The Department of Microbiology, University of Pune was established in 1977. It is now widely recognized as Centre of Excellence in Microbiology both with respect to teaching and research. The Department presently runs three academic programmes, namely M. Sc. (Credit Course), M. Sc. (Part Paper Part Research) and the Doctoral programme.The department intake capacity for MSc students has been increased to 40 seats. More than a thousand students have completed the Masters programme and about 50 have completed the Doctoral programme from the Department. The alumni of the Department occupy positions of great responsibilities in different Institutions in India such as Institute of Microbial Technology Chandigarh, National Institute of Virology Pune, National Chemical Laboratory Pune, Serum Institute of India Pune, Reliance Life Sciences Mumbai, Agharkar Research Institute to name a few. They are also associated with foreign Universities and Institutes such as Harvard Medical School USA, Max Plank Institute Germany, Roche Pharmaceuticals Palo Alto, USA, University of Iowa, USA, Urmiya University Iran and Kerman University of Medical Sciences Kerman Iran. The Department has a strong liaison with industries such as Praj Industries Ltd., Serum Institute of India Ltd., Reliance Life Sciences, Haffkine Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., to mention a few.

The Department maintains its mission to

• Advance the cause of higher education

• Create a centre of Academic Excellence in the field of education and research in Microbiology

• Provide a sound academic background for overall development of personality for a successful career in Microbiology

• Provide an environment that fosters continuous improvement and innovation in the subject

• Inculcate in students right skills oriented towards self development

• To inculcate in students the need for the value of dignity of labor and the attitude and proper community orientation and civic responsibilities in their outlook

• Develop an orientation towards the National and Global needs as responsible citizens Excellent academic programme, involvement of students in day today management for specific duties and adequate freedom to students, all provide excellent means to follow our mission.

The research activities of the department are also well recognized and a number of projects are funded by agencies such as BRNS (DAE), UGC, CSIR, DBT, DST, DAE, ISRO, ICAR. The total out lay of these funds is over more than 4 crores during the past five years. The thrust areas identified are Microbial Biochemistry, Nanotechnology, Molecular Biology and Environmental Biotechnology. Department has produced 50 doctorates and 20 M. Phil. graduates. BARC Mumbai, Serum Institute of India Ltd., Haffkine Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., Vasantdada Sugar Institute, National Chemical Laboratory, National Centre for Cell Sciences, Agharkar Research Institute and IIT Mumbai are major collaborators in the research at Department.

The Department has excellent infrastructure for teaching and research. There are two M. Sc. laboratories, three research laboratories, three central instrument rooms, two classrooms, one seminar Hall and a Conference Hall. The Department is equipped with an E-classroom and can offer live lectures of the faculty to 30 different outlets simultaneously. The Department has up-to date configured computers with internet facility. The Department houses, apart from regular and routine bacteriological equipment, advanced instruments such as HPLC, GC, Gel-Doc system, Fermenters, High speed refrigerated centrifuges, laminar air flow stations, Cold room and High Temperature rooms as walk-in incubators, PCR-thermo-cycler, tensiometer, electrophoresis, rota evaporator and inverted fluorescence microscope facilities. The laboratories are state-of-art. Each laboratory is provided with air-lock facility, Safety Eyewash and Safety Showers. There has been effective separation of Laboratory and Non laboratory zones.

The departmental Library is self-sufficient and has over 1943 subject related books. Several books in the area of Personality Development, Motivation, English language, Mathematics and Chemistry are also available. The library is managed by the students of the Department and is open on all days of the week..

The Department regularly hosts research talks and seminars, offers Consultancy services and the faculty members and students are involved in the BARC University of Pune Program. The Department is actively involved in the activities related to The Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI) and two Faculty members are on the Executive Committee of the AMI, Pune Unit. Department of Microbiology had organized Two Annual National Conferences of AMI, in 1988 and 2008. In 2020, Department had organized a National Conference on Harnessing Microbial Wealth for Start-Ups in Life Science.

The Department conducts training programs for the CSIR-UGC, SET and NET examinations. On an average, every year, 5-6 of the twenty enrolled students qualify these examinations. After their post-graduation from the Department, students are admitted to Top Science Institutes in the country such as IISc Bangalore, IITs, National Institute of Immunology, to mention a few. The department has strong rapport with potential employers and the opportunities of employment are routinely displayed..

Faculty is actively involved in “outreach activities” through National Children Science Congress of NCSTC/DST, Marathi Vidnyan Parishad, BalVidnyan Chalwal, popularization of science through All India Radio, participation in preparation of textbook of Maharashtra State Board of Higher Secondary Education, participation in Bhartiya Sanskriti Kosh Mandal and Maharashtra Rajya Viswakosh. Webinar series on the occasion of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week.