Profile

      The Microbiology Department was started in 1999-2000 as a self-financing course in the Department of Biochemistry, Andhra University, 24 students are admitted in every batch. Since then four batches of students have successfully completed the course.  The faculty consists of Mainly well-qualified and experienced guest faculty from the Departments of Biochemistry, Botany, Zoology, Environmental Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry of Andhra University and Department of Medical Microbiology, Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam. The labs are fully equipped with all the instruments needed for conducting the practical for both previous and final year students.
 
      A full-time Coordinator is appointed to look after both administrative and academic functions of the unit with teaching and non-teaching supporting staff. The students are also trained in doing a dissertation/project work as a part of the curriculum. The students are absorbed in various pioneering research labs in Microbiology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology and industries involving pharmaceutical brewing and food.
 
     The syllabus covers all the subjects of Microbiology with a year-end examinations pattern as per UGC Model Curriculum. The syllabus consists of 5 theories, 2 practical & a viva- voce in each year and dissertation/project work to be submitted at the end of final year. The total marks are 1600.

    Proposed to start Advanced Centre for Microbiology at A.U. Campus in future.

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Academic Programmes:

• The Department offers M.Sc. Microbiology, M.Phil and Ph.D in Microbiology.

       The number of students admitted for M.Sc. Course is 24. Additionally 2 NRI students are admitted every year (Fees per student-US $2500/Annum).

       For M.Sc, the admissions are done every year through selection of AUCET examinations from the candidates with B.Sc in Sciences. The 24 students are selected from total applicants. It is a self financing course and reservations apply as per the regulations. The course is year-end pattern. The full fees should be paid at the time of admission and at the time of beginning of academic year for final year students.  M.Phil and Ph.D admissions will be done as per regulations prevailing at that time. The eligibility for admission is M.Sc Microbiology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology. Student should have passed UGC-NET JRF, AURCET ,GATE, SLET etc. The admission will depend upon no. of guides available.

Eligibility criteria:
    The eligibility for M.Sc., Microbiology is B.Sc. I or II Class degree holders with combination of any 3 of the combinations; Botany, Zoology, Microbiology, Bio-chemistry, Chemistry, Human Genetics, Environmental Sciences, Home Science, Dairy Science, Fisheries, Applied nutrition, Nutrition and Dietetics, Bio-technology, Medical lab. Technology, Public Health, Nursing, Plant Protection Agriculture and Horticulture/Forestry. B.Sc. Agriculture and B.Sc. Home Science I or II Class degree holders are also eligible. The students are selected for admission to M.Sc. program through AUCET.

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Faculty:

    The department is headed by a Coordinator assisted by Teaching staff and Guest lecturers from other departments of AU along with the staff of Andhra Medical College.

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Infrastructure:

      The teaching/lecturing is done in separate classrooms for both previous and final M.Sc. with audio video teaching aid provided in each of the lecturing hall. The practicals are conducted in separate laboratory equipped with basic lab equipments.

     The labs are equipped with Digital UV Visible Spectrophotometer, High Speed Refrigerated Centrifuge, Horizontal Autoclaves, BOD Incubator (cooling incubator), Cooling Orbital Shaking incubator, Vertical freezer: -20^oC, Digital PH meters, Digital Photo Colorimeters, Cyclo Mixers, Eppendorf Micropipettes, Colony Counters, Water Distillation sets, Incubator Digital Temperature Control, (Bacteriological incubator), Laminar flow, Electronic Balances, Microscopes, Heating Block (Dry bath), clinical Centrifuges, Hot plates with stirrer, Rocking Platform, Electrophoresis apparatus, Test tube Rotator, Water Bath Shakers etc. Recently a  Lab Fermentor, Sonicator were added to the above instruments.

Library:
       The department Library is adequately equipped with latest books of Microbiology and other related fields as per the syllabus.

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Extension Services:

       The department is well equipped to provide extension services such as water quality test (portable water) germicidal value and food quality check and also reading to consultation work in Industrial Microbiology & Molecular Microbiology.

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Employment Opportunities:

      The postgraduates from this department are employed in educational institutes for teaching, research institutes for research clinical laboratories and pharmaceutical industries like Shanta Biotech,  food & beverage companies as Coco-cola, research institutes such as L.V.Prasad Institute,  Reddy's Laboratories and also in food and diary industries.

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Events

Academic Year 2002-03:

In collaboration with Biochemistry department, AU, National Symposium on Archaebateria wasorganized, in February 20-22, 2002.

Academic Year 2003-04:

In collaboration with Biochemistry department, Andhra University, conducted two National seminars

1. "Biochemical Energetics and Biological Membranes... present perspectives" in February 10-12, 2003 and

2. "Emerging Trends in Biochemical Education" in 28^th February, 2003.

Academic Year 2004-05:

Dr.D.V.R.Saigopal, Associate Professor, Dept. of Virology, S.V. University, visited for two weeks as a UGC visiting fellow.  He conducted both theory and practical classes to M.Sc. students of Microbiology and Biochemistry in Virology.

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Contact

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