Excelsior Correspondent
FARIDABAD (Haryana), Feb 22 : 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 today launched Rs 120 crore worth hospital cum research facility and various other facilities by laying foundation stones at the “Translational Health Science and Technology Institute” ( THSTI), here.
It is the same institute where trials were conducted for the world’s first-ever DNA Covid vaccine developed in India.
Besides other new launchings carried out today, there will be a hospital which will also have facilities for conducting clinical research such as observational cohort studies and phase 1 & phase 2 clinical trials.
Dr Jitendra Singh lauded the work being done here and said the institute had made India proud among the world communities. The kind of research happening here has drawn international acclaim, he said.
The Minister was happy to note that COVID vaccine trials happened in the THSTI labs under partnership with WHO and pointed out that it was the first Lab in India to culture Omicron virus.
Dr Jitendra Singh added that India did extremely well during the covid-19 pandemic as it had developed its own vaccines and provided over 2 billion doses to our people. He said, India also provided excellent medical care and the mortality in India due to covid-19 was among the lowest in the world and for this congratulated THSTI scientists for their excellent science and support for vaccine research and development both to academia and industry.
Dr Jitendra Singh informed that THSTI is one of the top institutes under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and this institute has done extremely well in many areas of research such as mother and child health, vaccine development, therapeutic molecules against tuberculosis and dengue and newer diagnostic tools. It has world class facilities such as BSL-3 lab, experimental animal facility, a large biorepository and state of the art modern equipment for molecular research, the Minister added.
Secretary, DBT, Dr Rajesh Gokhale in his address said that THSTI is a young institute but it has made major contributions in the area of health care in India and particularly during the pandemic. He said that Resources, People and Ethos, what make an Institute a Distinct One and the THSTI has all the elements in it. Calling for making Research a Passion, Dr Gokhale said, in the last decade the Institute has made an international mark.
Dr Pramod Kumar Garg, Executive Director of THSTI said in his address that the scientists are committed to develop world class vaccines and products and in future if there will be a need Human Challenge Model will be adopted. He urged the Union Minister to look into the issue of filling vacancies as there is shortage of faculty.
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