The Department of Botany, established in July 1977 as a part of Postgraduate Centre of the University of Madras, offers M.Sc., M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes in Botany. It has a long tradition of research in various fields such as Mycology, Microbiology, Bioprospecting of medicinal plants, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Tissue culture and Reproductive Biology, Cytogenetics, Ethnobotany and Plant systematics.
The Department of Botany has been recognized and has received the support of DST – FIST and UGC-SAP in the past and present years. The department is well facilitated with several instrumentation in all laboratories covering wide disciplines, that would bring a sophisticated atmosphere for active research and development. So far, the department has produced more than 160 Ph.D. and 225 M.Phil scholars. Apart from 30 books/monographs, the faculty members and the students have published more than 960 research papers in both national and international journals. The faculty members have so far completed 45 research projects funded by various national and international agencies. Department faculty members have obtained 6 patents and have filed several patents.
The faculty and students have made academic visits to countries including the USA, U.K., Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Japan, Singapore, Germany, Switzerland, China, France, Thailand and Malaysia. Recently, a herbal garden for medicinal plants conservation has been established by the department, for an area of about 4 acres, in the university premises, which houses 157 endemic and endangered medicinal plants. It has been envisaged at the time of establishment of the department that the research outcome will benefit both the academia and the society. Now it has become a reality that our faculty members have obtained patents for their innovative research work and the students are taking employment in the academic institutions of high esteem and in industries.
