MICROBIOLOGY

 

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT  

  • Well-established department with a strong academic record. 
  • Offers B.Sc, M.Sc. and Ph.D. courses. Research at all levels from B.Sc. to Ph.D
  • Certificate course in Pharmaceutical Microbiology 
  • Well-equipped laboratories with several state-of-the-art equipments & excellent department library facility
  • Placements through alumni and other contacts.
  • Regular career guidance sessions by alumni as well as other resource persons
  • Regular guest lectures by eminent scientists
  • An online e-learning platform by the dept MICROBYTES
  • An active department association that conducts co-curricular activities and awards meritorious students. 
  • Regular educational and industrial visit

STAFF PROFILE

Dr. Santhini Nair

  • Designation: Vice Principal, HOD &  Associate Professor
  • Qualification: M.Sc. Ph.D.
  • E-mail: santhini.nair@ves.ac.in 
  • Areas of Interest: Medical Microbiology, Immunology, Industrial Microbiology, Biotechnology, Medical Laboratory Technology
  • Research Interest:
    Medical Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology, Bionanotechnology

        Membership of professional bodies:

  1. Life member of Indian Women Scientific Association./Mumbai Immunology Group/ Microbiologists Society of India/ Association of Microbiology of India
  • Recognition/ Achievements/ Activities :
  1. Recognized PhD guide in Microbiology, PG teacher for M.Sc (By Papers), M.Sc. (By Research) from Mumbai university.
  2. Completed Minor Research Projects (Mumbai University)

Dr. Dona Joseph

  • Designation: Associate Professor
  • Qualification: M.Sc., Ph.D., SET Qualified 
  • E-mail: dona.jospeh@ves.ac.in
  • Areas of Interest: Genetics, Virology and Environmental Microbiolog
  • Research Interest: Environmental Microbiology
  • Membership of professional bodies:
    1. Life member of Indian Women Scientific Association (IWSA)
    2. Life member of Mangrove Society of India
    3. Life member of Association of Teachers in Biological Sciences (ATBS)
  • Recognition/ Achievements/ Activities :
  1. Recognized teacher for M.Sc. by papers in Microbiology.
  2. Completed Minor Research Project (Mumbai University)

      Dr. Malay Shah

  • Designation: Assistant Professor
  • Qualification: M.Sc., Ph.D., NET Qualified,
  • E-mail: malay.shah@ves.ac.in  
  • Areas of Interest: Industrial Microbiology, Genetics, Molecular Biology 
  • Research Interest:
    Environmental Microbiology 
  • Recognition/ Achievements/ Activities :
  1. Recognized teacher for M.Sc. by papers in Microbiology.
  2. Completed Minor Research Project (UGC)
  3. Completed Minor Research Project (Mumbai University)

Dr. Shweta Patil

  • Designation: Assistant Professor
  • Qualification: M.Sc., Ph.D., SET Qualified 
  • E-mail: shweta.patil@ves.ac.in
  • Area of Interest: Molecular Biology, Environmental Microbiology and Microbial Biochemistry
  • Research Interest:
    Environmental Microbiology
  • Recognition/ Achievements/ Activities :
  1. Recognized teacher for M.Sc. (By Papers) and M.Sc. (By research)  in Microbiology.
  2. Recipient of Minor Research Grant (UGC)
  3. Completed Minor Research Project (Mumbai University)

PUBLICATIONS

Mr. Suman Ganger

  • Designation: Assistant Professor
  • Qualification: M.Sc., SET Qualified
  • E-mail: suman.ganger@ves.ac.in
    1. Recognized PG teacher for M.Sc  (By Papers & By Research) in Microbiology 
    2. Completed Minor Research Project (Mumbai University)
    • Research Interest:
      Environmental Microbiology and BiophysicsAreas of Interest: Biotechnology and Fermentation technology
    • Recognition/ Achievements/ Activities :

Ms. Mugdha Apte

  • Designation: Assistant Professor
  • Qualification: M.Sc., Ph. D., SET qualified
  • E-mail: mugdha.apte@ves.ac.in
  • Area of interest: Environmental microbiology, Nanotechnology, GMP, GLP
  • Research interest: Environmental microbiology

Ms. Pradnya Gogte

  • Designation: Assistant Professor
  • Qualification: M.Sc., Ph. D., NET qualified
  • E-mail: pradnya.gogte@ves.ac.in
  • Area of interest: Genetics, Food microbiology, Industrial microbiology, Environmental microbiology and Biotechnology
  • Research interest: Food microbiology and Environmental microbiology

 

GLIMPSES OF  DEPARTMENT EVENTS / ACTIVITIES

  • Innovative Teaching Methods

Teachers employ varied teaching methods including seminars by students, videos, animations, skits, games, group discussions, Program oriented guided interactive learning (POGIL) and quiz, besides lectures for curriculum transaction. Workshops are also conducted to give students a better understanding of new subjects like Bioinformatics.

  • Overall Student development

The department conducts a variety of programs under the banner of the ‘Microbiology-Biotechnology Association’ to develop employable as well as soft skills of students. These activities include subject-based competitions (poster-making, model making, debates, seminar presentations and essay writing), movie shows, guest lectures by scientists, etc. Prizes are awarded to students who excel in academics as well as in co-curricular activities. The freshers are welcomed every year with a humorous skit based on Microbiology. Educational visits to research institutes and industries are conducted for the S.Y.B.Sc., T.Y.B.Sc and M.Sc. students. The students are also encouraged to undertake internships at research institutes, industries, pathological laboratories during their vacations. Some of our past students have undergone training at BARC, TIFR, KEM Hospital etc.

  • Well-equipped laboratories

The department has one UG and 3 PG labs (M.Sc. by papers, M.Sc. by research and Ph.D.), 2 clean rooms with laminar airflow units and a preparation room. Besides the basic equipment, the lab is well-equipped with research equipments including a U.V. spectrophotometer, 5 L lab fermenter, cooling centrifuge, rotary vacuum evaporator, tensiometer and more

  • Departmental library

The department has a regularly updated library with more than 500 books covering various topics in Microbiology. It serves as an additional rich learning resource for the students. We are proud to have strongly bonded alumni who generously donate books to the department library. 

  • Research

Staff members of the department regularly apply to UGC and University of Mumbai for research projects funding. Since the inception of M.Sc. by Research in 2004, 4 students have completed their M.Sc. by Research in Microbiology. Currently 3 students are pursuing M.Sc. by Research in Microbiology and are working on various research projects.  In addition to this, the staff members also guide the M. Sc. (by papers) students in their dissertation projects. 

Promotion of Undergraduate Research is one of the important highlights of the department, where B. Sc. students interested in pursuing short projects are allowed to explore and perform the experiments under the guidance of the staff members. These students are motivated to participate in various academic conferences and research conventions like ‘Avishkar – Mumbai University Research Meet Convention’ and ‘Jigyaasa – K. C. College Research Scholar Meet’ , Sajjan Gupta Memorial Awards by Konark Group etc.

  • Results

Our students have been consistently performing well at the University examinations in spite of the low cut-off percentage at F.Y level. We have a pass percentage of nearly 100% at the B.Sc. and M.Sc. levels. On an average, 50% of our students secure a first class. We have had several University top rankers among our B.Sc. students, while at the M.Sc. level we have University rankers almost every year. 

  • Alumni 

The first batch of T. Y. B.Sc. Microbiology graduated in 1981. The Department is proud of its alumni and their achievements. We have an active alumni association with registered members. Several of our alumni work in internationally reputed institutes such as Harvard Medical School, Washington University School of Medicine, John Hopkins School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Ludwig’s Maximillian University, Germany, and occupy important positions in industries such as Abbott Molecular, US Children’s Hospital, Boston, Syngene International ltd, Bangalore, Biocon, Bio-analytical Technologies India Pvt, Ltd. They help our current students through guest lectures, counselling sessions and provision of information about job openings. 

  • Career guidance and Placements:

We counsel our students on their career choices and bring job openings and vacancies to their notice by regular display of advertisements on the notice boards, emails and through personal contacts. We also help in their placements through our alumni network and contacts in industries.

  • Extension activities

The students are actively involved in the Lifelong Learning and Extension activity of the University of Mumbai. The aim of this program is community awareness and making the students understand their social responsibilities. This activity ensures a holistic development of the students. The activities taken up by our students include, Status of Women in the society (SWS), Career project (CP) and Population Education Club (PEC). Our students enthusiastically participate in the activities of the Outreach Cell of the college, such as fund collection drives for NASEOH, working for NGOs and visits to social welfare centers

  • Collaboration 

The Department of Microbiology believes in the holistic development of its students and staff.  Keeping this motto in mind, the department collaborates with many regional and national organizations to provide a broader view of the society to its stakeholders. Many activities are planned in collaborations round the year. Some of the organizations that the department is actively involved with are Vijnana Bharati, Indian Women Scientist Association, Marathi Vidnyan Parishad, Homi Bhabha Center for Science and Education etc.