Biotechnology Division is conducting R&D is following major areas:

1. Molecular biology of plant secondary metabolism and its regulation : Gene prospection from mono-, sesqui, tri-terpene, benzyl-isoquinolone alkaloid (BIA), terpenoid indole alkaloid (TIA) biosynthesis pathway; Defining the role of transcriptional regulators and their involvement in secondary metabolism; Genomics for pathway engineering; Expression profiling for metabolic and genetic diversity basis; DNA Markers for breeding and identification leading to variety development.

2.Plant Tissue Culture: Micro-cloning of elite germ plasm; Cell and hairy roots based metabolite production; Somaclonal breeding for genetic enhancement; Tissue banking for bio-diversity conservation; Protoplast culture and somatic fusions; Genetic transformations for pathway engineering

3.Bio-prospecting natural resources for genes/bioactive molecules/ products: Bioprospecting anti-infective agents active against sensitive and drug resistant strains (bacterial, fungal, malarial parasite); Bioprospecting crude drug/extracts/molecules for metabolic and other life style disorders; Safety evaluation of MAPs and their products.

4. Bioinformatics and in silico biology: In silico genomics and proteomics, molecular dynamics studies, identification of miRNA and their targets, gene expression analysis, DNA barcoding.