Date:18/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/18/stories/2007111853420400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘Ethical issues raised by biotech need to be addressed’

Special Correspondent

Scientists urged to reconsider using animals for research

Use of plants as bioreactors suggested
More funds sought for research in genomics

BANGALORE: Scientists using animals as bioreactors in molecular research should, instead, use plants as bioreactors because of the ethical concerns that have been raised, the former director of the Indian Institute of Science G. Padmanabhan has said.

He was delivering the keynote address at the inaugural session of a national symposium on “Biotechnological intervention for the enhancement of livestock productivity” here on Saturday. The symposium was organised by the National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology (NIANP) and the Association of Biotechnology-led Enterprises (ABLE).

Dr. Padmanabhan said biotechnological tools had to be used to improve livestock management and productivity, but there were various ethical questions that had been raised by scientists and sociologists. These questions were valid as they were concerned about possible changes in animal genes and physiology. Dr. Padmanabhan said stable tools such as serotyping and polymerase chain reactions had been found to be safer models for diagnosing animal diseases.

Dairy bounty

K.M. Bujarbarua, Deputy Director-General (Animal Science), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, in his inaugural address said India had created a $10-billion market based on products yielded by livestock, especially dairy products.

Calling for an end to the “mismatch of mindset” in spending on research in genomics, Dr. Bujarbarua said that with as little as $750 (roughly Rs. 30,000) the country’s best research institutions could institute research in livestock improvement. However, there were State governments that spent as much as Rs. 1 crore to import bulls from the U.S., while withholding funds for the genome research programmes of various institutions.

Organising secretary of the symposium S. Krishnaswamy said the livestock industry contributed nearly Rs. 40,000 crore to the GDP, next only to telecom. But it was not being given the attention it deserved in funding as well as research initiatives.