Karnataka - Mysore   

State-of-the-art lab to be opened today

Staff Correspondent

NEW FACILITY: The DNA laboratory that will be inaugurated in Mysore on Wednesday. — Photo: M.A. Sriram

MYSORE: A state-of-the-art DNA laboratory set up by the Anthropological Survey of India will be inaugurated here on Wednesday.

The laboratory, housed in the Anthropological Survey of India's Southern Regional Centre, "Manav Bhavan," is reckoned to be one of the best-equipped molecular anthropology laboratories. It supports a variety of applications including forensic DNA profiling, paternity testing and conservation genetics.

Bench space for 25

The DNA laboratory has bench space for 25 researchers at a time. "The laboratory is flexible enough to accommodate seven to eight more researchers," said a press statement issued by Suresh Patil, head of the Southern Regional Centre.

The laboratory, which will aid anthropological research in the country, is fully equipped to support almost all applications of DNA analysis such as high-performance genotyping for micro-satellite and single nucleotide polymorphism, mutation analysis and sequence formation for mutagenesis or clone construct confirmation studies. The laboratory will also aid studies in population genetic analysis, phylogeographic and phylogenetic analysis, disease genomics and so on.

Hi-tech equipment

It is equipped with high throughput, automated DNA analysis systems for DNA sequencing and fragment analysis, seven thermocyclers for DNA amplification and all the state-of-the-art ancillary equipment required for DNA extraction, typing, sequencing, quantification and other types of analyses, the statement said.

Neena Rajan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, New Delhi, will inaugurate the laboratory. She will also release the course material of the International School of Anthropology set up by the Anthropological Survey of India at its Mysore centre.

Courses in anthropology

The International School of Anthropology proposes to organise training courses in anthropology and allied disciplines to cater for the needs of officials of the administrative services, managers in the information technology and business process outsourcing sectors, teachers and students.

The school's first course in "Indigenous knowledge for sustainable forest management" will be held in March-April 2006.

K. Sudha Rao, Vice-Chancellor, Karnataka State Open University, will preside over the function while B. Basappa, Chief Conservator of Forests and Director, Forest Research and Training Institute, will be the guest of honour on the occasion.

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