HYDERABAD: The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) is all set to have a state of art Bio-Safety Level(BSL)-3 lab to study and conduct research on organisms causing infectious diseases.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the one-day symposium on issues in Modern Biology, jointly organised by CCMB and University of Western Australia, acting Director of CCMB Dr Veena K Parnaik announced this development.
Adding that the centre had also been sanctioned a BSL-4 by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Veena Parnaik said, “Right now the BSL-3 facility is undergoing a validation process, which would be completed by the end of this month. Very soon, we would be utilising this facility to research infectious diseases.” She has also informed that with this facility they could pursue research on the swine flu (H1N1 virus) and added, “as of now, we have not been not directed to conduct research on the virus but this facility would equip us with the competency to do so.” The BSL-3 is an airtight system using which pathogens that are highly drug resistant and rapidly communicable viruses are tested.
The acting director has also said that they are gearing up to set up the BSL-4 facility, which has higher safety levels and is more sophisticated than BSL-3, with the collaboration of DST and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor of University of Western Australia Alan Robson and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Doug McEachern announced their plans of enhancing collaboration and research links between the two institutions.
“We are very interested in tying up with CCMB in the areas of infectious diseases and vaccine development programmes,” Alan Robson said.
He also shared that both the institutes are keen on working on the drug resistant Tuberculosis.
Answering a question about the recent spate of attacks on Indian students in Australia, Alan Robson denied that there were any sort of racial attacks in their University.
“Most of the attacks took place in the cities of Melbourne and Sydney,” he said and informed that their university is located in Perth.
The CCMB acting director and the University of Western Australia team hoped that the symposium would lead to a long-term association between the two institutions.