Why is it in the news?
→ Foundation stone laid in Gandhinagar, Gujarat for India’s first state-funded BSL-4 laboratory.
→ Strengthens national biosecurity and outbreak preparedness.
Category: S&T
Important Points
- BSL-4 is the highest biosafety level for highly infectious, deadly pathogens.
- The facility enables research on Ebola, Nipah, Marburg, CCHF, and Kyasanur Forest Disease.
- It will be India’s second civilian BSL-4 lab.
- Developed under Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission; operated by Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (decoded SARS-CoV-2 genome).
- The complex includes BSL-4, BSL-3, BSL-2, ABSL-4 and ABSL-3 modules.
- ABSL-4 enables animal testing and vaccine research.
- DBT signed a MoU declaring it a national facility.
- Existing labs: Civilian BSL-4 at NIV Pune; Defence BSL-4 at DRDO Gwalior.
- India has 154 BSL-2 labs and 11 BSL-3 labs (VRDL network, March 2025).
- Reduces dependence on ICAR-NIHSAD Bhopal for animal samples.
- Supports vaccine/therapeutic development and real-time outbreak response.