Our group is interested to study the systematics and taxonomy of cyanobacteria using the polyphasic approach. Cyanobacterial taxonomy is still plagued by inconsistencies with no clarity on what exactly constitutes the polyphasic approach. Morphological inconsistencies have particularly contributed to the confusing situation for a long time now. In the modern times, a concerted approach with a carefully drafted taxa specific scheme is needed. For the past few years, we have been instrumental in discovering and describing new cyanobacterial taxa, both at the species level and even at the genus level. With active collaboration from groups both inside and outside India, we have tried to study cyanobacteria from different ecosystems and interesting habitats with particular focus on freshwater, soil and polar habitats. The use of morphology, ecology, molecular (both sequencing and ITS folding) and rigorous phylogenetic approaches have been a hallmark of our work (e.g. Aliinostoc gen. nov.; Neowestiellopsis gen. nov). We have also paid focus on complex taxa like Nostoc, Scytonema, Calothrix and the entire true branched heterocytous forms. Another aspect of our group has been studying Arctic cyanobacteria and we are collaborating with different labs for proper characterization of these cyanobacteria both at the genomic and proteomic levels.

S. No.	Name of the Project	Duration	Source of Funding	Amount of Funding (Rs)
1.	"studying the Phylogenomics and evogenomics of cyanobacteria of Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, India " (P.I)	2015- 2018	SERB (DST)	20.61 lacs