Date:26/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/26/stories/2007122661190200.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

CCMB seeks alternative site for research institute

Y. Mallikarjun

HYDERABAD: Authorities are looking for alternative locations for setting up the Rs.1,000-crore Institute of Translational Research following a request made by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) director Lalji Singh.

The CCMB has sought a site closer to the new NIMS campus at Bibinagar for setting up the institute, instead of the one allotted by the government in the Biotech Park-III, near here.

B. P. Acharya, Managing Director, Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, told The Hindu that the institute was an important project and the request of Dr. Lalji Singh for locating it closer to NIMS or within the medical institution’s campus would be discussed with NIMS authorities. “We are exploring the possibility”, he added. On his part, Dr. Singh said that he had requested for an alternative site as the proposed institute would have to work in close coordination with hospitals and other organisations involved in basic research.

According to him, the site allotted by the Government was 50 km away from CCMB and there was no institution in its vicinity. Though Hyderabad was the first choice for locating the institute, Dr. Singh said that he would also look for land in other States, which are home to bodies of basic research, if a suitable land was not available here.

Unique institute

He said that it would be a unique institute with the objective of carrying out clinical as well as basic research. A big hospital too would be attached to it. He would suggest to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research to make it totally autonomous. It would be a totally new set-up and not be a part of CCMB, Dr. Singh added.