Date:26/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/06/26/stories/2007062604572100.htm

Back Decks cleared for Institute of Translational Research

G. Naga Sridhar

The fundamental focus of the institute will be on various areas of biological research, especially cell biology, developmental biology, stem cell biology, cancer biology etc.

Hyderabad June 25 Decks have been cleared for the proposed Institute for Translational Research (ITR) in Hyderabad and the construction work for the project is likely to begin soon.

The State Government has allotted 150 acres of land in principle at the Genome Valley Phase III at Turkapally near here, for the institute, said Mr K. Raveen Kumar Reddy, Additional Secretary, Department of Industries, and Director, Biotechnology.

"The decision has been communicated to the implementing agency of the project, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and the construction work is likely to begin soon," Mr Reddy told Business Line here.

The Government of India had recently sanctioned Rs 360 crore for the Rs 1,000-crore project, he added.

The modern institution and the associated medical school will anchor the application of knowledge of modern biology into clinical care. "It will also take up collection and analysis of large amounts of clinical data, development of personalised medicine, cultivation of stem cell populations, molecular diagnostics and design and development of targeted delivery systems," Mr Reddy said.

On the laboratory front, the institute will match its counterparts in the US. "It will have the latest tools with a budget of Rs 300 crore in addition to Rs 300 crore earmarked for hospital equipment," he said. The laboratory equipment would be sufficient to over 500 scientific personnel.

The fundamental focus of the institute will be on various areas of biological research, especially cell biology, developmental biology, stem cell biology, cancer biology etc. The institute will give a boost to India's image as an emerging hub of biotech and pharma research. "India has over 4,694 anthropologically well-defined populations. We need to leverage this as it can provide access to vital research for studying gene-environment interactions in relation to a disease and developing personalised medicine," the official said.

For Hyderabad, which has a strong base in the sunrise biotech industry, the presence of ITR will make a difference. "Some pharma and biotech companies in Hyderabad are already on the global industry map. The presence of ITR will attract global majors engaged in clinical and genomic research to the State," Mr Reddy said.

The institute is expected to be operational by 2011.