Department of Bio-Chemistry:
The K. G. Naik Memorial Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, has a rich legacy of over seven decades in postgraduate education and research. Established in 1955 through the initiative of Dr. K. G. Naik, the Department began as a part of the Department of Chemistry. Under the leadership of its founding Head, Prof. C. V. Ramakrishnan, it gradually developed into a prominent centre for postgraduate teaching and research in Biochemistry and Nutrition.
Over the decades, the Department has kept pace with the advances in life sciences, while maintaining a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research and scientific training. Its academic programmes aim to provide students with a sound understanding of Biochemistry and allied disciplines, and equip them with practical skills and problem-solving abilities required for building careers in research, academia, healthcare and biotechnology industries.
The Department offers M.Sc. programmes in Biochemistry and Medical Biotechnology, along with a Ph.D. programme in Biochemistry. The postgraduate programmes integrate classroom teaching, practical training, seminars and dissertation work. The students get an opportunity to experience the process of scientific investigation and develop skills in experimental design, data analysis and scientific communication through dissertation work in their final semester of MSc.
Research is central to the Department's academic environment. With around 30 research scholars, the Department conducts research across diverse and emerging areas of modern Biochemistry. Its research portfolio encompasses structural biology and protein engineering, ubiquitin–proteasome biology and targeted protein degradation, biosensors and nanobiotechnology, metabolic and mitochondrial biology, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, plant biology and phytoremediation, reproductive biology and nutrition, metabolic engineering, microbial biotechnology, antimicrobial resistance, diabetes and obesity, molecular diagnostics, herbal and phytopharmaceutical research. These areas continue to evolve with emerging scientific questions and interdisciplinary opportunities.
Research in the Department attracts extramural funds from reputed funding agencies including DBT, DST, UGC, CSIR, SERB, ICMR, BRNS, GSBTM, GUJCOST, UGC-DAE and NRDC. It also maintains collaborations with scientists and research groups in India and abroad. The research environment in the department is supported by dedicated laboratories and specialized instruments including Digital Droplet PCR, fluorescence microscopy, multimode readers, HPLC, cell culture, UV-visible and fluorescence spectrophotometry, lyophilization and 2D-PAGE, along with a well-equipped Animal House facility.
A distinctive feature of the Department is its tradition of promoting scientific interaction through prestigious lecture series, scientific conferences, visiting scientist talks and seminars. The Prof. C. V. Ramakrishnan Lecture Series, Prof. L. J. Parekh Memorial Lecture Series and Prof. S. D.