ILS to take up genetic profiling of tribals

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik dedicated the Stakeholders Empowerment Centre (SEC) of Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) here on Wednesday. The centre has been established with an objective of providing state-of-the platform for research activities.

ILS director Dr Ajay Parida said the centre will be instrumental in carrying out capacity and skill development in the area of biotechnology and health sciences for the students as well as college teachers for inculcating scientific temper among the youth.

“It will help scientific communities for identifying priority areas of research and focus on local relevance. The centre will also undertake regular consultations and attempt to suggest policy makers on thematic priority areas of research and development,” he said.

Naveen was briefed about the significant progress made by ILS in cancer biology, infectious disease research, plant and environmental biotechnology. He expressed satisfaction with the high quality and relevant research work.

Head of molecular oncology lab in the department of cancer biology at ILS, Dr Sandip Kumar Mishra, who coordinated the event said the Stakeholders Empowerment Centre will work in close partnerships with other research and development organisations and institutions, policy makers and farming and tribal communities of the region.

Meanwhile, ILS has planned to take up genetic profiling studies of the tribal groups in the State to identify disease susceptibility as well as their hot-spots. The institute will also work on improving productivity of minor pulses such a green gram, black gram and horse gram which are of specific importance to the dry-land and rain-fed areas of the country.