Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has been one among a few front-runners to initiate “Biotechnology” teaching way back in 1987. Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India is extending the financial support for the cause of manpower development since 1988.
Research and education in Biotechnology at TNAU had its genesis through the university plan scheme “Creation of a new department of biotechnological research” under the then Directorate of School of Genetics (Vide No. S1/222881/86(A-7) dated 23. 02. 1987). A master plan on “Agricultural Biotechnology 1987-2000” with the objectives of carrying out advanced research and teaching MSc and PhD courses in Agricultural biotechnology was passed by the Board of Management in its 71st meeting held on 14. 3. 1988 (vide No. R2.BM/71/14.1/88 dated 27. 3.1988). Further in 1988 the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, New Delhi sanctioned the “Postgraduate Education and Training Programme” leading to MSc in Agricultural Biotechnology which gave a national colour to the biotechnology education at TNAU.
During 1993, the Department of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology was created as per the order No.DR/S2/4522/93-XVIII dated 17.10.1993 by merging the above, university plan scheme and GOI – DBT supported programme on Agricultural biotechnology. Besides the postgraduate programs, a B. Tech (Biotechnology) four year undergraduate course was offered at this department since the year 2000. The Department of Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology functioned under the then School of Genetics until 1990, later came under the Centre for Plant Molecular Biology & Biotechnology (earlier it was called CPMB). Presently with the reconstitution of the departments under CPMB & B, it is henceforth functioning as ‘Department of Plant Biotechnology’.
Vision
Developing high caliber and skilled human resource in Agricultural Biotechnology and Improving crop production and value addition through modern biotechnology interventions
Mission
- Provide Biotechnology students an enabling environment for better learning
- Develop globally competitive human capacity in Biotechnology
- Promote research on frontier areas of biotechnology for developing high performance and nutrient rich crop varieties
- Foster international alliances and collaborative initiatives to reach global excellence.
- Nurture faculty strengths and interests to promote innovations in teaching and research
- Promoting entrepreneurial skills of biotechnology students
Our faculty members are highly experienced in frontier areas of Biotechnology like genomics, allele mining, genome wide association studies, genome editing and bioprospecting. The faculty members have been trained in reputed laboratories in abroad which gives them experience and expertise to train the students to come out with high market demand. DPB has filed patents to several invention and few of them are in technology transfer.
Their innovative ideas in the areas of agricultural biotechnology, biofortification, molecular ecology, tissue culture and genome editing are funded by several governmental (DBT, DST, ICAR, CSIR, UGC and BIRAC) and non-governmental agencies. The trademark of DPB is its interdisciplinary collaborative efforts with leading national (IARI, New Delhi; IIRR, Hyderabad; AAU, Assam; NIPGR, New Delhi; MKU, Madurai and MSSRF, Chennai) and international (IRRI, Philippines; CIMMYT, Mexico; QUT, Australia; UQ, Australia; University of Warcwik, UK; UC Davis, USA and Kansas State University, USA). Research outcomes of our faculty/students are published in reputed international journals and the research outputs are under evaluation before commercialization.