The origins of the department can be traced to the year 2010 when the Academy established a collaborative research center with the Genome Foundation of India under the mentorship of Late Padmashree Prof. Lalji Singh. The vision of this center was to elucidate the genomic landscape of the rural population in the Kolar area. This center then evolved into the Central Research Laboratory of the Academy so as to serve as a hub for interdisciplinary research between the Departments of the Academy. The Centre was elevated as a full-fledged statutory Department in the year 2013 for promoting academic programs in the subjects of Genetics and Molecular Biology.

We are mainly involved in three major activities viz., research, teaching, and clinical services.

We are equipped with state-of-the-art laboratory facilities for research in the area of Genomics, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Cytogenetics, and Phytochemistry. The department is housed in a dedicated centrally air-conditioned area of 8000 square feet.

We offer two-degree programs viz., M.Sc. degree in Molecular Biology and Human Genetics and a Ph.D. degree in Cell Biology and Human Genetics.