Report on

Research Oriented Visit to CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow

Organised by: Maharishi School of Sciences in association with IQAC

Objective: An educational visit to CSIR-IITR was organised by Maharishi school of Sciences (MUIT Lucknow Campus) in association ith IQAC on 23rd August 2025, with the aim of providing postgraduate students with practical exposure to advanced research facilities in the field of toxicology; and also aimed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world research applications, helping students understand modern tools, techniques, and opportunities in the field of toxicology.

Participating Students: M.Sc. Biotechnology, M.Sc. Zoology, and M.Sc. Botany final year students.

Visit Details: CSIR–Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Vishvigyan Bhawan Campus, Lucknow, is a premier research institute with the motto Safety to Environment and Health and Service to Industry addresses problems critical to human health and environment.

After reaching the institute, the students were shown an introductory video regarding the institute’s research activities and facilities. Then they visited Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) facilities, followed by Toxicoinformatics Computer Centre where they attended an introductory lecture in Computational Toxicology regarding various computational tools used in toxicological research. The students also visited flow cytometry, Environmental Toxicology and cell culture lab of the institute. During visit, students interacted with eminent scientists, who introduced about the ongoing research projects and shared insights about career opportunities in toxicology and allied fields. At the end, refreshment was provided to all students by the institute.

The visit provided an opportunity to students to connect theoretical concepts with cutting-edge laboratory practices and current research trends in toxicology. This visit was coordinated by faculty members- Dr. Ramakant and Dr. Shilpa Tewari.

Students’ Feedback: The students expressed enthusiasm and satisfaction with the visit. They appreciated the exposure to advanced microscopy (TEM & SEM), interactions with scientists on practical research challenges, and felt motivated to explore future opportunities in toxicology, biotechnology, and environmental sciences. Overall, they found the visit highly informative and inspiring.

Acknowledgements: The Maharishi School of Sciences expresses its sincere gratitude to the Dr. Bhaskar Narayan, Director, CSIR–IITR, Lucknow, for providing permission and extending their support during the visit. Thanks to the scientists and staff who patiently guided the students and shared valuable insights into their research work.

 We extend our gratitude to Hon’ble Vice Chancellor (Prof. Bhanu Pratap Singh), Registrar (Dr. Girish Chhimwal), Dean Academics (Prof. Neeraj jain), Dean (Dr. Nishant Kumar) Dy. Dean (Dr. Kanchan Awasthi), Sr. AO (Mr. Rajesh Singh) for their support and encouragement for the visit. We are very thankful to Mr. Kaustubh Mishra (MIRC) who played an important role in organising this visit.