In 1923, at a meeting of the scientific Advisory Board of the Indian Research Fund Association, a request was made for the establishment of a biochemical unit at the Haffkine Institute. This was one of the first reflections of the growing awareness of the subject of biochemistry in this country. Initially biochemical work connected with the production of various vaccines and sera was carried out for more than twenty years until other independent departments were established. Accordingly, a unit was set up in the year 1924 with Major-General S.S.Sokhey in charge.

Researches on Haffkine’s plague prophylactic were carried out to find a new method for the growth of P.Pestis in liquid medium. The effect of amino acids on the growth of P.Pestis was also studied in detail. This biochemistry unit later took up work on antiplague serum in close collaboration with the plague Enquiry Committee. The production of antiplague serum was found that unlike the antitoxin of tetanus and diphtheria, the curative principle in the case of antiplague serum was present in all the fractions of the globulins.

In November 1962, the former Nutrition Department, which was functioning independently under the surgeon- General but lacated in the Institute Premises, was amalgamated with the Biochemistry Department and renamed the department of nutrition and biochemistry. In 1965, the Government of Maharashtra introduced the applied Nutrition programme (ANP) in the state with the help of the UNICEF. The department played an active role in this programme and helped the rural community to introduce the programme in selected blocks. The laboratory work was in conformity with the approved functions of the Department consisting of analysis of food samples for purity, fitness for human consumption & nutritive value and research work related to nutritional biochemistry.

Currently The Biochemistry department is actively engaged in various types of Training, research and testing projects. The present activities of the department include the biochemical testing of clinical samples for hospitals, private practioners and for the annual medical checkups of the government & private Organizations, Nutritional studies of food and beverages etc. It is actively working on various research projects focusing on Biochemical and molecular characterization as well as in vitro & in vivo investigations for biological activities of Ayurvedic herbs & formulations or synthetic compounds & drugs. Clinical trials are also being conducted for the same.