Details of Research
The Department conducts independent research as well as collaborative projects with other departments at NIMHANS, and with other institutes in the city and country. The Department has had international collaborations, as well.
The Department engages in research in the following fields:
Dr. Chittaranjan Andrade (Psychopharmacology)- Professor and Dean (Basic Sciences)
Area of work
- Electroconvulsive therapy
- Transcranial direct current stimulation
- Ketamine and other modern medicinal drugs
- Herbal psychotropic agents
Research in the above fields includes human as well as animal studies. However, the Department is making a shift towards exclusive clinical research in collaboration with the Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology in NIMHANS and elsewhere.
- Human studies include investigations of efficacy, adverse effects, mechanisms, neuropsychological issues, psychosocial issues, and related disciplines within the broad fields listed.
- Animal studies are mostly behavioural in nature but have recently included histopathological investigations, as well.
Dr. M.M. Srinivas Bharath (Neurotoxicology)-Professor and Head
Area of work
- Animal models to understand neurotoxicology and CNS disease pathogenesis
- Cellular models of CNS disease pathogenesis and neurotoxicology
- Redox and mitochondrial dynamics in brain and muscle in health and disease
Dr. Priyamvada Sharma (Drug Toxicology)-Assistant Professor
Area of work
Drug Toxicology based diagnostics and clinical research in the field of substance abuse toxicity, environmental toxicity, metal toxicity and alcohol toxicity. The state-of-the-art drug toxicology laboratory is a unique facility for patient care and management that offers comprehensive and cost-effective drugs and alcohol testing. Established in 2008 with minimal infrastructure, this facility has undergone substantial expansion in terms of tests, instrumentation, services and clinical research. The current facility was inaugurated by Union Health Minister on 14 August 2014. In the last five years, this facility has been recognized for method validation of drug testing, training and research.
Dr. Phalguni Anand Alladi (Neurotoxicology)- Scientist ‘F’
Area of work
To understand the neural mechanisms of differential susceptibility to Neurodegenerative diseases, for example experimental models of Parkinson´s disease using the neurotoxin MPTP and genetically distinct, yet common laboratory mice strains. In addition, we are studying the age-related changes in human basal ganglia components, in order to understand the role of each region in pathogenesis as well as in differential susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease. Employing a translational approach, we are trying to identify CSF Biomarkers of Parkinson´s disease, which can help early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease with dementia.
Dr. Rugmani Meenambal (Nanomedicine)- DST-INSIPRE Faculty
Area of work
- Synthesis and development of novel functional nanomaterials.
- Material characterization and analysis
- Application of developed probes in multimodal brain imaging and drug delivery