The Endocrinology Division has been CSIR-CDRI’s one of the most premier divisions ever since its inception as a separate research division in the year 1957, with the world-renowned scientist Padmshree Dr. A.B. Kar taking up the responsibility of being its founder Chairperson. The Division played an utmost important role in shaping the Institute’s glorious past with the initiation of research on contraception, which was amply funded by the ‘Ford Foundation’ and later on taken over by the ‘Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’, Government of India. The serious efforts put in by the Endocrinology scientists in collaboration with some outstanding medicinal chemists and other researchers yielded the discovery of the world’s first and only non-steroidal, once-a-week contraceptive pill for women called Saheli®/Chhaya, incorporating a novel triphenylethylene derivative molecule called Centchroman. The division did not stop at this and soon two more products ‘Consap’ (a vaginal contraceptive made from sapindosides isolated from Sapindus mukorossi or रीठा) and ‘Isaptent’ (a cervical dilater made from isabgol (इसबगोल) husk for MTP) were made available. Presently, the Endocrinology division encompasses two major areas of bio-medical research, (a) Reproductive health research and (b) Bone biology research. The latter was integrated in the Division’s core research program to address yet another important area of women’s health - osteoporosis (especially post-menopausal osteoporosis) under the dynamic leadership of Dr. Naibedya Chattopadhyay, in the year 2006. In keeping with the proactive research culture of the Division, bone biology scientists launched four new products for the country viz. anti-osteoporotic agent 219-C002 (from Casia occidentalis or कसौंदा ); Reunion® (from Dlabergia sissoo or शीशम ) for quick fracture healing; Joint Fresh® (from Spinacea oleracea or पालक) for osteoarthritis; and an absorbable medicated bone implant (incorporating CDRI synthetic molecule S008-399) for bone surgeries.  Concurrently, the Reproductive Health Research scientists of Endocrinology Division launched a natural product isolated from the plant Terminalia chebula (or हरीतकी ) for benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH and a diagnostic kit for early assessment of genetic male infertility.

Besides products, the Divisional scientists hold some of the key IPRs based on technologies patented in India and abroad, including a few US patents. The Endocrinology scientists are adorned with a large number of awards and recognitions including the INSA young scientist award, CSIR young scientist award, Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award, CSIR-Technology Award, Tata Innovation Award, to name a few. However, all this is not possible without hardcore scientific research and endeavor. The Endocrinology Division publishes some of the best researches from this Institute in reputed high impact journals and produces a high number of very high quality PhDs. Our graduates have taken up coveted post-doc positions in some of the premier International Institutions like NIH, MIT, MD-Anderson Cancer Centre, John Hopkins University, Harvard University, etc. Besides CSIR funding, our scientists have secured a number of ad-hoc projects funded by ICMR, DST, SERB, DBT etc., to carryout research in niche areas of bio-medical sciences. We welcome highly motivated scientists and students to be a part of this great Division and serve the country with their scientific capabilities.