Microbiology, fermentation and biotechnology (MFB) division focuses its activities on monitoring the aquatic environment for human pathogens and for development of remedial measures. The MFB division was also entrusted to explore the marine microbial biota for isolation and identification of novel bioactive molecules and genes for industrial applications. Development of ideal preservative methods for enhanced shelf life of products of seafood origin is also an area of interest of the division.

The MFB division has leading research on ESKAPEE pathogens including Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp and Escherichia coli and other Extensively drug-resistant (XDR), multi-drug resistance (MDR), antimicrobial resistance (AMR) pathogens in fish, fishery products and in aquaculture settings with a main aim of developing diagnostic and mitigating agents.

In the mitigating lines, the division works on nanoparticle based biological materials, phage based biological materials, probiotics based biological materials for the betterment of food and aquaculture safety.

MFB performs the in vitro evaluation of nanocomposite and other biocomponds for their cytotoxicity activity, anticancer activity, antiviral activity on various mammalian, murine and fish cell lines. The division also focuses on microbial bio-compost development for the various waste to wealth projects.