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The Hindu
a day ago
- Health
- The Hindu
ICMR sets up high performing computing facility to boost genomic surveillance and pandemic preparedness
Working to address limitations faced during the COVID-19 pandemic due to conventional computing infrastructure, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has now introduced its first high-performance computing facility at its National Institute of Virology (NIV) facility in Pune. The acquisition of the state-of-the-art computing cluster, named NAKSHATRA, comes soon after India reported a surge in COVID-19 cases, though the number of active cases have dipped marginally over the last two days. ICMR-NIV Pune director Naveen Kumar noted that several new pathogens and COVID variants are being reported. 'It's essential that we upgrade to stay ahead in enhancing public health research capacity,' he said. Genomic research upgrade Attributing the emergence of novel pathogens to increased globalisation, global warming, and deforestation, Dr. Kumar said that his centre has been doing extensive sequence analysis using multiple strains, which used to take weeks. 'Now with the upgrade we can do the same work in 24 to 48 hours. It has increased the capability of our country for genomic surveillance, which will help us in pandemic preparedness,' he said. The NAKSHATRA facility enables enhanced storage and optimises the pipeline for genomic research, which ensures better viral genomic surveillance capacity and national preparedness for any future pandemic. The facility supports faster analysis of complex genomic data, allowing scientists to detect new disease threats sooner, respond to outbreaks more efficiently, and accelerate AI-driven vaccine and drug development. Central data repository Developed under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PMABHIM), the facility forms the cornerstone of a new project, called the High Performance Computing Next Generation Sequencing Hub. The Pune facility will initially serve five ICMR institutes across the country, acting as a central repository for sequencing data. Sarah Cherian, group leader of the Bioinformatics and Data Management Group and principal investigator of the project, provided a comprehensive overview of the cluster's capabilities and its role in genomic research. She said that the computing cluster is tailored to support complex bioinformatics workflows, including next-generation sequencing, transcriptomics, phylogenetics, metagenomics, and structural bioinformatics. Genomic monitoring impact Already, NIV Pune has played a key role in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously significant genetic alterations in the virus had triggered the second and third wave and ongoing genomic monitoring and analysis helped in early detection of variants of interest and concern. 'This in turn had helped in paving the way for implementing the booster dose of vaccination for COVID,' the institute noted.
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
ICMR-NIV Pune inaugurates High Performance Computing facility to boost genomic research and pandemic preparedness
Pune: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Wednesday marked a significant milestone in advancing India's public health research capabilities with the inauguration of its first High Performance Computing (HPC) facility at the ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. The computing cluster named 'Nakshatra' was officially inaugurated by Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary of the Department of Health Research (DHR) and Director General of ICMR, according to an official statement from ICMR. "Developed under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM ABHIM), the HPC facility forms the cornerstone of a new project titled "High Performance Computing Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Hub". The initiative aims to revolutionize how genomic and bioinformatics data are processed, addressing limitations faced during the COVID-19 pandemic due to conventional computing infrastructure," the statement added. Addressing a gathering regarding the inauguration of the computing facility, the Director General of ICMR commended the institute for its timely and strategic step towards ' Viksit Bharat 2047 ' vision by strengthening the country's genomic surveillance and data analysis capacity. He highlighted how enhanced computing resources are crucial in preparing for technology-driven pandemic preparedness and future public health emergencies. Meanwhile, Director of ICMR-NIV, Dr Naveen Kumar, emphasised the critical role the HPC cluster will play in supporting rapid, data-driven responses to outbreaks. Dr Sarah Cherian, Group Leader of the Bioinformatics and Data Management Group and Principal Investigator of the project, provided a comprehensive overview of the cluster's capabilities and its role in genomic research . According to the official statement, the newly commissioned HPC cluster features twelve compute nodes offering a total of 700 cores and 1 petabyte of storage. "The infrastructure is tailored to support complex bioinformatics workflows, including next-generation sequencing (NGS), transcriptomics, phylogenetics, metagenomics, and structural bioinformatics. Initially, the facility will serve five ICMR institutes across the country, acting as a central repository for sequencing data and extending support to Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) soon, making the institute as a critical hub for outbreak investigations and pandemic preparedness, with the potential to accelerate AI-driven drug and vaccine discovery," the statement added. Highlighting the advantages of the HPC facility, ICMR highlighted how it is a "national investment in speed, precision, and preparedness." The statement mentioned, "By enabling faster analysis of complex genomic data, the facility positions India to detect new disease threats sooner, respond to outbreaks more efficiently, and accelerate AI-driven vaccine and drug development."
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Health
- India Gazette
ICMR-NIV Pune inaugurates High Performance Computing facility to boost genomic research and pandemic preparedness
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], June 18 (ANI): The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Wednesday marked a significant milestone in advancing India's public health research capabilities with the inauguration of its first High Performance Computing (HPC) facility at the ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. The computing cluster named 'Nakshatra' was officially inaugurated by Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary of the Department of Health Research (DHR) and Director General of ICMR, according to an official statement from ICMR. 'Developed under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM ABHIM), the HPC facility forms the cornerstone of a new project titled 'High Performance Computing Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Hub'. The initiative aims to revolutionize how genomic and bioinformatics data are processed, addressing limitations faced during the COVID-19 pandemic due to conventional computing infrastructure,' the statement added. Addressing a gathering regarding the inauguration of the computing facility, the Director General of ICMR commended the institute for its timely and strategic step towards 'Viksit Bharat 2047' vision by strengthening the country's genomic surveillance and data analysis capacity. He highlighted how enhanced computing resources are crucial in preparing for technology-driven pandemic preparedness and future public health emergencies. Meanwhile, Director of ICMR-NIV, Dr Naveen Kumar, emphasised the critical role the HPC cluster will play in supporting rapid, data-driven responses to outbreaks. Dr Sarah Cherian, Group Leader of the Bioinformatics and Data Management Group and Principal Investigator of the project, provided a comprehensive overview of the cluster's capabilities and its role in genomic research. According to the official statement, the newly commissioned HPC cluster features twelve compute nodes offering a total of 700 cores and 1 petabyte of storage. 'The infrastructure is tailored to support complex bioinformatics workflows, including next-generation sequencing (NGS), transcriptomics, phylogenetics, metagenomics, and structural bioinformatics. Initially, the facility will serve five ICMR institutes across the country, acting as a central repository for sequencing data and extending support to Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) soon, making the institute as a critical hub for outbreak investigations and pandemic preparedness, with the potential to accelerate AI-driven drug and vaccine discovery,' the statement added. Highlighting the advantages of the HPC facility, ICMR highlighted how it is a 'national investment in speed, precision, and preparedness.' The statement mentioned, 'By enabling faster analysis of complex genomic data, the facility positions India to detect new disease threats sooner, respond to outbreaks more efficiently, and accelerate AI-driven vaccine and drug development.' (ANI)
The Hindu
02-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
U.T. to accelerate implementation of Central health initiatives
The Health Department will devise strategies to scale up Measles-Rubella (MR) prophylaxis vaccination coverage, especially among vulnerable populations. This was among the key decisions taken at a video conference chaired recently by Union Health Minister JP Nadda with top officials from the Puducherry Government to review the implementation of crucial national health programs in the Union Territory of Puducherry. Emphasis was placed on strengthening surveillance systems and addressing any logistical challenges to achieve the goal of eliminating measles and rubella. The meeting also reviewed the progress of TB case detection, treatment adherence, and prevention efforts. The focus was on strategies to improve early diagnosis and ensure uninterrupted access to quality treatment. During the meeting, Mr. Nadda emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts between the central and state governments to ensure the successful implementation of these vital health programs. He reiterated the Centre's commitment to providing all necessary support to Puducherry in achieving its health goals. K. Lakshminarayanan, Public Works Minister, who stood in for Chief Minister N. Rangasamy who holds the health portfolio, said the UT was committed to achieve the targets set for these programmes in an accelerated manner, a press note said. The pace of implementation of the Pradhan Mantri - Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PMABHIM) aimed at strengthening healthcare infrastructure, was assessed. Discussions focused on the progress of infrastructure development projects and their impact on healthcare delivery. Jayanta Kumar Ray, Health Secretary, Vir Singh Negi, JIPMER Director, Health Director and S. Govindarajan, Mission Director of the National Health Mission (NHM) were among those who participated.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Delhi govt all set to open 33 Arogya Mandirs on May 31
The Delhi government is all set to inaugurate 33 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM) across the city on May 31, marking the first phase of a major expansion in primary health care services. Each of the Capital's 11 districts will get at least one of the new centres, with officials racing to complete all preparations at these sites by May 27. According to a list accessed by HT, there will be three centres each in central Delhi and New Delhi, four in south-east Delhi, four in west Delhi, six in south-west Delhi, and two each in north Delhi, north-east Delhi, Shahdara, and south Delhi. East Delhi and north-west Delhi will have one AAM each. Each AAM will have a staff of around 10 members, which will include medical officers, a pharmacist, auxiliary nurse midwives, a lab technician, a DOTS lab technician (for management of tuberculosis patients), a data entry operator, and a cleaner, officials said. HT on April 25 reported that the Delhi government had selected 70 locations for the initial roll-out of AAMs and had directed the public works department (PWD) to complete construction by the end of May. The broader plan, according to government officials aware of the matter sources, is to establish 1,139 such centres across the national capital over the next 12 months. Each assembly constituency is expected to have at least one AAM in this first phase. Speaking to the media, Delhi health minister Pankaj Singh said AAMs will provide primary health care services. 'With the implementation of both AB-PMJAY and PM ABHIM, the state will soon start construction of 1,139 AAMs, 11 integrated public health labs in 11 districts, and nine critical care hospital blocks,' he said. On Thursday, chief minister Rekha Gupta held a high-level review meeting with senior officials of the health and family welfare department and the PWD to review the progress of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), the Vaya Vandana Health Scheme, the Ayushman Arogya Mandir initiative, and various hospital infrastructure projects, said a government statement. Following the meeting, CM Gupta said under PMJAY, 295,237 beneficiaries have already registered, all of whom are entitled to receive free medical treatment of up to ₹10 lakh. She added that 123,242 senior citizens have been enrolled under the PM Vaya Vandana Yojana, and that instructions have been issued to ensure swift registration of remaining eligible beneficiaries. Gupta also noted that around 100 hospitals in Delhi are currently empanelled under these schemes. If a beneficiary requires treatment outside the capital, they will be able to avail of free treatment at any empanelled hospital across the country. Speaking about AAMs, Gupta reiterated that the Delhi government is working towards establishing 1,139 centres citywide. She said approximately 15 AAMs will be set up in each assembly constituency, offering citizens access to free, basic health care services. An additional 968 sites have already been identified for upcoming phases. The CM directed all district magistrates and chief district medical officers (CDMOs) to monitor ongoing work closely and ensure that construction and operational deadlines for new hospitals and upgrade projects are met. On May 17, HT reported that the chief minister assured protesting Mohalla Clinic staff that they would be absorbed into AAMs. Gupta made the assurance after dozens of doctors, paramedics, and other clinic workers gathered outside her office, seeking clarity on their future roles and protesting delays in salary payments. The CM had said that as the government begins to phase out Mohalla Clinics in areas where AAMs are being set up, existing staff would be offered employment in the new centres.
