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| Established | 1952; 74 years ago (1952) |
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| Director | Dr. Naveen Kumar |
| Budget | ₹950 crore (US$110 million) (2021-2022)[1] |
| Location | Pune,Maharashtra, India |
| Website | https://niv.icmr.org.in/ |
TheNational Institute of Virology inPune, India is an Indianvirologyresearch institute and part of theIndian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).[2] It was previously known as 'Virus Research Centre' and was founded in collaboration with theRockefeller Foundation. It has been designated as aWHO H5 reference laboratory forSE Asia region.[3]
The Virus Research Centre (VRC),Pune came into existence in 1952 under the joint auspices of theICMR and theRockefeller Foundation, as a part of the global programme of investigations on thearthropod-borne group ofviruses.[4] In view of its expanded scope and activities, the VRC was re-designated as the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in 1978.[4]
TheNIV is identified today as theWHO Collaborating Centres forarboviruses reference andhemorrhagic fever reference and research. NIV is also the National Monitoring Centre forInfluenza,Japanese encephalitis,Rota,Measles,Hepatitis andCoronavirus.[4]
The National Institute of Virology is one of the majorInstitutes of theIndian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).[4] It was established atPune,Maharashtra,India in 1952 as Virus Research Centre (VRC) under the auspices of theICMR and theRockefeller Foundation (RF), USA.[4] It was an outcome of the global programme of the RF for investigating the Arthropod Borne viruses. Since the studies on arboviruses and their arthropod vectors involve most of the basic principles and techniques of generalvirology,entomology andzoology, these viruses were also considered to be an ideal group, to begin with, for intensive training and research invirology. The RF withdrew its support in 1967 and since then the institute has been funded by theICMR.[4]
The institute was designated as one of the collaborating laboratories of theWorld Health Organization (WHO) in 1967 and it started functioning as the regional centre of the WHO for South-East Asia for arbovirus studies from 1969. Since 1974, it has been functioning as a WHO collaborating centre forarbovirus reference and research. In 1995 it has been redesignated as the WHO Collaborating Centre forArbovirus and Haemorrhagic Fever Reference and Research and Rapid Diagnosis of Viral Diseases.[4]
NIV is also the National Centre forHepatitis andInfluenza.It has outstations in Bangalore, Kerala and Mumbai. The field unit of NIV atBengaluru is one of the centres underNational Polio Surveillance Programme conductingsurveillance of acute flaccidparalysis cases fromKarnataka as a part of Global Polio Eradication Programme of the WHO South-East Asia region since 1997. World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research onArboviruses,Influenza andMeasles as well as National Reference Centre forHepatitis,Avian Influenza and emerginginfectious diseases.[4]
The institute conducts an M.Sc. inVirology and aPhD course, under the aegis of theSavitribai Phule Pune University, Pune.[5]
Research areas include Cell repository, Electron microscopy,Rickettsioses,Hepatitis,Influenza and related viruses, Clinical virology,Biochemistry, Virus registry, andBiostatistics. The research activities of the Institute are coordinated by aScientific Advisory Committee (SAC).[citation needed]
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On the recommendation of the SAC, the VRC acquired its status ofnational importance and was renamed as the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in 1978. Subsequently, studies onAcquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS),Rotavirusgastroenteritis, acutehaemorrhagicconjunctivitis,Rabies,Herpes simplex,Buffalo pox,Measles, andPoliomyelitis were also initiated.
A Microbial Containment Complex (MCC) having P-3biosafety levels for handlingmicroorganisms of highly infectious nature is being established at Pashan, 11km off the main laboratory atPune. Thelaboratory will provide a NationalContainment facility for the safe handling ofhazardouspathogens.
Landmark achievements
Thrust Areas in viral diseases of public health importance
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