About the Department

The Department of Chemotherapy at Haffkine Institute is one of the most distinguished and historic departments, with a legacy spanning over a century. Established post-independence as a premier institution for postgraduate and doctoral studies, the department initially offered an M.Sc. in Chemistry. Over the years, it has evolved to include specializations in Organic, Medicinal, and Pharmaceutical Chemistry.

The department has produced over 250 Ph.D. graduates and 100 M.Sc. graduates, all of whom have conducted pioneering research in frontier areas such as drug discovery, main group chemistry, pharmaceuticals, and molecular inhibitors targeting diseases. Its research contributions are well-regarded within the global scientific community, showcased by numerous publications in international journals and presentations at conferences worldwide.

Research and Innovation

The Department of Chemotherapy is working on the design, synthesis, and development of new chemical compounds. It plays a key role in advancing research and innovation in the pharmaceutical industry using bio-informatics technology. The department is primarily involved in the design and synthesis of innovative molecules that can be useful in medicine and other fields.

Officers in the department use advanced synthetic chemistry techniques, computational modelling, and analytical tools to contribute to the development of compounds with enhanced properties such as efficacy, safety, or stability. The department collaborates with synthetic chemists, biologists, and toxicologists to ensure the journey from computational predictions to laboratory confirmation of compounds, significantly contributing to project completion.

Innovative methods of Bio-informatics technology reduce the time and cost of conventional drug discovery and enable the discovery of effective and safe chemical agents for various medical treatments. This process includes:

• Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) studies
• High-Throughput Screening
• In-silico drug designing
• Chemical analysis (FTIR, HPLC, GC, GCMS, etc.)

Contribution to Haffkine Institute

As per the aim of Haffkine Institute for Training, Research, and Testing, the Department of Chemotherapy is contributing in all three areas: research, training, and testing.

Training and Education

Ph.D., M.Sc., and trainee students (NATS, STRIP, BITP, MUHS-SIP, and IBTP) are working on various projects in the department. The department provides training on research projects and machine tools for various durations to graduate and postgraduate students.

The department has also introduced two new training courses:

• Advanced Training on HPLC
• Advanced Training on GCMS

Head of Department Overview

The Department of Chemotherapy is engaged in Training, Research & Testing activities. The department mainly focuses on the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds for their possible therapeutic values. Compounds are synthesized and characterized using the advanced analytical facilities available in the department. The department approaches synthesis of heterocyclic compounds by adopting green techniques. Additionally, it emphasizes research using in-silico drug designing tools.

The department is affiliated with the University of Mumbai for M.Sc. & Ph.D. degrees in the subject of Organic Chemistry. It has also initiated short-term training programs of varying durations (one month, 45 days, three months, and six months under STRIP) for graduate & postgraduate students of M.Sc. (Chemistry), B. Pharm, and M. Pharm.

The Department actively engages in training programs such as:

• BITP - Biotechnology Industrial Training Program under DBT
• IBTP - Industrial Biotechnology Training Program under Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission
• MUHS-SIP - Summer Internship Program for medical students under Maharashtra University of Health Science
• NATS - National Apprenticeship Training Scheme under Ministry of Education, GoI

The Department has qualified & experienced faculty, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and is actively involved in both basic and applied research work. It employs three highly qualified officers who are certified by the Food and Drug Administration, Maharashtra State, as competent technical staff in the chemical and instrument sections.

The department is engaged in testing activities including:

• HPLC - High Performance Liquid Chromatography
• GCMS - Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrophotometer
• IR - Infrared Spectrophotometer

These services are offered for both commercial and academic purposes. Recently, the department received approval from the Government of Maharashtra to establish a NABL accredited laboratory for drug analysis.