Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh visited premier Kolkata institute founded in 1935, the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB) and urged the Director and senior scientists to carry out preventive healthcare research, with special focus on prevention of metabolic sisorders like Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the young.

Dr Jitendra Singh noted that the institute has developed an oral vaccine for cholera, herbal products for controlling gastric ulcer, empirical treatment for vitiligo, diagnostic kits for malignancy and hormonal disorders and a device for early detection of Parkinson’s disease. He said, although the strength of CSIR-IICB has always been basic biomedical research, during the last 8 years emphasis is being given on goal-oriented research directed towards commercial exploitability.

It was the first non-official medical research Institution in India with a very small budget coming from private donations. Presently, CSIR-IICB has 2 campuses. The main campus is at Jadavpur and the second campus is situated at Salt Lake. The Salt Lake Campus was conceptualised in February 2016.