Manipal, December 23: “Manipal Centre for Virus Research (MCVR) has done remarkable progress in one year. What MCVR has achieved in one year others will take four years, said Dr Vishwa Mohan Katoch, secretary to Government of India Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Director General Indian Council of Medical Research at the first annual day of the Centre here on Tuesday.
He suggested the centre should now identify areas of interest and work through the end. New pathogen discovery is an exiting area as only seven per cent of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome is associated with a virus. Developing new diagnostic tests is another important area to be explored.
Talking of research in general, he said, “While individual interest are encouraged, ICMR would like investigators and researchers to work together using uniform protocols to help the nation benefit from every research being done”.
Dr. G Arunkumar, associate professor and head of MCVR gave an overview of the Centre which was specially created by upgrading the small virology laboratory in the department of Microbiology, KMC, Manipal in 2010.
The Chancellor of Manipal University, Dr Ramdas M Pai in his address said, “This was established to complement an initiative by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India to establish a Grade-I Virology Laboratory at Manipal particularly to provide virus diagnostic support to public health and to enhance research activities at the University”.
Dr Pai added: “The centre was established with a generous research grant of Rs. 5 crore from ICMR and a matching support from the University. It is a perfect example of Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Public health the Centre was formally commissioned by Dr. Katoch in October 2010”.
“Manipal,” he said “is proud that MCVR is the first laboratory to become functional in the network of virology laboratories, DHR and ICMR, Govt. of India is establishing in the country. MCVR also hosts the notified regional reference laboratory for Influenza viruses which plays an important role in providing timely diagnosis during the recent pandemic”.
“It is heartening to know that in a short span of time the centre has become an important nodal point for viral diagnosis in this region with good coverage in Karnataka, Kerala and Goa States. Further it has also been entrusted with national level research programmes such as development of a sample bank of Encephalitis cases in the country,” the Chancellor said.
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