We have transferred a host of products such as diagnostic test prototypes for pregnancy detection, typhoid, HIV and Streptococcus A to the domestic industries. Among the patents received by NII are the US patents for a novel method for activation of immune effecter mechanisms against tumours and infections and on the said insights into the control of baculovirus and gene expression. Other areas where NII has expertise include structure-based molecular designing concepts and combinatorial chemistry. To study the interactions between substances with large molecular structures such as antibodies and antigens, our team on structure -based designing led by Dr Dinakar Salunke, is looking at whether small molecules could do the job in a cost effective way. The results have been good and this finding is expected to lead to significant reduction in the cost of developing peptides and other large molecules.
Studies are on in other grey areas like the survival methods of an infection agent in the body.
I am of the view that genetic competence will take more time than what one is tended to believe because of the current hype. There is a dearth of competent people in India at present. I am still a little wary on predicting about the investments in these areas in the country, though some leading corporates have apparently shown some interests. In India, research in bio-informatics India should have begun ten years ago considering the rich computational talent we possessed. Recombinant proteins are estimated to have huge commercial as well as therapeutic prospects in India.