Thiruvananthapuram, March 1 Union Minister Jitendra Singh has laid the foundation stone for a state-of-the-art Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) facility at the Akkulam campus of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Centre – Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (BRIC-RGCB) here.
He also inaugurated the National Facility for Recombinant Cells & Sensors on Saturday, describing it as a significant advancement in biotechnology research and development in the country.
According to an official statement, Singh, who is the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Science and Technology and MoS in the Prime Minister's Office, inaugurated the annual National Science Day programme at the campus.
Addressing the gathering, the minister said that as the Union government liberalized the nuclear medicine domain, national research and development institutes like BRIC-RGCB should explore interdisciplinary collaborations with the private sector.
"There is plenty of scope for collaborations in nuclear medicine research. BRIC-RGCB can partner with other institutes in the country, including private partners. We can integrate the private sector and other stakeholders as the nuclear medical mission has been opened to them as well," he said.
Singh noted that India is among the few countries to have introduced a dedicated biotechnology policy – BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment) Policy – reflecting the government's focus on making the economy bio-driven.
Referring to the announcement of the Biopharma SHAKTI Mission in the Union budget this year, he said that it indicated policymakers' recognition that future global economies would increasingly be driven by biotechnology.
He added that emerging areas such as green cycling, regeneration and the circular economy would become new determinants of national growth.
Highlighting the strides made by BRIC-RGCB, the minister said its researchers have earned recognition in molecular biology, disease biology, genomics and cancer research, and that the institution has attracted researchers and students from across the country in areas including sequencing, bioinformatics and interdisciplinary collaborations.
On the occasion, Singh released the National Science Day book titled 'Quantum Physics: One Hundred Magical Years', authored by Prof VPN Nampoori of CUSAT, Kochi.
Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology and Director General, BRIC, who presided over the function, said the biotechnological ecosystem would be a game changer for the country's progress.
He said the BioE3 Policy 2024 reflected the government's strategic vision, encompassing six thematic sectors, including bio-manufacturing.
Lauding BRIC-RGCB's contributions, Gokhale said the government had launched the HPV vaccination drive based on data generated by the institution.
Dr Jyoti Logani, DBT Nodal Officer for BRIC-RGCB, said the centre has been contributing to national health initiatives for the past 35 years.
Dr T R Santhosh Kumar, Director (Additional Charge), BRIC-RGCB, said the National Facility for Recombinant Cells & Sensors houses around 600-700 types of stable cells covering several cancer targets, making it one of the leading global resource centres for such innovative tools, the statement added.
