The School of Basic Medical Sciences consists of Anatomy,Medical Biochemistry, Endocrinology, Genetics, Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology and Environmental Toxicology and Physiology.
Along with the establishment of Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences the department of Endocrinology was first established in January 1969. On 24.01.1969 the department of Genetics came into being.The Department of Medical Biochemistry was added on 01.03.1969. Later the PGIBMS was expanded in 1976. The department of Microbiology was constituted in November 1976,the department of Pharmacology and Environmental Toxicology was established in 1976, and the department of Physiology was also started in 1976. The third phase of expansion of PGIBMS was in 1977,when the department of Anatomy and department of Pathology were added.
The department of Anatomy concentrates teaching and research in Neural transplantation in Primates, Cortical localization in the primates, Comparative Neuroanatomy of primates including man, and Neuroelectrophysiology in primate. The department has the facilities of a well equipped aseptic operation theatre,Tissue processing laboratory, Cryostat, photographic unit, Animal house, a Departmental library, Neural Tissue Culture laboratory, Neuro immunology laboratory, Computers, rare collections of histological slides, Audio-visual teaching aids and Video and audio cassette library. It has several sophisticated equipment like Laminar Flow, Cryostat, Microscope, Fluorescent Microscope, Streozoom Microscope, Neonatal incubator, Surgical Diathermy, Bio-monitor,X-ray Machine, Electro-Physiological unipolar cortical stimulator.
The Department of Endocrinology is a research department. the department has been recognized for Departmental Research support under UGC Special Assistant Programme to facilitate research in the following thrust areas since 1999. (1) Reproductive and molecular Endocrinology and (2) Environmental Endocrinology.
The Department of Science and Technology Govt. of India has selected the department for infrastructural and equipment facilities for Research indents FIST programme from 2000 onwards. In addition to this, the department is funded by various National Agencies such as CSIR, DST, DAE, ICMR and UGC. The department undertakes research works involving evaluation of hormone and receptors in endocrine pathrmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of contraceptive hormone preparations hormone based drugs and plant biomolecules related to reproduction, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal and immune factors, cytokines and newbiomolecules in endocrine, autoimmune, metabolic and reproductive disorders.
The department has sophisticated equipments like electroporator, PCR machine, ELISA reader, CO2 incubators, vacuum concentrator, Liquid Scientillation counter, Gamma counter, Ultracentrifuge, High speed refrigerated centrifuge, High performance liquid chromatography, Double beam spectrophotometer, spectroflourimeter, Research microscopes with Fluorescence, phase contrast and photography, inverted microscope, stero zoom microscope, Ultradeep freezers, Rotary vaccum flash evaporator, Cell culture facility and Temperature and light controlled animal room facility. The department has BARC recognized laboratory. The department offers M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes in Endocrinology and two optional papers for M.Sc. CBCS students.
The faculty of the Department of Genetics pursues basic and applied research in frontier areas of Genetics that has direct/indirect bearing on health care. The areas of interest include clinical cytogenetics (mental retardation, infertility and birth defects), molecular and biochemical genetics(lysosomal storage disorders, hearing, visual and speech disorders), molecular biology(intron-exon organization, DNA-drug interaction, transcription facotrs, tumor suppressor genes, high expression promoters, and ribozymes),genotoxicity evaluation and search for potential antimutagens,occupational risk assessment etc.
The department also offers post graduate programmes leading to M.Sc., M.Phil. and Ph.D.degrees. The department has animal house, cold room, departmental library and a centralized instrumentation facility which includes thermocyclers, transilluminators, spectrophotometer, refrigerated centrifuges,DNA sequencer, fluorescence microscope etc. The department also offers consultancy services on genetic counselling, clinical cytogenetics, genetic toxicology evaluation of suspected compounds and molecular and biochemical diagnosis of lysosomal disorders.
The department of Microbiology researches in Medical Microbiology (Diarrhoeal diseases; Newer diarrhoeal pathogens Newer respiratory pathogens; Hospital acquired bacterial, fungal and viral infections; Superficial fungal Infections; Leprosy; Leptospirosis; Sexually transmitted Diseases,Viral hepatitis and sequelae;Herpes Keratitis;AIDS), Immunology (DEvelopment of diagnostic kits for microbial infections Immunological characterisation of bacterial, fungal and viral diseases), Molecular Biology (Development of molecular methods for the diagnosis of infectious diseases; Molecular characterisation of bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens by RFLP, cloning and sequencing)and Biotechnology(Development of antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agents from medicinal plants and marine organisms; Indigenous development of vaccines; Evaluation of Industrial products like vaccines, drugs, devices,kits,disinfectants tec). The facilities of the department are many. They are Microbial identification facilities from infections and non infectious materials;Tissue culture systems; Antigen & antibody purification and characterisation; Preservation of microbial cultures; Invitro and invivo laboratory models for drug and vaccine development;Design and conduction of clinical trials; Evaluation etc.
The sophisticated equipments of the department are: Elisa systems, HPLC, UV - Vis spectrophotometer,UV - Transilluminator with photography,PCR - Systems,Ultra centrifuge and Refrigerated centrifuge, Lyophiliser, Luminometer, Tissue culture Laminar flow systems, Environmental Temperature controlled shakers, Ice Flaker, Deep Freezers, Liquid Nitrogen cylinders, Different Electrophoresis systems including blotting systems and Chromatographic systems,CO2 Incubator, Water Purification Systems.
The department of Pathology carries research in Histopathology,Immunology,Haematology, Haematopathology, Immuno-histochemistry and In situ Hybridisation. The facilities of the department are Histopathology with frozen section facilities, Histochemistry to demonstrate various enzymes and compounds in tissue sections including skeletal muscle,estimation of immunoglobulins,evaluation of haemostatic mechanisms,cytochemistry for bone marrow smears(especially for leukaemias),evaluation of haemostasis, immunohistochemistry with a large panel of antibodies and facilities to carry out in situ hybridisation for viral DNA and RNA etc. Consultancy on Histopathology,Immuno-histochemistry,Haematology. The Department is a referral centre for immunohistochemistry and cytochemistry are available in this department.
The department of Pharmacology & Environmental Toxicology carries out intensive research in Experimental Pharmacology, Phytopharmacology, Traditional Medicine Formulations, Immuno-Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuropharmacology and Toxicology, Cardiovascular Phamacology, Aquatic Toxicology, Environmental Toxicology and Food Toxicology. The department has got facilities for conducting the research in the above mentioned areas. Since the department has staff memebers specilized in pharmacology and toxicology, facilities can be used for screening of Pharmacological as well as Toxicological profile of drugs and medicinal plants as well as toxicity evaluation of specific environmental pollutants.
The department has the sophisticated equipment of Florescence Spectro Photometer, High Pressure Liquid Chromatography, UV visible Spectrophotometer, Soft Kymograph for anesthetized animal experiments, Physiograph, Electro Cardio Graph,Rotarod, Actophotometer, Electrophoresis unit,Isolated tissue units, Flame photometer, Liquid Nitrogen Cylinder.
The department of Physiology carries researches in the areas of Neuroimmunomodulation, Neurotoxicology, Stress physiology, Liver regeneration, Cassava studies and Medical / laboratory instrumentation. The facilities of the department include Small animal surgery Laboratory, Recording of basic physiological data, Behavioural studies in small animals, all common biochemical investigations, all haemotological investigations, computer facility for Physiological data acquisition etc.
The sophisticated instruments of the department are HPLC (Waters) with ECD detector, Spectroflurometer, UV-Vis.Spectrophotometer, Flame photometer, Single channel Strip chart recorder(Physiograph), 8-channel Physiological data recorder(Polyrite), Single Channel ECG recorder, deep freezers, laminar flow hood,ultrasonic disintegrator.
Chair Person : Dr.THANGAM MENON
Constitute Department :
