The interim laboratories of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) were unveiled by Prof. G Padmanaban, distinguished biotechnologist, in Gurgaon on March 29, 2010.

The laboratories will function for about two to three years from here after which it will be shifted  to Faridabad, not far from Gurgaon, to a newer and permanent venue being built at the 200-acre Health Biotech Science Cluster (HBSC).

The focus of the THSTI will be to conduct innovative translational research and develop research collaborations across disciplines and professions to accelerate the development of concepts into tangible products to improve human health.

The center will be involved in research in relevant areas of immunology, virology, microbiology, structural, chemical and systems biology. Research areas involving the host-pathogen interactions, covering the entire range of expertise and interest from the statistical and epidemiological to the cellular and molecular levels will be considered.

Dr Padmanaban, former director  of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, said, “It is great to see the outcome of all the hard work put in this project and now the efforts have to be directed at making the benefits available to masses.â€?

Dr MK Bhan, secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and chairman of HBSC, said, “This is the first step towards having niche centers in the country on the lines of Max Planck centers. The world-class research accessible to industry along with availability of array of resources will be the priority of the institute.�
Dr Barabara Alving, director, NIH National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), US, said, “It is good to see such a great effort being made in India and such innovative thinking has good potential of inviting the partnership from us.�

Dr Srikumar Suryanarayan, CEO, Biotech Cluster; Dr Sudhanshu Vrati, head, THSTI; and Dr Dinakar Salunke, head, UNESCO sponsored Regional Center for Biotechnology (URCB) along with a large number of scientists from National Institute of Immunology (NII) and many senior advisors from DBT were present at the event. The focus of the THSTI will be to conduct innovative translational research and develop research collaborations across disciplines and professions to accelerate the development of concepts into tangible products to improve human health.

Later in the evening, a lecture on 'Turning discoveries into treatments: Strategies for translational research' by Dr Alving was held at NII, New Delhi.
He gave details of the translation model followed in the US and threw light on the various aspects of Clinical Translational Science Award (CTSA), which is an initiative by NCRR, NIH, US.

"It is great to see the outcome of all the hard work put in this project and now the efforts have to be directed at making the benefits available to masses"

Rahul Koul in New Delhi