FACULTY EXCHANGE PROGRAMME ON “CHEMISTRY OF NATURAL PRODUCTS” CONDUCTED UNDER THE MOU BETWEEN MERCY COLLEGE, PALAKKAD AND MES KALLADI COLLEGE, MANNARKKAD- 2026

As part of the academic activities conducted under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Mercy College and MES Kalladi College, a Faculty Exchange Programme on the topic “Chemistry of Natural Products” was successfully organized during March 2026 by the Departments of Chemistry of both institutions. The programme was designed to promote academic collaboration, faculty interaction, and knowledge sharing between the two institutions while providing advanced subject exposure to postgraduate chemistry students. The faculty exchange sessions were conducted through the online platform Google Meet, ensuring active participation and effective academic interaction among students and faculty members from both colleges. Around 20 M.Sc. Chemistry students from the participating institutions attended the programme and benefited from the collaborative learning experience. Faculty members from both departments engaged in delivering specialized lectures and discussions on various aspects of natural products chemistry, thereby enhancing the academic depth and interdisciplinary understanding of the participants. The programme covered important topics related to the chemistry, classification, isolation, structural elucidation, and synthesis of biologically significant natural compounds. Detailed discussions were conducted on the chemical classification of natural products and their importance in medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutical industries, and biochemical research. Special emphasis was given to alkaloids, including their classification based on ring structure, isolation procedures, and methods employed in structural determination through degradative reactions. The structures and medicinal significance of important alkaloids such as atropine and quinine were also explained in detail. Sessions on terpenoids focused on their natural occurrence, isolation techniques, classification, and structural analysis, highlighting their industrial and pharmaceutical applications. The topic of steroids included discussions on their structural characteristics, classification, biosynthetic importance, and synthetic transformations. The faculty members also explained Woodward’s synthesis of cholesterol and its conversion into testosterone, enabling students to understand advanced synthetic strategies in organic chemistry. The programme further included detailed lectures on the total synthesis of important natural products such as longifolene, reserpine, and cephalosporin. These sessions provided students with insight into modern synthetic methodologies, reaction mechanisms, stereochemistry, and retrosynthetic approaches employed in natural product synthesis. In addition, introductory concepts related to flavonoids and anthocyanins were discussed, emphasizing their biological activity, antioxidant properties, and role in plant pigmentation and medicinal applications. The Faculty Exchange Programme served as an effective academic platform for sharing expertise, improving pedagogical interaction, and exposing students to diverse teaching methodologies. The initiative significantly enhanced the students’ understanding of advanced organic chemistry and natural product research while encouraging collaborative academic culture between the two institutions. Overall, the programme conducted under the MoU between Mercy College and MES Kalladi College was highly beneficial and academically enriching. It strengthened institutional cooperation and contributed meaningfully to the academic and research-oriented development of postgraduate chemistry students.