Academics / Courses Conducted
Ph.D degree: Department of Neurovirology has a Ph.D program since 1990. To date, 20 students have successfully completed their Ph.D program in the department while currently 4 students are pursuing their doctoral degree.
The department also has an international Ph.D student under the dual Ph.D program with the University of Liverpool, UK.
Post-doctoral fellowship in Neuroinfections: Since 2012, the department is offering a one-year post-doctoral fellowship in neuroinfections for MD Microbiology post-graduates in partnership with Department of Neuromicrobiology, NIMHANS. To date, 3 candidates have completed the PDF.
Short-term training for MD Microbiology students: The department regularly conducts one-month training programs, twice a year (February and August) for M.D Microbiology students from medical colleges across the state. The program is focused on training in principles of diagnostic virology, immunology of CNS viral infections and research, with several lectures on theoretical as well as practical aspects. The course offers demonstration of several common and advanced methods for diagnosis of viral infections of the CNS. Impetus is also given on exposure to research methods during this course.
Short-term training for M.Sc and BE Biotechnology students: The department is also involved in research training of post-graduate students in life sciences as well engineering students of biotechnology from various universities across the country. These students are offered short-term research projects using state-of-the-art applications and encouraged to take part in regular academic activities of the department.
Industry-Academia interactions: Since 1994, the department is actively engaged in close interactions with industry partners for development of indigenous diagnostics. To date the department has actively contributed to the development and commercialization of 3 indigenous ELISA kits for diagnosis of Cysticercus cellulosae, HIV and JEV infection. In addition, the department has interacted with a number of diagnostics and vaccine manufacturing industries for evaluation of the products developed.
Technical expertise: The faculty of the department have served as technical experts/advisors to several international and national agencies, especially the World Health Organisation, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Biotechnology, Department of Science and Technology, National AIDS Control Organisation and National Vector Borne Disease Control Program.
One of the major activities of the department has been development of guidelines / manuals for international and national agencies. In particular, the faculty of the department have contributed to the development of WHO guidelines on rabies, HIV testing, CD4 testing, establishment of virology laboratories in developing countries, establishment of PCR laboratories in developing countries and use of cell culture in virology laboratories.
The faculty of the department have also served as experts for training staff in WHO-SEARO member countries and contributed to the development of strategic / operational plans for strengthening laboratories in these countries.
Patents and publications
The research carried out in the department has resulted in 2 international patents. The department has an excellent record of accomplishment of publications in peer-reviewed international and national journals over the past thirty years.