The Centre for Research and Development (CRD) with cutting-edge technology had been established at PRISTUniversity in the academic year 2008 to help the society in promoting science and technology on energy, environment, food, materials, biomolecules and mechanisms, drug discovery, and stem cell platforms for regenerate medicines. The CRD is housed in an independent, multi-storied building with the state-of-the-art equipment and infrastructure to help achieve its mission and vision. The centre has dedicated laboratories for Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Industrial Biotechnology, Molecular Microbiology, Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Physical Sciences, Plant Tissue Culture, Animal Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Stem Cell Research, Pharmacology, and Pharmaceuticals. The centre with 32 dedicated scientists from different disciplines is now marching on to attain on par excellence in the arena of academic and research activities under the directions of Prof. V. Manivannan.
PRIST University has identified four major research areas to work for the benefit of human welfare:
- Drug Discovery and Development
- Energy and Environment
- Materials and Manufacturing
- Bio-metic Systems and Engineering

The plinth area of the Centre for Research and Development is 40,000 square feet, of which 19,200 sq ft is currently dedicated to active research units such as Drug discovery, Stem Cell Biology, Molecular Biotechnology, Metabolic Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Material Sciences and physical Sciences, and Plant Biotechnology. Each division has the state-of-the-art facilities to carry out the mission of the Centre.
Technologies available at PRIST University
Mechanical/Electrical/Electronic Engineering:
- Embedded systems and automation technology
Environmental Engineering:
- Unique adsorption technology for wastewater treatment
- Nanocoagulant technology for effluent treatment
- Organo-refining as a potential fuel cell technology
Material Science:
- Crystal manufacturing and processing technology for electronic components, semiconductors, integrated circuits, led, crystals, relays, connectors, ac-dc power supplies, capacitors, micro controllers, resistors, electronic hardware, transformers.
- Custom made nano-composite materials for industrial applications
Industrial Biotechnology:
- Microbial strain development for industrially important chemicals, enzymes and bioenergy productions.
- Distillery effluent treatment and utilization of waste for value-added bioproducts at pilot-scale.
- Upstream and downstream processing for bulk chemicals and enzymes production.
- Bio-fertilizers production.
- Biogas production.
- Spirulina cultivation and processing.
Plant Biotechnology:
- Hill Banana cultivation.
- Food and energy crop plantations.
- Tissue culturing for commercially important plant propagation.
- Disease-free plantation.
The Centre for Research and Development at PRIST University has thirty-two well-qualified scientists from different disciplines in science and engineering. The research interest of the faculty spans a wide range; from energy and environment to problems of immediate interest to industry and the society.
Administration
Dr. V. Manivannan

Astrophysics and crystallography
Dr. M. Ramalingam

Quantum chemistry
Dr. S. Mohan Raj

Metabolic engineering
Biochemistry/Bioinformatics
Dr. Anusha Bhaskar

Medicinal biochemistry
Dr. K. Shanthi

Bioinformatics
Dr. M. Srinivasan

Clinical biochemistry and nanoscience
Dr. Anusha Bhaskar

Medicinal biochemistry
Dr. K. Shanthi

Bioinformatics
Dr. M. Srinivasan

Clinical biochemistry and nanoscience
Biotechnology
Dr. S. Ravikumar

Marine radiation biology
Dr. R. Elango Mathavan

Plant tissue culture and plant genetics
Dr. S. Patharajan

Plant tissue culture and plant genetics
Dr. B. Kaleeswaran

Phytomedicines and fish immunology
Dr. A. Sheeba Christina

Molecular diagnosis and cancer biology
Chemistry
Dr. Gokulakrishnan

Nano-coagulant and effluent treatment
Dr. Ragupathy

Polymer chemistry
Computer Science and Engineering
Dr. P.L.K. Priyadarsini

Theoretical computation
Dr. S. Nithyanandam

Image processing
Dr. Adithan

Networking and image processing
Dr. Joyce Marry

Parallel processing
Dr. K. Saravanan

Computational algorithms
Environmental Engineering
Dr. Ashutosh Das

Effluent treatment
Dr. Mukesh Goel

Environmental Engineering
Dr. K. Ravikumar

RS, GIS and environment quality modeling
Material Sciences
Dr. J. Chandra Das

Nono-composites
Dr. J. Ramajothi

Thin film and nonlinear optical materials
Dr. Senthil Kumar

Engineering materials
Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Vincent H. Wilson

Embedded systems and automation
Microbiology
Dr. S. Ramesh

Marine and molecular biology
Dr. Ushadevi

Clinical microbiology
Pharmacy
Dr. Kailasam Koumaravelu

Pharmacogenetics
A total of 560 research scholars have registered for their Ph.D work in Centre for Research and Development at PRIST University under broad disciplines:
- Crystal growth and material science
- Structure determination of bioactive compounds
- Characterization of bioactive compounds from plant and marine source
- Ex situ conservation of endangered plants
- Molecular marker development
- Identification of novel drugs from marine source
- Molecular modeling and drug designing
- Renewable energy and environment
- Farming systems management
- Ecology of Tsunami affected areas
- Solid waste and waste water management
- Water resources and management
- Sustainable development
- Computational science
- Materials research
Publications
Total number of publications in the last five years | 452 |
Paper publications in Scopus-indexed international peer-reviewed journals | 296 |
Publications in book chapters | 15 |
Paper publications in national peer-reviewed journals | 156 |
In-house annual journals | 4 |
In-house annual newsletters | 2 |
National and international conferences/symposia/workshops
International conferences conducted | 3 |
National conferences/workshop conducted | 7 |
Short-term training courses conducted | 4 |
Papers presented in international conferences | 34 |
Papers presented in national conferences | 50 |
Guest lectures delivered by the faculty | 20 |
Workshops attended by the faculty | 11 |
Awards
Ph.D. degree awarded | 33 |
Young scientist award received | 1 |
Fellow membership in international science congress association | 1 |
Projects submitted to/granted from extramural funding sources: a) indicates number of proposals submitted/granted in the last three years; b) indicates total size of budget of submitted/granted proposals in the last three years; c) indicates total size of funding from extramural and in-house for research activities.

Publications
S.No | Name of the Principal Investigator | Title of the Project Proposal | Name of the Funding agency | Budget outlay proposed (Rs. in Lakhs) | Status of the Project proposal |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dr. P.L.K. Priyadarshini Scientist, CRD | A Study on the Applications of graph theory concepts in cryptography | DRDO | 4.1 | Completed |
2 | Dr. S. Ramesh Scientist, CRD | Development of Real-time PCR Based High Throughput Biosensor System for the Detection and identification of Food Borne pathogenic | DRDO | 9.44 | Ongoing |
3 | Dr. S. Ramesh Scientist, CRD | Antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidative effects of Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) fruits in experimental and clinical models | World Noni Research Foundation | 9.99 | Ongoing |
4 | Dr. R. Elango Mathavan Scientist, CRD | In vitro and Ex situ Conservation and Rehabilitation of selected Threatened Medicinal Plants of North East India. | DBT | 17.1 | Ongoing |
5 | Dr. Ashutosh Das Director, CEE | Characterization and Utilization of Residue, Deoiled Cake from Non-Edible Oil Seeds as Adsorbents in Wastewater Treatment | DST | 53.58 | Sanctioned |
6 | Dr. B. Kaleeswaran Scientist, CRD | Investigation of anti-urolithiatic by traditionally used medicinal plant pedalium murex L.on kidney stone-struvite crystal | DST-Young Scientist FAST Track | 22 | Sanctioned |
7 | Ms. N. Selvasudha Research Scholar | Novel nono formation for treating hyper lititemia | DST-Women’s Scientist Scheme WOS-B | 7.24 | Ongoing |
Total Amount | 123.45 |
In-house funding and support
Projects sanctioned | #8; total budget size 12.4 Lakhs |
Lab infrastructure, building, equipment | 4.2 Crores |
Publications
The major objective of providing consultancy services to academia and industry is to promote science and technology with social benefits. PRIST University is also willing to serve as a resource hub in connecting strategic partners from academia and industries for business development.
Types of consultancy services provided
- Product and process development for industries.
- Farming system and management for agriculturists/farmers.
- Solid waste and waste water management to industries.
- Business support in aromatic and medicinal plants cultivation and marketing.
- Production of bulk and fine chemicals, biomaterials and energy related products.
- Analytical support for students, researchers, industrial and technical professionals.
- Training programs for students and research scholars on innovative projects.
- Pollution monitoring control.
- Socio-economic development.
- Rural development.