr. Rajendra Shinde (Plant Taxonomy) – Molecular taxonomy

Biosafety Committee Members

1.            Dr. Fr. Frazer Mascarenhas s.j. (Chairperson, and Institutional Head)

2.            Dr. Sheela Donde, Reader and Head, Dept. of Life Sciences & Biochemistry, Director, Caius Research Laboratory (Principal Investigator, BRNS-DAE project)

3.            Dr. Vishwas Sarangdhar, Consultant Biotechnologist, Reliance Life Sciences, Mumbai. (Co-Investigator)

4.            Dr. Vivien Amonkar, Vice Principal (Acad. Imp.) Head, Dept. of Microbiology (External expert).

5.            Dr. Tarala Nandedkar, Deputy Director (Rtd.), NIRRH, ICMR, Parel, Mumbai 400 012. (External Expert)

6.            Dr. Arun de Souza, Director, Social Science Centre, & Lecturer, Dept. of Sociology (Sociologist)

7.            Dr. Shobhona Sharma, Dept. of Biological Sciences, TIFR, Colaba, Mumbai 400 005. (DBT Nominee)

Facilities available in the Caius Research Laboratory and Common Instrumentation Room

Biosafety cabinets for microbial, plant and animal culture, Thermal cycler (PCR), Cooling water-bath, Heating and cooling dry-baths, Hybridisation oven, Rocker, UV-Visible Spectrophotometer, Cold high speed centrifuge, Gel documentation system, HPTLC applicator, Gas Chromatogram, CO₂ incubator, Lyophiliser, Ultrasonicator, Electroporator, BOD incubator, Horizontal and vertical gel electrophoresis equipment, 2-D gel electrophoresis equipment, Western blotting apparatus, Fermentors up to 10 litres capacity, and routine microbial research laboratory equipment.

Services offered

Consultancy in Biotechnology, Basic or Industrial Contract Research (sponsored, collaborative or  grant in aid), in areas related to Recombinant DNA technology,  industrial fermentations, food, agriculture, drugs and pollution control, microbiological analytical services.

Contact Persons:

Dr. Fr. Frazer Mascarenhas sj