Paul Hebert Centre for DNA Barcoding and Biodiversity Studies

How can we help you

At PHCDBS, we apply our technologies and develop solutions designed to solve biodiversity problems, no matter what their size or area of activity. From R&D collaboration to services to training, we offer the highest quality level of science and share the risks associated with innovation.

We wish to address industry and public concerns where effective biomonitoring assessment and accurate species identification are critical:

• Environmental surveillance/monitoring – tracking the impact of human activities on the environment; gauging the success of restoration efforts; monitoring water quality and aquatic ecosystems
• Endangered species – enhancing taxonomic and ecological knowledge about endangered species and creating a diagnostic framework for monitoring and curbing illegal harvest and trade
• Invasive species – identifying and monitoring invasive organisms and their ecological impact, improving diagnostic measures to prevent cross-border transfer of alien species
• Agriculture and forestry – identifying and monitoring agriculture and forestry pests and biological control agents
• Human health – identifying and monitoring human disease vectors and reservoirs; reconstructing ecological relationships between the components of natural-borne disease foci
• Market surveillance – detecting product substitution in foods and herbal products, revealing contaminated food sources

1. Mapping the microbial communities across the Indian Coast line using 16s metagenomcs

(GD Khedkar, BA Chopade, Mahesh Solunkhe, Amol Kalyankar, Dinesh Nalage, Bharathi Prakash, Sanil Pillai Amrin Fatima)

The key questions to be explored;

1. Overall microbial community known (%) unknown (%)
2. East coast vs west coast diversity disparities
3. Influence of rivers on microbial communities
4. Effects of ports on microbial communities
5. Effect of human populations (Mumbai, Surat, Goa, Kochin, Kanyakumati, Vijawada, Puri, Kakinada etc)

2. Mapping the marine fish species of India

(GD Khedkar, BA Chopade, Anita Tiknaik, Amol Kalyankar, Ishwarya Deepty, Mamatha Dalala, Ganesh Korhale, Nazneen Deshmukh, Bharathi Prakash, Biju Kumar, Persis Manne, A Chandrashekhar Reddy)

The key questions to be explored;

1. Marine fish species diversity mapping using DNA Barcoding
2. Resolving taxonomic ambiguities
3. Diversity disparities in terms of genetic distance
4. Application in commercial practices

3. Mapping the Indian rivers for fish diversity

(GD Khedkar, Sandeep Rathod, Vikas Kalyankar, Anita Tiknaik, Amol Kalyankar, Mahesh Shingare, Sanil Pillai, Ganesh Korhale, Mahesh Shingare, Rahul Suryawanshi, Deepali Sangale, Tejashwini Sontakke, A Chandrashekhar Reddy, Lior David)

The key questions to be explored;

1. Marine fish species diversity of major river basins in India
2. Resolving taxonomic ambiguities
3. Comparing trans-basin diversity status
4. Application in conservation programs

4. Wildlife Forensics

(GD Khedkar, Dinesh Nalage, Anil Sarkate, Anita Tiknaik, Amol Kalyankar, Sanil Pillai, Ganesh Korhale, Deepali Sangale, Tejashwini Sontakke, Raituja Hange, Shil Abayankar, Vikram Khilare)

The key questions to be explored;

1. Develop DNA forensics methods for various wildlife species in India.
2. Assist forest department in such cases.
3. Assist in conservation programmes.

5. Whole Genome Sequencing Project (20 Whole Genomes)

(GD Khedkar, BA Chopade, Dinesh Nalage, Anil Sarkate, Anita Tiknaik, Amol Kalyankar, Sanil Pillai, Rajshri Deolalikar, Deepali Sangale, Tejashwini Sontakke, Bharathi Prakash, CD Khedkar, Atsushi Kurabayashi, P. Raju, Mamatha Dadla)

The key questions to be explored;

1. Generate genome map of important species in India for higher productivity, species improvement, and conservation.
2. Disease research.
3. Generate a lead in such type of research.
4. Assist farmers and fisher society.

6. Whole Mitochondrial Genome Project (500 Whole Genomes)

(GD Khedkar, BA Chopade, Dinesh Nalage, Anil Sarkate, Anita Tiknaik, Amol Kalyankar, Sanil Pillai, Chandrakant Jadhav, Vipin Hiremath, Rajshri Deolalikar, Ganesh Korhale, Mahesh Shingare, Rahul Suryawanshi, Deepali Sangale, Tejashwini Sontakke, Bharathi Prakash, CD Khedkar, Atsushi Kurabayashi, Mamatha Dadla, P. Raju)

The key questions to be explored;

1. Generate mitochondrial genome map of important species in India to unwind the history of their evolution.
2. Build phylogenetic history of every species.
3. Comparative account of their mitochondrial (mt.) genomes.

7. Comparative Account of Vertebrate Gut Microbiota (36 Organisms Including Tiger, Elephant)

(GD Khedkar, BA Chopade, Dinesh Nalage, Anil Sarkate, Anita Tiknaik, Amol Kalyankar, Sanil Pillai, Rajshri Deolalikar, Ganesh Korhale, Deepali Sangale, Tejashwini Sontakke, Bharathi Prakash, CD Khedkar, Atsushi Kurabayashi, P. Raju, Mamatha Dadla)

The key questions to be explored;

1. Generate genome map of gut microbiome of various vertebrate species.
2. Correlation between diet and microbial community.
3. Possibilities for correlational studies.
4. Assist farmers and fisher society.

8. Transcriptomic Analysis of Thermos Tolerance Silkworm Breeds to Plan Breeding for Better Hybrids (500 Transcriptomes)

(GD Khedkar, Raju P., Mamatha Dadla, Anita Tiknaik, Swetha, Vaibhav Late)

The key questions to be explored;

1. Challenge with thermal treatments and profile corresponding gene expression.
2. Target specific genes for thermal tolerance.
3. Analyze heterozygosity of such genes and build a breeding program.