Saturday, July 12, 2025
spot_img

Govt completes first pan-India genome sequencing of virus

Date:

Share post:

spot_imgspot_img

New Delhi: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, here on Saturday, announced the completion of pan-India 1000 genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2. The sequence data will soon be released in the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) for use by researchers across the globe.
The Department of Biotechnology had launched the programme in May to be conducted by autonomous Institutes of DBT, collaborating with national laboratories and clinical organisations.
“The information in the database will improve our understanding on how the virus is spreading, ultimately helping to interrupt the transmission chains, prevent new cases of infection and provide impetus to research on intervention measures,” said Vardhan.
The Minister said the data analysis might bring out some interesting conclusions to help in the fight against Covid-19.
He also dedicated to the nation the largest network of five Covid-19 bio-repositories established by the Department of Biotechnology. The aim of these bio-repositories are archival of inactivated virus and clinical samples, including naso-oropharyngeal swabs, stool, urine, saliva, serum, plasma and serum.
These are at the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, the Institute of Life Science, Bhubaneswar, the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi, the National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, and the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, Bangalore.
These bio-repositories will use the clinical samples for R&D and are authorised to share the samples with academia, industry and commercial entities involved in development of diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccines, etc. (IANS)

spot_imgspot_img

Related articles

UK faces third, more extensive heatwave

London, July 12: The United Kingdom is bracing for its third heatwave of the year, with exceptionally hot...

Union Minister Jual Oram announces retirement from electoral politics

Sambalpur (Odisha), July 12:  In a major development for Odisha politics, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs and senior...

IIM-Calcutta rape case: Questions raised over campus security

Kolkata, July 12: Serious concerns have emerged over the security arrangements at the Indian Institute of Management-Calcutta (IIM-C),...

16th Rozgar Mela: Nationwide joy as PM Modi distributes 51,000 appointment letters

New Delhi, July 12: A wave of jubilation swept across the country on Saturday as Prime Minister Narendra...