DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY

 

DST-FIST SPONSORED DEPARTMENT

 

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Department of Zoology is one of the oldest departments of the College and was established in the year 1953, as a department for supporting the PDC course. Prof. M. I. Thomas was the first faculty appointed to the Department. The B.Sc Zoology degree programme was introduced in the year 1953 and the M.Sc programme in 1962. The Zoology Department was affiliated as a Research Department when Prof. Dr. A. P. Mathew, an expert in scorpion physiology was appointed as Research Director (1958-67). During his time the world-famous ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali visited the Department. From 1967-1976 eminent Parasitologist Dr. Antony Nadackal was appointed as the Head of the Department and as Research Director. Dr. Antony Nadackal brought a Mega Project PL 480 to the Department, through which the Department obtained many research facilities and doctorates. The first Ph.D produced by the Research Department of Zoology was in 1975 by Dr. K. O. John under the guidance of Prof. Antony Nadackal. In 1984 the Department was re-registered as a Research Department in the University of Kerala. The department has produced 17 doctorates and around 250 research papers in reputed journals. The Zoology Department has a CPCSEA-sanctioned registered Animal House (No. 1396/a/10/CPCSEA) and an Institutional Animal Ethical Committee (IAEC) for conducting animal experiments. Instrumental facilities of the Department are supported by DST- FIST, UGC CPE, and DBT. The Department has a Molecular Biology Lab, a Microbiology Lab, and an Animal Cell Culture Lab. From 2012 onwards Department of Zoology has been coordinating the DBT-STAR College scheme for facilitating Undergraduate students in advanced techniques in Biological science. Participants under this scheme are the Departments of Zoology, Botany, and Biotechnology. Zoology is offered as a complementary subject to the students of the Department of Botany by the Zoology Department. The Department offers Human Health and Sex Education as an interdisciplinary Open Course to the students of other departments of the College. The Department also offers an add-on course in Fresh Water Aquarium Maintenance and Management and training programs in Vermicomposting and Apiculture.

RESEARCH

Our group investigates how numerous mechanisms in the tumour microenvironment cause immune suppression in tumours. In the tumour microenvironment, we’re focusing on chemokines/cytokines and endothelial cells, as well as their impact on immune cell recruitment. In addition, our research team looks at the impact of obesity on immune modulation and immunotherapy resistance. Our group’s main translational focus is on developing strategies to combat obesity/chemokine-mediated immune suppression and drug resistance, which can then be translated into therapeutically viable treatments for patients. Explore 

CTIM (ctimlab.in)

 

 

CONTACT ADDRESS

Dr. Meera George

Head of the Department

PG & Research Department of Zoology

Mar Ivanios College (Autonomous)

Thiruvananthapuram – 695015

Kerala, India

E-mail:  meera.george@mic.ac.in

Mobile:+91-9447763661