The Department of Microbial Biotechnology was instituted during the academic year 2008 as a component of School of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering. The mother department, Department of Biotechnology was instituted in the university in 1990. Even since its initiation, this department is actively engaged in research, teaching and extension activities.

Ever since its inceptive conducts M.Phil, PhD programme in the fields of Enzyme Biotechnology, Microbial biotechnology, Molecular biology, Animal cell culture, Immunology, Plant biotechnology, Bioprocess engineering. M.Sc., programme in Industrial Biotechnology was started in the academic year 2000-2001 and due to the demand for the course from the students, M.Sc., Biotechnology was initiated in the very next academic year. In 2007 M.Sc., Plant molecular Biology and Biotechnology was initiated.

Till 2008, the faculty of the department undertake various sponsored research projects funded by DST, AICTE, DBT, CSIR, TNCSTE, DOE, and DRDO to a sum of about Rs.1.2 crore. The department also received DST-FIST and UGC-SAP financial support from the year 2007 onwards. The department is the major partner in the Bharathiar University- Defence Research and Development Organisation- Centre for Life Sciences (BU-DRDO CLS) and out of the three research area, the areas of Molecular biology and Environmental management and Biotechnology is taken care of by the faculty of Biotechnology.

Due to its tremendous development in the span of 17 years, the department has been elevated to the level of School of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering during the academic year 2008-09. The School encompasses three departments Department of Biotechnology; Department of Microbial Biotechnology and Department of Genetic Engineering.

The Department of Microbial Biotechnology conducts M.Sc., Industrial Biotechnology programme under Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) and M.Phil, and PhD programme in Microbial Biotechnology. Apart from that the department offers PG Diploma in Microbial Biotechnology through School of Distance Education.

Mission:

To develop knowledgeable, motivated and skilled entrepreneurs who can establish/ accompanies modern biotechnological industries that could cater the agriculture, industry and health needs of people over the globe and could provide a clean, sustainable environment for the future generation.

Research area:

• Industrially important microbes and microbial enzymes.
• Production and purification of vaccines and microbial toxins.
• Bioremediation of water, sewage industrial effluent.
• Biodegradation of xenobiotics.
• Bioprocess techniques for biofuel production and process.
• Microbial metabolites for cancer therapy.
• Exploitation of novel microbial inhibitors.
• Molecular analysis of plant pathogen