1wHdS1G

Science and Technology Research Players in India 119
13. CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology
Overview: CSIR-IHBT, a constituent laboratory of CSIR India, is located at the picturesque
town of Palampur perched in the lap of majestic snow clad mountain of Dhauladhar. The
institute provides R&D services on economic bioresources in western Himalayan region leading
to value added plants, products and processes for industrial, societal & environmental benefit.
Experience: CSIR-IHBT has 30 years of rich experience. Since then the Institute is working
relentlessly on developing technologies for sustainable utilization of Himalayan bioresources,
and in the area of tea, floriculture, bamboos and medicinal and aromatic plants.
Infrastructure: The Institute has state-of -the art lab for carrying out studies in the area
of proteomics, genomics and metabolomics. The facility includes automated DNA sequencer,
amino acid analyzer, protein spot cutter & digester, LC-MS-MS, UPLC, and MALDI ToF
etc. Cutting edge research is being carried out to unravel the genes involved in important
biosynthetic pathway in plants for colour production, secondary metabolite production, catechin
biosynthesis etc. Several stress related genes have been isolated, cloned and their expression
analyses are being studied in target plants. Intensive work is underway for bioprospection of
microbes, genes and proteins from niche locations particularly from the cold desert area of the
Himalayan zone.
The Institute has fully functional facility like biolistic gun, culture rooms, containment facility,
confocal microscope, fluorescence activated cell sorter etc. for undertaking transgenic research
in plants. Institute has initiated studies on adaptational biology of plants in response to climate
change and unique facility like FACE and FATI has been installed. Studies have also been initiated
in the area of nanobiology and infrastructure is being strengthened by installing multimode
scanning probe microscope, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope.
The Bioresource development unit of the Institute has GIS facility, computational facility for
inventorization, database development & mapping and a internationally recognized referral
herbarium
The Natural Plant Product Unit focuses research on chemical characterization of active
constituents from plant sources, synthetic chemistry, molecular modification for value added
compounds, natural colors and dyes. The labs are equipped with NMR, preparatory and
analytical HPLC, GC, GC-MS, and microwave synthesizer, Super Critical Extraction Unit with
head space, spray dryer, industrial scale rotavapour, and distillation units of 10 quintals and 4
quintals and 15 Kg capacity for processing of herbals.
Human Capital: The institute consists of 47 scientific staff, 74 technical staff and 45
administrative staff.
Research Areas and Activities: The institute has state-of -the art lab for carrying out
studies in the area of proteomics, genomics and metabolomics. The facility includes automated
DNA sequencer, aminoacid analyzer, protein spot cutter & digester, LC-MS-MS, UPLC, MALDI
ToF etc. Cutting edge research is being carried out to unravel the genes involved in important
biosynthetic pathway in plants for colour production, secondary metabolite production, catechin
biosynthesis etc. Several stress related genes have been isolated, cloned and their expression
analyses are being studied in target plants. Intensive work is underway for bioprospection of
Enhancing EU-India Collaboration in Clean Technologies