RGCB’s Viral Disease Biology Program (VDBP) is designed to be a world-class research establishment in molecular and medical virology integrating theory, modeling, simulation and experiential science in an interdisciplinary team research model. VDBP’s mission is to solve some of society’s most important problems in emerging and re-emerging viral infections through multi-disciplinary research and education. The VDBP brings together teams of basic and clinical scientists devoted to study of fundamental principles of the cell & molecular biology, immunology, pathogenesis and transmission of viral disease and eventual translation of such data into molecular diagnostics and molecular therapeutics.
Within the last decade there have been ever increasing threats of newly emerging, re-emerging, and deliberately emerging viral diseases which remain major causes of death worldwide. This, together with the challenge of acute shortage of molecular diagnostic facilities for viral disease in most parts of India, argues for an increasing need for early recognition of disease problems, surveillance, and specialist virology advice to provide timely response to prevent the spread of disease. In addition this country faces an acute shortage of trained experts in basic and medical virology.
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In view of this scenario, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) initiated the process of establishing virology laboratories across the country to support nation wide disease outbreak investigation as well as to carry out research in medical virology. While it is vital for us to recognize and diagnose the disease within a short span of time, there is also an integral need for both surveillance and research so as to develop effective ways for tracking and combating diseases. RGCB’s main area of focus would be therefore be surveillance research, molecular & genetic epidemiology of viral diseases which will help us to better understand pathogen virulence, transmission pattern and host susceptibility besides providing the platform for R & D progress including developing advanced diagnostics besides offering facilities for diagnosis of viral diseases.
RGCB is also in active discussion with the Global Virus Response Network (GVRN), a worldwide network of eminent medical virologists led by Dr. Robert Gallo at the Institute of Human Virology of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. GVRN is committed to be a global authority and resource for identification, investigation and eradication of viral diseases that pose threats to mankind |
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