Department of Microbiology
About Us
Est. April 1990 Research in infectious diseases
UG · PG · Fellowships
Department Goals
- To educate and train students in the discipline of Microbiology and to expand the body of knowledge of this scientific field through clinical interaction and research and is commited to the effective utilization of resources and work continually for provision of an infection free environment for both patients and health care workers
Head of Department's Message
Professor & Head
Department of Microbiology
The Department of Microbiology is committed to excellence in undergraduate and postgraduate education by fostering scientific knowledge, critical thinking, and practical laboratory skills. Our department provides comprehensive diagnostic microbiology services, ensuring accurate and timely laboratory support for optimal patient care. We play a pivotal role in hospital infection prevention and control through continuous surveillance, training, and implementation of evidence-based practices. The department is actively involved in promoting antimicrobial stewardship to encourage the judicious use of antibiotics and combat antimicrobial resistance. Through academics, diagnostics, research, and quality healthcare initiatives, we strive to develop competent medical professionals dedicated to improving patient outcomes and public health.
Courses Offered
Year of establishment of department 1990
Courses/ Programmes offered 7 programmes
- I. MBBS
- II. MD ( Microbiology)
- III. MSc. (Medical Microbiology)
- IV. PhD
- V. DMLT
- VI. BSc. Lab Science
- VII. Fellowship in Infection control and Antimicrobial stewardship
Infrastructure
Department
- Lecture hall
- Museum with charts, models and specimens
- Students laboratory - Practical halls
- Demonstration rooms
- Research laboratory
- Updated library with recent journals and reference textbooks
Microbiology Museum
Service labs
- Negative pressure labs for Mycology and Mycobacteriology
- Biosafety cabinets
- Laminar flow
- CO2 incubator
- Automated blood culture system
- Automated AD and AST – VITEK 2 systems
- MGIT
- Genexpert
- Lineprobe assay
- Biofire
- RTPCR instrument
- Alinity 2
- ELISA
Well equipped NABL Accredited laboratory:
Facilities available :
Research and Publications
- Babu A, Modak M, Kumar M, Gajare S. Activity of Anti-MRSA Quinolone, Levonadifloxacin Against Gram Positive Cocci Obtained from Clinical Samples in a Tertiary Care Center in Western India. JK Science [Internet]. 2026 Apr. 10 [cited 2026 Apr. 21];28(2):83-6. Available from: https://journal.jkscience.org/index.php/JK-Science/article/view/425
- Meningitis Caused by Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium–A Growing Concern A Babu, M Kumar, A Mane, L Yadav - Current Medical Issues, 2026
- Babu, Aishwarya; Paul, Sania; Thakar, Vrushali; Modak, Meera. Rapid progression from lower limb cellulitis to fatal sepsis in an immunocompetent young patient. MRIMS Journal of Health Sciences 14(2):p 162-164, Apr–Jun 2026. | DOI: 10.4103/mjhs.mjhs_69_25
- Sadanandan, Nisha1; Babu, Aishwarya2. A Rare Case of Chromobacterium violaceum Wound Infection – Early Diagnosis and Successful Treatment. Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical Journal 6(1):p 23-25, Jan–Mar 2026. | DOI: 10.4103/BVMJ.BVMJ_101_25
- Babu, Aishwarya; Modak, Meera; Chethana, R.1. Microbiological Profile of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media in a Tertiary Care Center in Western India. Current Medical Issues 24(1):p 9-13, Jan–Mar 2026. | DOI: 10.4103/cmi.cmi_101_25
- Babu, Aishwarya; Devhare, Deepa; Modak, Meera. Publication in free or paid journal - Which one to choose?. MRIMS Journal of Health Sciences 14(1):p 72-73, Jan–Mar 2026. | DOI: 10.4103/mjhs.mjhs_29_25
- Singh A, Nagpal R, Deshpande S, et al. (July 22, 2025) Robertmurraya beringensis Causing Late-Onset Sepsis in Neonates: A Case Series of a Hitherto Unreported Organism. Cureus 17(7): e88537. DOI 10.7759/cureus.88537
- Devhare, Deepa; Kumar, Mahadevan; Modak, Meera. COVID-19 and dengue co-infection: A dual challenge for diagnosis and treatment. MRIMS Journal of Health Sciences 14(1):p 49-53, Jan–Mar 2026. | DOI: 10.4103/mjhs.mjhs_23_25
- Devhare D, Kumar M, Dhayagude SV, Modak M. Impact of antibiotic prescription practices on non beta lactam antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus: a four year analysis. Microbes and Infectious Diseases. 2025 Sep 16
- Mahajan P, Kumar M, Bhalla GS, Tandel K. Plasmid-based replicon typing: Useful tool in demonstrating the silent pandemic of plasmid-mediated multi-drug resistance in Enterobacterales. Med J Armed Forces India. 2025 May-Jun;81(3):301-306. doi: 10.1016/j.mjafi.2024.02.004.
- Shinde M, Dalal BA, Modak MS. Clinico-mycological profile of diagnosed cases of dermatophytosis in a tertiary care hospital, Pune: A cross-sectional study. Med Lab J. 2025;19(3):27-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.29252/mlj.19.3.27
- Doshi P, Bharadwaj R, Padwal M, Modak M. Enhancing laboratory quality through six sigma: a case study on process improvement. InVIRCHOWS ARCHIV 2025 Sep 1 (Vol. 487, pp. S471-S471). ONE NEW YORK PLAZA, SUITE 4600, NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES: SPRINGER.
- Paul S, Babu A, Dalal B, Kumar M, Bhatawadekar S. Are Unusual Bacteria Becoming Common Causative Agents of Infective Endocarditis?. JK Science [Internet]. 2025 Apr. 10 [cited 2026 Apr. 21];27(2):127-9. Available from: http://journal.jkscience.org/index.php/JK-Science/article/view/356
- D Devhare, M Kumar, M Modak, B Dalal. Inducible clindamycin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus: Now and then. Microbes and Infectious Diseases, 2025
- Thakar V H, Kumar M, Modak M, et al. (April 04, 2025) Prevalence and Outcome of Infections Caused by Staphylococcus aureus Strains Harboring the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Gene. Cureus 17(4): e81687. DOI 10.7759/cureus.81687
- Thakar V H, Kumar M, Modak M, et al. (April 04, 2025) Prevalence and Outcome of Infections Caused by Staphylococcus aureus Strains Harboring the Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Gene. Cureus 17(4): e81687. doi:10.7759/cureus.81687
- Aishwarya Babu , Vaibhavi Patil , Sunita M Bhatawadekar, Prajakta Jadhav. Prevalence and Anti-biogram of Carbapenem Resistant Gram-negative Bacteria with Phenotypic Detection of Metallo-beta-lactamase. Journal of the Indian Medical Association 2024;122(09)
- Dhayagude S, Tolpadi A, Mane A Modak M. Prevalance of catheter associated urinary tract infections in a tertariy care hospital- three year study
- Dhayagude S, Tolpadi A, Modak M, Mane A. Occupational exposure to Sharp Injuries among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital
- Thakar V, Gandavalli B, Devhare D, Modak M, Sawant S, Kumar M, Bhatawadekar S, Phenotypic detection of ESBL and Amp C beta lactamase among clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae. IP Int J Med Microbiol Trop Dis 2024;10(2):130-137
- Snehal Dhayagude, Anuradha Tolpadi, Abhijeet Mane, Meera Modak, Financial impact of needle stick injury on a tertiary care teaching hospital,Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health,Volume 29,2024,101726,ISSN 2213-3984,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cegh.2024.101726
- Kshirsagar D, Thakar VH, Dalal BA, Babu A, Modak M, Kumar M. Candidemia in a tertiary care hospital: Changing trends. IP Int J Med Microbiol Trop Dis 2024;10(3):230-235.
- FNU Shagun , Abhijeet K Mane , Ashvini Kharparde , Mahadevan Kumar , Anuradha G Tolpadi , Snehal V 2 2 Dhayagude , Meera S Modak. Local Production of World Health Organization Recommended Hand Rub Formulation and Comparison of its Efficacy with a Commercially Available Alcohol-Based Hand Rub. BHARATI VIDYAPEETH MEDICAL JOURNAL (BVMJ) | Vol. 4 No. 1 | January - March 2024
- Kumbhar, Shrutika R.; Babu, Aishwarya1; Modak, Meera S.1. Fosfomycin Susceptibility among Extended-spectrum βeta Lactamase (Esbl)-Producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates Causing Uti in a Tertiary Care Center in Western India. Medical Journal of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth 17(2):p 328-331, Mar–Apr 2024. | DOI: 10.4103/mjdrdypu.mjdrdypu_671_22
- Devhare D, Thakar V, Kumar M, Jadhavar S, Modak M, Bhatawadekar S. Tracking Vancomycin MIC Creep: A Five Year Analysis. J Pure Appl Microbiol. 2024;18(3):1860-1865. doi: 10.22207/JPAM.18.3.36
- Vrushali Thakar , Mahadevan Kumar , Neetu Mehrotra , Prajakta Jadhav.Sunita Bhatawadekar . Presence of Enteric Fever with Unusual Clinical Scenarios: A Case Series. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research.2024:18(5):1-5
- Thakar, Vrushali Harsh; Jadhav, Prajakta; Babu, Aishwarya; Kumar, Mahadevan; Mane, Abhijeet Kantilal. Mixed infection of Nocardia farcinica and Nocardia cyriacigeorgica in an immunocompromised patient: A case report. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine 17(11):p 516-518, November 2024. | DOI: 10.4103/apjtm.apjtm_39_24
- Kumar M, Tandel K, Shergill SPS, et al. Rapid detection of carbapenem resistance among gram-negative organisms directly from positive blood culture bottles. Med J Armed Forces India. 2023;79(3):267-274. doi:10.1016/j.mjafi.2021.03.026
- Malik M, Kumar M, Bhalla GS, Tandel K. Extended spectrum beta-lactamase and aminoglycoside modifying enzyme genes in multi drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria: A snapshot from a tertiary care centre. Med J Armed Forces India. Published online November 2023. doi:10.1016/j.mjafi.2023.09.007
- Kumar M, Bhalla GS, Tandel K, et al. Phenotypic and molecular methods of carbapenemase detection: Can we break the chain and preserve the carbapenems? Med J Armed Forces India. 2023;(xxxx). doi:10.1016/j.mjafi.2023.05.008
- Susan Fallon, Umang Agrawal, Shaoli Basu, Valeria Fabre, Sarah Fisseha, Arjunlal Kakrani, Rajesh Karyakarte, Mahadevan Kumar, Abhijeet Mane, Vidya Mave, Yatin Mehta, Shahzad Mirza, Akaash Patel, Bharat Randive, Prachala Rathod, Matthew Robinson, Camilla R MC. SHEA Spring 2024 Abstracts SHEA Spring 2024 Abstracts. In: Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology. Vol 3: 2024:104-105. doi:10.1017/ash.2024.250
- Bhatawadekar SM, Yadav LS, Babu A, Modak MS. Antibiotic-Associated Clostridium difficile Diarrhoea in Tertiary Care Hospital – A Study from Western India. J Pure Appl Microbiol. 2023;17(3):1471-1476.
- Babu, Aishwarya; Bhatawadekar, Sunita M.; Kumar, Mahadevan; Modak, Meera S. Diagnosing a rare case of Brucella meningitis-Importance of laboratory tests. Journal of Dr. YSR University of Health Sciences2023; 12(4):p 366-368.
- Bhatawadekar SM, Babu A, Kumar M, Modak MS. Achromobacter Xylosoxidans an Emerging Opportunistic Nosocomial Pathogen: A Retrospective Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital. JK Science.2024 Jan. 10 [cited 2024 Sep. 20];26(1):3-6.
- Babu, Aishwarya; Bhatawadekar, Sunita M.; Kumar, Mahadevan; Modak, Meera S.. Ochrobactrum anthropi: An Unusual Emerging Pathogen. CHRISMED Journal of Health and Research 10(1):p 115-117, Jan–Mar 2023.
Innovative Teaching Learning
- Student Seminars : Student seminars are good for self-directed learning and better understanding of microbiology topics. Students prepare and present the topics using audiovisual aids. This activity improves communication, presentation, and critical appraisal skills. Interactive discussions following the presentation promote peer learning and better understanding of concepts. Faculty provide constructive feedback.
- Quiz : Quizzes are taken to for better learning and to assess retention of the topic . The quiz usually includes multiple-choice questions, image-based identification, and rapid-fire rounds. Quizzes create a competitive yet enjoyable learning environment.
- Debate : Debates on current and controversial topics in microbiology stimulate analytical and critical thinking. It encourages respect for different viewpoints . Faculty moderate discussions and summarize the key learning points.
- OSPE : OSPE provides an objective and structured assessment of practical competencies. Multiple stations are put up to test laboratory skills and to interpret them . Standardized checklists ensure fairness, transparency, and uniform assessment. Immediate feedback is given to students.
- Small Group Discussions : Group discussions promote collaborative learning and active participation among students. Small groups analyze clinical cases or microbiological concepts and exchange ideas. It helps problem-solving skills. Faculty facilitate the discussion and provide guidance wherever necessary
- Role Plays : Students enact scenarios such as infection control practices, specimen collection, or patient communication and being a family member of a sick person.
Awards & Achievements
01
iCOMPLY — excellence in IPC and antimicrobial stewardship program
Gold award for West Zone in 2025.
02
Dr Meera Modak — in 13th March 2026
Award for outstanding contribution to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching- learning, clinical services and research.
Patient Services & Facilities
NABL accredited laboratory. Well equipped laboratory with modern state of the art equipment. We have separate bacteriology, infectious serology, Mycobacteriology, immunology and Molecular laboratories. We participate in EQAS programme for Bacteriology, Serology with CMC Vellore & Mycology with PGI Chandigarh. We have MOUs with several other NABL accredited for interlab comparison as well.
Patient services and facilities
Patient services and facilities
Patient services and facilities
Achievements in diagnostic services
- NABL accreditation for Bacteriology tests, Infectious Serology tests and Molecular microbiology. EQAS – Good rating consistently
Best Practices
01
Infection control
Regular and continuous training of ICNs, Sister in charges, UGs , PGs etc. in Infection control practices, Infection Control Implementation, Biomedical waste Management, CSSD functioning and management, Surveillance for HAIs and implementing and monitoring OT sterilization. Preparation of SOPs for infection control with regular reviews. Clinical Microbiology rounds with Infectious Disease Consultants, Celebration-Hand Hygiene Week, CSSD week to increase awareness. Monthly meetings with different clinical.
02
AMSP
The department promotes Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) to combat the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance. In collaboration with clinicians, pharmacists, and the Hospital Infection Control Committee, the department provides evidence-based guidance on the rational use of antimicrobials through timely culture reports and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Regular surveillance of antimicrobial resistance patterns and preparation of institutional antibiograms support informed empirical therapy and policy formulation. A one year fellowship in Infection Control and Antimicrobial stewardship is also being conducted for both Microbiologists and clinical pharmacists.
Contact Us
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