Established in : 1961
 

MANDATE

• To promote an integrated research, development and design base for microbial technology.
• To undertake basic and applied research and development programmes in established and newly emerging areas of biotechnology including genetic engineering.
• To develop and maintain gene pool resources and genetic stocks of microbial cultures andother cell lines.
• To impart training in microbiology, microbial technology and biochemical engineering to research workers and technologists.To establish and maintain efectives linkages with industry and educational institutions, develop capabilities for producing design and engineering packages for industrial plants and to undertake contract work on research and development in the area of biotechnology.

MAIN FACILITIES

• Scanning & transmission electron microscopes.
• Ultra and super speed centrifuges.
• HPLC/FPLC and gas chromatograph.
• Amino acid analyser.
• Protein sequencer and protein synthesizer.Fermentation pilot plant (1500 litre) and associated down stream processing equipment.
• Alpha digital computer system.
• Modern facilities for identification, preservation and maintenance of microorganisms.

SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS                          

• Development of a process for the efficient conversion of molasses to alcohol using an osmo-tolerant and ethanol tolerant strain of yeast.
• Development of know how for enzymatic conversion of rifamycin B to difamycin S.
• development of simplified processes for purification of urokinase from urine, based on anti-urokinase monoclonal antibodies.
• Development of new targeting rationale for selective delivery of drugs to microphages utilizing the exquisite specificity and high effciency of the process of endocytosis mediated by receptors present exclusively on the cells of microphage lineage. This provides a generalized method for manipulating the metabolical activity of  microphages for a variety of purposes and  is likely to find application in the application of therapy of diseases in which macrophages are involved such as leishmaniasis, tuberculosis, leprosy, rheumotoid arthritis as well as some neoplastic diseases.
• Identification of a 150 kDa molocule on the macrophage surface and three molecules (155 kDa, 105 kDa and 37 kDa) on the b-lymphocyte surface as a novel costimulatory molecules which slelectively activate TH1 & TH-2 cells respectively.
• Established the clonality of V, cholerae 0139 strain and predicted that the new epedemic strain 0139 for cholera has evolved from 01El Tor strain.

ACTING DIRECTOR
Dr P. R. Patnaik

CONTACT ADDRESS
Sector 39-A, Chandigarh. 160 014. 
Telephone: (091)172-690908, 690713, 690785, 690263.
Telegram : INTECH, CHANDIGARH.
Telex    : 0395-7369 IMT IN.
E-mail   : root@imtech.ernrt.in.