The department boasts of a team of highly-efficient and expert teaching faculty involved in teaching and research. There is a breadth of research expertise among the faculty members, with each of them specializing in different thrust areas. The faculty members also serve as resource persons at various forums in other colleges/institutions of repute. To enhance the cognitive skills and knowledge of the faculty members, the department organizes faculty development programmes every year in the form of a lecture, workshop or hands-on training. Faculty members also participate in faculty development programmes organized by industries and institution.
Diverse group of students from all parts of the country and from other countries pursue the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the deanery of Life Science. The amicable student community represents a culture constituting different ethnicities.
Each year, 110 students are enrolled based on merit to the undergraduate programme in the Department of Life Sciences, leading to the three-year Bachelor of Science degree. Likewise, there is an intake of 70 students for the two-year Master of Science degree programme in Microbiology and Biotechnology. All the degree programmes are affiliated to Bangalore University.
The undergraduate/postgraduate programmes are designed in such a manner that students are exposed to both basic and applied concepts of the subject. The modern subject areas Modern Biology, Bioinformatics, Genomics, Genetic Engineering, Nano Technology for the Microbiology and Biotechnology students.
Microbiological and Biotechnological research is one of the forefront areas as of date with enormous funding available throughout the globe in the areas of medicine, agriculture and environment. Therefore, ample research opportunities are available in many national and international research laboratories. Similarly, career opportunities are also aplenty for Microbiology graduates/post-graduates in many core areas such as pharmaceutical & nutraceutical sectors, hospitals, analytical laboratories, fermentation industries, food and dairy industries, catering industries, flight catering, confectioneries, bioenergy sector, etc., and in allied areas such as clinical research, pharmacovigilance, energy and environment auditing, food auditing, content writing, online teaching, etc.
Department Activities
Through the technical forum, the department frequently organizes invited lectures from renowned National and International experts and also conducts national/international conferences in different areas of microbiology/biotechnology/life sciences as the annual technical event. The department also encourages many student-centered activities like Environmental Club, Life Sciences Club activities, intra and inter college bio fests like BioVentura - Intra collegiate fest(PG), Connoisseur - Intra Collegiate fest (UG),Bioaura - Intercollegiate fest (UG & PG), Creatrix - Life Sciences exhibition (UG)
Facilities/Infrastructure
The department has four separate well-equipped laboratories for regular laboratory practical sessions for B.Sc. and M.Sc. programmes, respectively. The department has all the necessary facilities required for modern-day teaching including smart classrooms and major equipment such as inverted microscope, CO2 incubator, PCR Machines, photomicrography facility, uv-visible spectrophotometer, laminar safety cabinets, deep freezers, cooling centrifuge, orbital shakers, tissue homogenizer, digital precision balance, bio safety cabinets, plant and animal trim culture facility, rotary evaporator etc.
Industrial visits/Internships/In-plant trainings
Frequent industrial visits as part of the curricula are arranged for the students to have a glimpse of the role of microbiologists in various production facilities and to learn the nuances of production and quality aspects. Students are also encouraged to undergo summer internships/in plant trainings/project training in different research laboratories/industries. Postgraduate students are required to carry out a project work and submit the dissertation. Many students present their findings in various national and international scientific journals/conferences.