Indian Council of Medical Research-Natinal Institute of Virology, Pune director Naveen Kumar on Sunday, March 9, said India’s Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) network has expanded to 164 labs, complemented by 22 new BSL-3 labs for faster outbreak response.
He was speaking at the Annual Day and Alumni Meet 2025 of Manipal Institute of Virology, at Manipal Academy of Higher Education in Manipal. Emphasising the critical role of vaccine manufacturing, he said India produces 70% of the world’s vaccines and is advancing in messenger RNA, vector-based, and nanotechnology-based vaccines.
Discussing India’s progress in viral disease surveillance, Mr. Kumar, highlighted the growth of virus detection capabilities, noting that the number of known viral species has risen from 213 in 1971 to over 15,000 in 2023. He emphasised India’s response to emerging pathogens such as Nipah virus, Monkeypox, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, West Nile virus and H5N1.
Highlighting the importance of initiatives like the PM AyushmanBharat Health Infrastructure Mission, he said the mission has led to the establishment of a National One Health Mission and four new zonal NIVs in Jammu, Dibrugarh, Jabalpur, and Bengaluru.
Institute director Chiranjay Mukhopadhyay reflected MIV’s journey since its inception in 2001 and emphasised its recognition as an ICMR Collaborating Centre of Excellence. MAHE Vice-Chancellor Lt. Gen. M.D. Venkatesh stressed the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to address global health challenges. He said, “Science must be solution-oriented, and at MAHE, we provide an open platform where researchers from all disciplines can come together to drive innovation.”
The inauguration was followed by scientific sessions and panel discussions on virology research and public health. While Mr. Kumar spoke on epigenetic-targeted antiviral therapies, focusing on modifying m6A RNA methylation to combat viral replication, Siddappa Byrareddy, University of Nebraska, explored immunotherapeutic approaches for HIV treatment. E. Sreekumar, Institute of Advanced Virology, Kerala, provided insights into dengue virus-induced vascular leakage while B. Kavitha Rani, Veterinary College, Shivamogga, presented research on Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) in monkeys.
The “One Health” panel discussion emphasised that 65%-70% of emerging diseases are zoonotic, requiring collaboration between medical, veterinary, and environmental sectors.
Published - March 09, 2025 07:38 pm IST
