History:
The Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology was founded as part of a grant in 1966 as a "biochemical unit" within the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, with the goal of providing rare biochemicals and reagents for biomedical research in India. This effort was mainly directed toward import substitution and competence-building by making reagents and biochemicals indigenously available. Because of its success, the unit became a full-fledged laboratory in 1977, and was named CSIR Center for Biochemicals and relocated to the Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute. By 1993, research was being done to develop commercially applied technologies, and the laboratory was renamed the Center for Biochemical Technology. In 2002, the center changed its name to the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology and began to focus more on genomics and genome informatics.

Activities:
In November 2001, Panacea Biotec agreed to produce a new anthrax vaccine based on technology developed by Professor Rakesj Bhatnagar at the Center for Biotechnology of Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, and in collaboration with Dr. Yogender Singh and his associates at the Center for Biochemical Technology.

In 2002, the center teamed up with the Nicholas Piramal group in an effort to exploit human genome data for development of next-generation medicines against diseases such as diabetes and asthma.

It is currently working on major projects related to immunology and molecular genetics of respiratory disorders including allergies, fungal infections, and predisposition to asthma; molecular genetics of neuropsychiatric disorders and functional significance of repetitive sequences in the genome; genome informatics; and drug target identification. It is also working on the development of molecular markers for pathogenic organisms, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis; molecular recognition/interaction studies; design and synthesis of modified oligonucleotides for antisense and gene targets; and design, synthesis, and structural studies of peptides with a role in neurological function and dysfunctions.

It helped Cadila Pharmaceuticals develop a sodium hyaluronate, and has also partnered with Chatterjee Group to establish a technology incubator along with genomic service facilities.

Key Sources: Pankaj Gupta et al., "Expression and Purification of the Recombinant Lethal Factor of Bacillus Anthracis," Infection and Immunity, February 1998, p. 862; Rakesh Kalshian, B.R. Srikanth, and Charubala Annuncio, "Biotech: The Third Wave," World Press Review Online, March 2002, <http://www.worldpress.org/asia/0302outlooksci.htm>; Center for Biochemical Technology, <http://www.informatics.co.in/Bioinformatics/CBT_Detail.htm>; Cadila Pharmaceuticals Biotechnology, <http://www.cadilapharma.com/html/biotechnology.htm>; "How Prepared is India to Tackle Bio-chemical Terror?" The Financial Express, 14 November 2001, <http://www.financialexpress.com/fe20011114/an2.html>; Faiz Askari "A Versatile Gene Lab," Biospectrum, 10 June 2003, <http://www.biospectrumindia.com/content/shakers/10306101.asp>; Ministry of Environment and Forests: Notifications, July 2000, <http://www.cleantechindia.com/eicimage/01011001_14/LATUP.htm>.

	Updated September 2003