Dr J. Ratnakar joins Southwestern University Medical School

Dr James Ratnakar has joined the Southwestern University Medical School, Texas as a Postdoctoral fellow to work on MRI applications. Dr Ratnakar obtained his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Madras through Loyola College, Chennai under the supervision of Prof. V. Alexander. His thesis title was "Synthesis and relaxivity studies of gadolinium (III) complexes of biomacromolecule appended polyazapolycarboxylates macrocycles”. Dr Ratnakar worked as a Research Fellow in a DAE project at Loyola and also has a Masters degree in Chemistry from Bishop Heber College.

ERI is 9th best institution in Biotechnology in India

Entomology Research Institute (ERI) of Loyola College, Chennai has been rated the 9th best institution among all private and publicly funded institutions of higher learning in the field of biotechnology in the country.

The institute was founded in 1964 by professor T. N. Ananthakrishnan, and while its name reveals its original focus of studying insects, through the years the institute has widened its scope to bring the rural people and especially farmers to work in a more environmentally friendly way. The present director is Fr. S. Ignacimuthu, SJ, who has a doctorate in genetics and has done extensive work in insect-plant interaction.

Fr Xavier Alphone SJ appointed as UGC member

The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India has appointed Rev. Fr. Dr. Xavier Alphonse SJ of Loyola College Chennai as a Member of University Grants Commission (UGC) for a term of three years from 8 Feb 2006. Fr. Alphonse SJ also heads the Madras Centre for Research and Development of Community Education (MCRDC), Chennai and is the former Principal of Loyola College (1992-1995).