THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It has been two-and-a-half years since the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV) started functioning at the Bio 360 Life Sciences Park, Thonnakkal. The institute was supposed to have advanced testing labs to detect major viral diseases, including Nipah, and cutting-edge research facilities to develop advanced testing methods and even vaccines.
As Nipah has struck the state again, the third time since 2018, the IAV is remaining a mute spectator. The premier institute doesn’t even have a website. Though the government had appointed renowned scientist Akhil C Banerjee as director at the time of inauguration, he left the organisation after eight months citing health reasons. Recently, the government had appointed E Sreekumar, who is from the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, as the new director, but, he is yet to join the institute as the proceedings are still under way.
The IAV, under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2019. At the time of launch, the institute was envisioned to become a world-class institute that will produce solutions to combat emerging and re-emerging viral diseases through high-end research. As the institute is yet to become fully functional, research in areas like clinical virology, viral diagnostics, viral epidemiology, and others remains a non-starter.
Currently, only one laboratory is functional and the diagnostic division is yet to become operational as the construction work is still in progress. M C Dathan, Mentor at the Chief Minister’s Office, said a host of factors, from prevailing Covid conditions to the delay in finding the brains who can lead the institute on the right path, has slowed down the progress of the IAV. “We faced the biggest challenge in securing the right manpower. We tried unsuccessfully to get top scientists who are Keralites with US citizenship for the director’s post. They were doubtful and we also had issues providing them with a special package. Though we managed to get another qualified scientist, he did not want to continue owing to health reasons,” Dathan told TNIE.
He said two scientists have joined the IAV and two more have been issued appointment orders. “The interview for selecting scientific officer and technical assistant will be held within two weeks,” said Dathan. Eight permanent posts have been sanctioned for the institute.
“None of the eight divisions in the institute is full -fledged. There are people who are yet to join in two to three senior positions. The institute cannot move forward unless it is made an autonomous institution. Now, the institute is functioning in a prefab facility,” said GM Nair, former advisor to Kerala Biotechnology Commission, who was also the coordinator of IAV during the inception. The idea of a global institute was mooted when the Nipah outbreak struck the state in 2018. Sending samples for confirmation testing to Pune and Bhopal caused delay in treatment and the government wanted to avoid that by having a state-of-the-art facility here.
According to Mohanan Valiyaveettil, the senior most scientist at the institute, the delay in setting up the full fledged facility was due to the rules and guidelines to be followed for a viral institute. “Unlike other research hubs, this institute has more stringent rules and guidelines. Moreover, the institute comes under the Biosafety-II category. So we cannot set up more spaces all of a sudden. It will take some time,” he said.
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