Botany and Biotechnology Research Centre

The Department of Botany is one of the departments which was established the same year as the college in June1963. In 1972 the research centre was recognised to register students for M Sc by research and Ph D. In absence of a University Department the Botany department of Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala college played a major role in the development of the subject.  It being one of the pioneering centre, it attracted research scholars from various colleges. This created a research culture in the department which continues till date.

Dr S M Karmarkar ( 1963-1991) former Principal Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala college ( 1983-1991) , Head Department of Botany ( 1963-1991),  Chairman Board of studies in Botany, Dean faculty of Science  , member Academic Council now known as University of Mumbai did his Ph. D. under the able guidance of Dr G V Joshi who was in Wilson college worked on Crassulacean acid metabolism was the first research guide of Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala college and started the research centre in 1972 with recognition to enroll student for M Sc by research and Ph D degrees. He guided more than 30 students for their Ph D degree. Late Dr D V Amonkar in his short span of guideship successfully completed four students. There area of interest were Ecophysiological studies in halophytes

Dr R H Shete recognised as a research guide in the subject of Botany successfully  guided 25 students for their Ph D degree. His area of interest was plant anatomy and Palaeobotany

Dr Usha Mukundan former Principal Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala college (2004-2020) , Head department of Botany ( 2001-2020), former Chairman BOS Botany , member faculty of Science, member Academic council University of Mumbai, former chairman BOS, Academic council chairman (2018-2020) Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala college (Autonomous) has guided 35 students during the period of 1991- till date. During her tenure the research centre could mobilise funds to the tune of 1.25 crores via funding received from major research projects sponsored by UGC, CSIR, ICMR, DBT, industries like Johnson & Johnson, Bharat Serum, Ganesh Medicaments, Hindustan Unilever and  MARICO. Her areas of interest are transformed root cultures for secondary metabolite production, production of proteins like peroxidases, conservation of medicinally important plants, chemical profiling of medicinal plants using HPTLC, waste water treatment using root culture/plants/ enzymes, natural saponins and their applications. As the Director of the Hindi Vidya Prachar Samiti she continues to contribute to the academic development of the institute and is actively involved in research.

Dr Himanshu G  Dawda Principal of Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala college and Head department of Botany has six students registered under him working on phytochemicals, Ecophysiology of Mangroves. He has successfully guided two students for their Ph D degree.

Dr Anil Avhad has two students registered under his guidance and is interested in Phytochemistry and Ecophysiology

The research centre has a  mentored students who are in leading position in academia and corporate world.

Terrace garden for hardening of tissue cultured plants and experimental area for hydro and aquaponics.

Facilities: 

Plant tissue culture with collection of in vitro medicinal plants. Plant tissue culture laboratory with controlled environment , laminar air flows, shakers, set up for plant bioreactors, preparation and analytical area with  milli Q water filtration unit, precision balances, Spectrophotometers, LEICA microscope with imaging facility, pH meters, magnetic stirrers, electrophoresis units, power packs, chemical storage unit, microwave, extraction units, refrigerator,  Deep fridge for storing cultures.

Heating panels like autoclaves, incubators, ovens, washing and drying facilities for glasswares.

Departmental library for research students with books, journals and research papers from back volumes and e resources

Consultancy: Our research team provides consultancy in following areas

1. Standardization of protocol for Mass propagation of plant using plant tissue culture
2. Electrophoresis for protein profiling of plant material
3. Soil  and water testing
4. Identification of flowering plants, fungi, algae etc.
5. Biotransformation
6. Standardization of protocol for treatment of industrial effluents using microbes/plants
7. Standardization of tissue culture medium components in comparison to available components

The policy for consultancy are available on college website and we also abide by the confidential non disclosure agreement with the organization which provides us project work under consultancy

Dr. Himanshu Dawda (Botany & Biotechnology)

Dr. Anil Avhad (Botany)

Dr. Sucheta Golwlkar (Biotechnology-M.Sc By Research)

Sr. No	Name of the Research Scholar	Admission Status	Month and Year of registration of the scholar	PhD Scholar's Title of the Thesis	Name of the Research Guide
1	Aishwarya Dipak Parab	Registered	82-22/01/2020	Phytochemical and Pharmacological studies on Corn Silk (Stigma maydis)	Dr Himanshu G Dawda
2	Ashish Lad	Registered	23-22/11/2007	Hypolipidemic or Antihyperlipidemic effects of selected vegetables.	Dr Himanshu G Dawda
3	Pravin Nayak	Registered	49-06/02/2014	Dynamic of Mangrove Ecosystems	Dr Himanshu G Dawda
4	Satya Jodha Kaushik	Registered	24-22/11/2007	Eco-Restoration of Mangroves of Mithi River	Dr Himanshu G Dawda
5	Nidhi Pathak	Registered	78-28/09/2018	Studies on Ursolic acid as a biochemical marker in order Myrtales	Dr Anil Avhad
6	Ruchira Javkar	Registered	77-26/09/2018	Portulacaria afra as a model system for studying stress induced metabolism	Dr Anil Avhad
7	Namrata Jaiswal	Registered	91/28-02-2022	Pharmacognostic studies of Eclipta alba and Wedelia trilobata	Dr Anil Avhad
8	Gudulkar Susmita	Registered	90-12/02/2022	Studies on Pithecellobiun dulce (Roxb.) Benth as a source of natural surfactant	Dr Himanshu G Dawda

Sr. No	Name of the Research Scholar	Admission Status	Month and Year of registration of the scholar	PhD Scholar's Title of the Thesis	Name of the Research Guide
1	Gurav Ruchira	Registered	100/17-10-2022	The production of plantlets from tissue cultures of Brassica oleracea var gemmifera and Brassica rapa subspecies pekinensis; Identification of phytochemical marker for clonal selection.	Dr. Himanshu Dawda