DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

This has been possible due to the unwavering commitment of our scientific community including scientists, researchers, and staff. They are aided in their research by an excellent infrastructure and instrumentation facilities that include the Microbial Type Culture Collection and Gene Bank (MTCC; an accredited culture collection and International Depository Authority that hosts a collection of over 14000 characterized microbial strains), Biochemical Engineering Research and Process Development Centre (BERPDC; a centre with fermenters from 1 L to 500 L and GMP grade cell bank to produce fermentation-based therapeutic proteins of clinical grade), IMTECH Bioinformatics centre (BIC; a centre with state-of-the-art compute environment), IMTECH Centre for Animal Resources & Experimentation (iCARE; a barrier-maintained animal facility for experiments using rodents and rabbits), and BSL3 (Bio Safety Laboratory Level - 3).

This is an exciting time for microbiologists, as we move from studying microbes and molecules in isolation to delving deeper and deeper into microbial communities and molecular systems. There have been rapid advances in the study of microbial communities (microbiota); genomics and metagenomics approaches to study these communities have become a mainstay in the microbiologist’s toolbox. Structural biology has also undergone a paradigm shift with the recent AphaFold2 software developed by DeepMind.

As we begin the fifth decade of our existence, we continue with unwavering dedication toward our mandate, raising the bar of our expectations and striving for greater excellence, while leveraging our strengths and embarking on tangential niche areas of microbial research where CSIR-IMTECH can contribute with monumental impact.

At CSIR-IMTECH, we appreciate that science cannot be done in isolation but requires a safe, supportive, inclusive, and stimulating space that promotes autonomy, excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, mentorship, and engagement with industry and society. We understand the value brought in by engaging with industry and other stakeholders and envision research programs conducted in private partnerships in addition to publically funded research.

The importance of training the next generation of India’s scientists is not lost on us. Therefore, we run an exceptional Ph.D. program with first-rate academic mentorship as its bedrock. We also enjoy our responsibility of engaging with society, especially children, and promoting the culture of scientific thinking for the betterment of society.