Sophia College for Women
(Empowered Autonomous)
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Senior College

MICROBIOLOGY

About the Subject

Throughout history, microorganisms have had a huge impact on human life. Microbiology is the study of microorganisms – Living things that are too small to be seen by the unaided eye. This discipline includes fundamental studies on the ultrastructure of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cell, Genetics, Biochemistry, Analytical techniques, pathogenic microorganisms and the host immune responses to these agents as well as Environmental, Food and Industrial Microbiology. All of these, are a part of the under and post graduate curricula designed by the department.

 

About the Department 

The Department of Microbiology at Sophia College established in the year 1966, was the fourth college to offer Microbiology as a principal subject at the B.Sc Level. The M.Sc (by Papers) degree course was initiated in 1977 and extended to 10 seats in the year 2003. It is also one of the departments recognized under Star College Scheme and Star Status Colleges, Department of Biotechnology (DBT).

The Department provides excellent education in Microbiology in both teaching and research to meet the demands of this growing field. The conventional, yet effective chalk and board teaching is supplemented with several innovative teaching-learning ICT based methods such as E-Classroom, Flipped classroom, active learning by involving students in simple research activities through the use of “Research Based Pedagogical Tools (RBPTs), research paper and poster presentations. Some of these activities are supported by the DBT STAR Status Colleges, DBT. The students are also encouraged to participate in the three-year Excellence in Science Education Program (EXSP) where they get an opportunity to enhance learning and acquire high order skills.

Experiential learning through promotion of short-term internships, educational visits to food and dairy industry, sewage treatment plant, pharmaceutical laboratories, hospitals and research laboratories.

The Department has air conditioned undergraduate, post graduate and PhD laboratories with basic and advanced instrumentation facilities and internet connectivity.

 

Programmes offered

Undergraduate programme – The B.Sc programme is open to female students only.

Under NEP 2020, the department is offering Microbiology as Discipline Specific Core (DSC) subject as well as Open Electives and Value Education Courses at the FYBSc level.

The programme is aimed at imparting basic knowledge in the field of Microbiology. The topics include study of microbial cell structure and function, microscopy, staining procedures, cultivation of microorganisms and control of microorganisms, study of other groups of microorganisms like algae, fungi, actinomycetes, viruses, and protozoa. Microbial interactions, Microbes and Health and Microbial Technology are some of the other interesting topics taught.

The students exiting or continuing after the first year Microbiology course will be equipped with skills required to work in a Microbiology laboratory.

Postgraduate programme - The M.Sc programme is open to both female and male students.

The M.Sc course is an extension of the undergraduate curriculum dealing with all the branches of Microbiology at a considerable depth and blends the upcoming fields as well as advances in the subject.

Research is an integral aspect of the curriculum and includes planning and execution of a dissertation. The outcomes of a number of the dissertations have been published in peer reviewed journals.

Participation and presentations - both oral and posters in conferences, workshops and research meets is encouraged.

Field projects, Educational visits and short-term internship at a pathological laboratory are also included.

The students who complete the postgraduate programme in Microbiology are well trained in the subject and find employment in areas like Quality control, Research and Development, Clinical Research, Teaching etc.

Ph.D programme

The department is recognized for a Ph.D programme.

There are six students who have been admitted to the PhD programme. They are carrying out research on contemporary topics like development of antibacterial packaging material, biofuels, biocontrol of plant pathogens using various strategies, biosurfactants and microbial fuel cells.

Microbiology Department Instagram Handle: microbiologysophia

Link to Insta page: https://www.instagram.com/microbiologysophia?igsh=dmljczg1NW1majg5

 

Dr. Rajbinder Kaur Dehiya 
Head of Department

Qualifications: M.Sc, Ph.D
Position: Associate Professor 

 

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Subject Expertise /Research Interest: Genetics /Environmental Microbiology

Recognized Postgraduate Teacher of University of Mumbai 

Ms. Shraddha S. Prabhu
Qualification: M.Sc., NET 
Position:   Assistant Professor.

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Subject Expertise /Research Interest:  Food / Agricultural Microbiology and microbial enzymes.

Recognized Postgraduate Teacher of University of Mumbai

 

Mr. Vijay Vig
Qualifications: MSc, NET, SET
Position: Assistant Professor

 

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Subject Expertise /Research Interest:  General Microbiology/ Microbial Genetics/ Molecular Biology/  Virology/ Bioprocess technology/ Fermentation technology/ Extremophiles/ Environmental Microbiology.

Recognized Postgraduate Teacher of University of Mumbai

Ms. Rohini Priya
Qualifications: M.Sc, Diploma in Forensic Science and Criminal Law, PET
Position: Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc)

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Email: rohini.priya@sophiacollege.edu.in
Subject Expertise: General Microbiology/ Environmental Microbiology/
Extremophiles/ Industrial Microbiology/ Fermentation Microbiology

Ms. Shefaa Khan

Qualifications: M.Sc
Position: Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc)
 

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Email: shefaa.khan@sophiacollege.edu.in
Subject Expertise: General Microbiology / Food Microbiology / 
Diagnostic Microbiology

Ms. Sejal Botale
Qualifications: M.Sc
Position: Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc)

                                               
 

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Email: sejal.botale@sophiacollege.edu.in
Subject Expertise: Medical Microbiology and Immunology/ 
General Microbiology

Ms. Swamini Patade

Qualifications: MSc, NET

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Position: Assistant Professor (CHB) 

Subject Expertise /Research Interest:  Immunology/ Biochemistry/ Enzyme kinetics/ Industrial Microbiology/ Bioremediation/ Phytochemicals/ Microbial fuel cell/ Stem cell/ Cancer research.

Ms.Priyanka R. Mithbawkar

M.Sc., SET

 

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Subject Expertise: General Microbiology, Medical Microbiology, Cell biology, Bio-process Technology, Nano-biotechnology.

Purva Kantak                                                                                               
Qualification:- M.Sc.                                    
Position:-  Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc) ( December 2023 - April 2024)

 

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Subject Expertise:  General Microbiology and medical microbiology.

Ms Aafreen Aslam Ansari
Qualification:- M.Sc.                                    
Position:-  Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc) ( May 2023-Nov 2023)

 

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Subject Expertise: Biochemistry, Medical Microbiology and Immunology

Ms Ayesha Shaikh
Qualification: M.Sc., PET,GATE
Position: Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc) (January 2021 – April 2023)
 

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Subject Expertise: General Microbiology, Medical Microbiology,Nanobiotechnology, Molecular Biology, and Biodegradation studies
 

Ms Vaibhavi Mullassery
Qualification - MSc
Position:- Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc) (Nov 2022- Apr 2023)   

 

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Subject expertise- General microbiology, Applied component(Food microbiology), Environment Microbiology.

Ms Waheed Chaudhry
Qualification: M.Sc
Position: Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc) ( Jan 2021 to April 2022)

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Subject Expertise: Environmental, medical Microbiology , Genetics ,food Microbiology.

Ms Rosephil Audet Coutinho                                                                                                       
Qualification: MSc Microbiology
Position:- :- Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc) (Aug 2021 - April 2022)

 

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Subject expertise: General Microbiology, Medical Microbiology

Ms. Zainab Hozefa Shahiwala                                                        
Qualification: M.Sc.,Diploma - Intellectual Property Rights                  
Position: Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc) (June 2022-October 2022)
 

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Subject expertise: General Microbiology

Dr. Arjumanara Surti( Superannuated)
(Former Head of Department)
Position: Associate Professor 

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Subject Expertise /Research Interest: Microbial Biochemistry / Biodegradation  / Nanobiotechnology.

Recognized Postgraduate Teacher of University of Mumbai and PhD guide in the subject of Microbiology

Ms Jyoti Mantri(Superannuated) 
Qualifications :-  M.Sc, MPhil 

 

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Position:- Associate Professor (March 2022)
Subject Expertise- Medical Microbiology and Immunology/Biofilm

Dr.Gianni Mapara(Superannuated)
Qualifications :M.Sc , Ph.D

 

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Position:- Associate Professor (November 2020)
Subject Expertise:- Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Cell biology 

(Late) Ms Suparna Dugal                                                                                      
Qualifications :-  M.Sc.                              

 

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Position :- Associate Professor (August 2021)
Subject  Expertise:- Medical Microbiology / Nano biotechnology/Drug Delivery