Main Area of Activity

The Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility & Research (SAIF&R) division comprises several units where multidisciplinary scientists are involved in research using highly sophisticated equipment/ facilities viz. Mass Spectrometry, Electron Microscopy, Chromatography and NMR spectroscopy. Scientists in the division are involved in several ongoing drug discovery projects of the institute, as well as facility management and providing R&D services. Scientists in the Botany Unit are involved in the exploration of terrestrial resources for natural product drug discovery and bioprospecting of the floral diversity of India. A large number of Ph.D. students and project assistants are working in the division, utilizing high-end equipment, medicinal plant Herbarium, and plant tissue culture facilities in SAIF&R.

To encourage research across the country who do not have access to high-end instrument facilities, medicinal plant Herbarium, a wide range of services against a fee are also offered. These services include analytical testing, analytical method development, qualitative and quantitative analysis, elemental analysis, structure determination of small (active pharmaceutical ingredient) and large molecules, authentication of medicinal plants (plant taxonomy), and electron microscopy (TEM/SEM). Contract and collaborative research projects are also taken up as per the needs of the facility users or sponsors. The division also organizes skill development programs, workshops, and training programs on a regular basis. Apart from this, instrumentation unit provides efficient and economical repair, maintenance, and upkeep of different analytical, biomedical, electronic, and laboratory equipment.