Dr Venkitasubramanian has done pioneering systematic investigations in India on the lipid metabolism of different strains of Tubercle bacilli. His researches on experimental tuberculosis have added significantly to knowledge on the biochemical pathology of the disease. These investigations help in early diagnosis of tuberculosis and in evolving effective chemotherapeutic agents. Studies carried out by him on cheap and commonly available plant proteins have useful implications in tackling the problem of protein malnutrition. He has developed several new and simple laboratory techniques for the analysis of biologically important compounds.