The field of chitin and chitosan research is advancing rapidly, with transformative implications across healthcare, agriculture, and sustainable manufacturing. Key developments in enzyme chemistry, particularly involving chitinase catalysis, have revolutionized our approach to chitin saccharification, enabling the generation of value-added products with applications in biofuels, bioplastics, and functional biomaterials. Recent breakthroughs in the chemistry, modification, and functionalization of chitin and chitosan have further expanded their potential in wound healing, drug delivery, regenerative medicine, and environmental applications. The International Conference on Advances in Chitin and Chitosan Research (ICACCR 2025) will bring together leading scientists, innovators, and industry experts from around the globe to present and discuss cutting-edge research, including advancements in chitinase enzymology and its biotechnological applications. This premier event will serve as a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration, fostering the exchange of knowledge and insights while inspiring the next generation of researchers to push the boundaries of innovation in chitin and chitosan sciences.

The Department of Plant Sciences (est. 1993) is renowned for imparting high- quality teaching and research in the frontier areas of plant sciences and microbiology. The vision of the Department is to discover and exploit plant and microbiological resources for the betterment of the environment and human welfare through systematic and focused research, and teaching in plant and microbiological sciences. The teaching and research in the Department are supported by UGC-SAP (DRS-1, Phase 1), DST-FIST Level I and II (Phase 1 and 2), and the Institute of Eminence grant awarded to the University of Hyderabad. Further, the faculties of the Department have secured extra-mural grants from national and international funding bodies to pursue individual and collaborative research. The outcomes of the research projects are published in peer-reviewed journals of international repute, and the faculties have also filed several national and international patents. The Department also has the distinction of establishing the state-of-art facility 'Repository of Tomato' Genomics Resources,' which is a DBT-Center of Excellence.