The Virology Institute of Kerala, proposed to be established by the Kerala Biotechnology Commission (KBC), will be based at the Life Science Park, Thonnakkal, near here.
The transit campus with a built-up area of 25,000 sq ft will come up on 25 acres in the park.
It will start functioning by July 2018, a project review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Monday was informed.
Transit facility
The transit facility will be designed as a pre-fabricated structure to ensure fast completion.
Adviser, KBC, G.M. Nair said the work on the building was expected to begin by December.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is scheduled to formally launch the project and release the baseline document for the detailed project report here on December 4.
An international meet of virologists will be held here the same day.
₹500-crore project
The recruitment to key posts including Director, scientists and technicians to the institute is scheduled to be completed by June 2018.
The purchase and instalment of equipment will be completed by July.
The KBC has set up an advisory committee of virology experts to spearhead the ₹500-crore project.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister directed officials to ensure time-bound completion of the project.
Executive Vice President, Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, Suresh Das, Scientific Adviser to the Chief Minister M.C. Dathan, and Chief Secretary K.M. Abraham were present.
Officials said the earlier decision to locate the virology institute in north Kerala was changed to take advantage of the presence of allied research institutions like the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology and CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology in the capital city.
High-end research
The proposed virology institute will be equipped for high-end research to study viruses and viral infections.
The institute will also have bio-safety measures to handle high-risk viruses and facilities for the development of novel anti-viral drugs and vaccines and molecular diagnostic tools.