Dr Sreekanth PM, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biotechnology at Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), has bagged a research grant of Rs 43.33 lakh from the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) under the Government of India. He will be researching population genetic studies of mangroves in West Coast Asia.

The project will be utilised for studying the molecular taxonomy and population genetic structuring of Rhizophoraceae, namely Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora muconata, Bruguiera gymnorhizha, Bruguiera cylindrica, from Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The genome-wide data obtained from the research will be useful for the rehabilitation and conservation of these mangroves, as per a report by The New Indian Express.

As genomic approaches are widely adopted, it is expected that the results obtained from this study will have a positive impact on management and policy decisions. The study also aims to help India initiate, improve or accelerate the implementation of its national restoration policies, programmes and plans for marine, terrestrial and inland water ecosystems by augmenting mangrove nurseries in all states on the west coast of India through its valuable research outputs.

Previously, Sreekanth received grants of Rs 27 lakh under the category of SERB's Startup Research Grant for Young Scientists, Rs 16.75 lakh under the Ecology and Environment category of the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KCSTE) Research Support Scheme and Rs 2.5 lakh from the Kerala State Biodiversity Board for his research on mangroves in various terrains, as per TNIE.