Karnataka to set up centre for pandemic preparedness in 6 months to respond to disease outbreaks – The Indian Express

With a view to gearing up for tackling new health challenges, the Karnataka government will establish a Centre for Pandemic Preparedness, Centre for Longevity and Bio- Repository Centre at Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre (BBC) in electronic city.

Dr Vishal Rao, member of Karnataka State Vision Group on Biotechnology and regional director (head and neck surgical oncology and robotic surgery) at HCG Cancer Hospital told The Indian Express, We are living on the cusp of pandemic era. In our perpetually complex and interconnected world, the exact nature of the next outbreak is uncertain and hence cant be predicted. At the BBC, Centre for Pandemic Preparedness, for the first time in India, we have achieved a blend of unique experiences and expertise coupled with specialist capabilities to address the multifarious challenges of the pandemic age and respond to outbreaks of disease in close to real time.

The Centre for Pandemic Preparedness will start operations within six months.

Centre for Longevity

The Centre for Longevity, an integral part of the Bangalore Bio-innovation Centre, will foster academia and industry collaborations to conduct research, training and innovation on diverse issues related to pandemic preparedness. The principal collaborators will be the Indian Institute of Science (IISC) Centre for Biosystems and Engineering along with Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and Emory Vaccine Center, USA.

The Centre for Pandemic Preparedness will draw from and build on research and experience across the key disciplines of public health and epidemiology. We will be a catalyst, enabling a fusion of political, social, economic and cultural expertise from across the world to create insights, new methodologies and breakthrough solutions that can help humanity adapt faster to disease outbreaks. It will enable cross talk between diverse domain experts including epidemiologists, public health experts, data scientists, medical doctors, microbiologists, data analysts, policymakers, International agencies, NGOs, bio pharma manufacturing partners, scientists, and government representatives, Rao said.

Explaining further he added, COVID-19 has taught us that the pathogen itself is only part of the story. In todays world, the social, cultural, economic and political contexts are pivotal and the fallout is much more far reaching and long-lasting. Being prepared in the pandemic era will mean taking this wider context and these broader factors into consideration. It starts by understanding the COVID-19 pandemic for what it truly is, not a one-off crisis to be countered, but a warning as well as a chance to think creatively and plan ahead. We need to making this pandemic the catalyst for developing new ways of working, evolving actionable insights and a deep rooted systemic change.

Bio- Repository Centre

Rao said bio-banks and bio-repositories and research cohorts (including demographic sites) are national assets established with considerable efforts. Recent advances in the tools and technology of molecular biology, genetics, environmental sciences, epidemiology and demography have increased the demand for well-annotated, properly preserved biological specimens and associated epidemiological and demographic data. In response to the demand for personalised medicine, organ and tissue-specific biobanks, cohorts and demographic sites have been or are in the process of being established in several parts of the country, he said.

Dissemination of biological samples

Explaining the role of Bio-Repository Centre, Rao said that bio-banking involves the collection, processing, storage, and dissemination of biological samples and their associated clinical data and information, organised in a systematic way. A well-managed biobank is a critical prerequisite for high-quality biomedical research. Recent advances in the tools and technology of molecular biology and genetics have increased the demand for well-annotated, properly preserved specimens. To address the demand, biobanks have been established in several continents over the past dozen years, and more are in development, Rao said.

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Karnataka to set up centre for pandemic preparedness in 6 months to respond to disease outbreaks - The Indian Express