Patent granted on antifungal properties of Nanoparticles, Nauni varsity scientist among team

A four-member multi-institutional team of scientists has been granted a patent on ‘antifungal properties of nanoparticles’ by the Patent Office, Government of India. The team also includes a scientist from Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry(UHF), Nauni.

Dr. Monica Sharma, who is working as an Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at the College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri, Hamirpur is one of the inventors in the said patent along with scientists of Amity University and ISRC, Shimla. 

The nanoparticles have the potential to be used as new antimycotic agents and hence could be used as an alternative to synthetic fungicides for the management of diseases in crops. Nanoparticles have high reactivity for their target sites and hence affect the growth and activity of fungal pathogens even at very low concentrations.

Dr Monica has been working in the field of antifungal properties of nanoparticles for the past six years and has published research papers in journals of international repute with high impact factors.

UHF Vice-Chancellor appreciated the efforts of the scientists and urged them to take it further for the benefit of the farmers, who are facing many pathogenic problems in the changing climate. Director Research Dr Sanjeev Chauhan also congratulated the researchers.