Hyderabad, Aug 26 : Nucleome Informatics Today unveiled South Asia’s largest and most advanced genomics facility, NKC Centre for Genomics Research in Hyderabad.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chauhan inaugurated the state-of-the-art laboratory virtually at a formal ceremony held here in the presence of Nucleome Informatics CEO and Managing Director Dushyant Singh Baghel.
Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof K Vijay Raghavan also attended the event.
The laboratory will carry out the latest third-generation sequencing and play a critical role in fighting the pandemic by sequencing 5000 COVID genomes and 500 human genomes.
The laboratory, established in the memory of the late 6-time Member of the Parliament from Khandwa, Nand Kumar Singh Chauhan, will also play a role in upping India’s potential in agriculture, animal husbandry, and personalised / precision medicine, among others.
Speaking on the occasion, Rajnath said that genomics is the sunrise sector of the 21st century which will play an important role. Next generation sequencing can bring revolution in biological sciences and unprecedented progress to society.
In view of climate change and COVID’s impact on people, genome sequencing can increase productivity and help healthcare – COVID genome sequencing is trying to find out that part of the virus’s DNA that does not change, which will contribute to vaccine development, the Union Minister said.
‘ I have been informed that the centre will sequence 5000 COVID genomes and 500 human genomes for healthcare,” Rajnath added.(UNI)