Core Research & Development areas include

1. Development of new elite crop varieties including oil seeds and pulses. Using radiation-induced mutagenesis, hybridization, and tissue culture techniques 49 crop varieties have been developed, released and Gazette-notified for commercial cultivation.
2. Development of molecular markers, transgenics, biosensors, fertilizer formulations with improved nutrient use efficiency.
3. Development of techniques for biological control for pests and pathogens. Development of Nisargruna biogas technology for agricultural and slaughterhouse waste management and recycling.
4. R&D activities related to preservation disinfestation or hygienization of primary, secondary and tertiary food products, for better understanding of the mechanisms of effect of gamma radiation on food components.
5. Development of functional foods, novel food packaging material and biopolymers for food applications.
6. Development of rapid detection method for pathogens in food products
7. Development of the technologies/processes for treatment of fruits & vegetables for shelf life extension as well as export.
8. Understanding DNA damage repair, replication, redox biology and autophagy process and development of radio-sensitizers, chemo-sensitizers for cancer therapy.
9. Design and synthesis of organo-fluorophores and organic electronic molecules, relevant to nuclear sciences and societal benefits (advanced technology and health).
10. Synthesis and development of cost- effective high value nuclear medicine ligands for diagnosis and therapy of cancer and other diseases.
11. Asymmetric total synthesis and organocatalytic methods (green chemistry approach) for the synthesis of biologically active compounds.
12. R&D activities in the frontier areas of radiation biology for understanding the effect of low- and high LET radiations, chronic and acute radiation exposure, high background radiation, and radionuclide exposure on mammalian cells, cancer cells, experimental rodents and human health.
13. Preclinical and translational research is aimed at development of new drugs and therapeutics for prevention and mitigation of radiation injury, de-corporation of heavy metals and treatment of inflammatory disorders and cancers.
14. Studying macromolecular structures and protein-ligand interactions using biophysical techniques like X-ray crystallography, neutron-scattering, circular dichroism and synchrotron radiation, with an aim for ab-initio design of therapeutic molecules.
15. Understanding the cellular and molecular basis of stress response in bacteria, plants and animals.
16. Understanding the extraordinary resistance to DNA damage and oxidative stress tolerance in bacteria, and epigenetic regulation of alternate splicing in plants and mammalian cells.
17. Development of CRISPR-Cas mediated genome editing technologies in both basic and applied research and is engaged in the development of gene technologies and products for bio-medical applications.
18. Studies on uranium sequestration by Nostoc and bacteria isolated from uranium mines.
19. Research and development of novel radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
    
20. Synthesis of substrates from suitable precursors for use in radio-labeling with diagnostic (⁹⁹mTc) and therapeutic (¹⁷⁷Lu, ¹⁵³Sm, ¹⁶⁶Ho,^186/188Re, ¹⁰⁹Pd, ⁹⁰Y, ¹⁷⁵Yb, ¹⁷⁰Tm) radioisotopes in the preparation of agents intended for use as radiopharmaceuticals.
21. Custom preparation of special sources to suit the requirements of the Defense Research Organization of India (DRDO) and National Research Laboratories such as National Physics Research Laboratory, ISRO etc.