The laboratory research wing of Bangalore-based National Tuberculosis Institute (NTI) has been upgraded to a bio-safety level-3. The facility, which is expected to be commissioned in three weeks, will ensure that there is no chance of the institute's staff contracting the disease.

The institute already boasts there has been no case of any of its staff members contracting the disease since 1959, when the institute was set up.

The institute would not divulge details of the cost involved in the upgradation. Sources at NTI told Pharmabiz that as a government of India-funded institute, its financial requirements have been easily taken care of.

The state-of-the-art lab, which also has a modern animal research centre, has completed its technical certification and is now under test run.

The lab is currently engaged in a phase II clinical trial for tuberculosis DNA vaccine in a joint venture with the Indian Institute of Science. It is recognised as a national reference facility and is a premier research centre supporting the state governments to conduct research on the culture and sensitivity factor of the disease. In addition, it is also conducting a TB drug resistance surveillance.

The institute's research activities include an in-depth assessment on the epidemiological viability of the revised national TB control programme DOTS (directly observed treatment short-course).

Recently, the Institute conducted a survey to assess the status on the occurrence of tuberculosis in the country. The findings of the survey have been submitted to the government of India, which is an indicator of the effectiveness of the revised national TB control programme.

The Institute has collaborated with the World Health Organisation (WHO) for regular training programmes. For the government of India, NTI is the technical arm for the training, research, monitoring and consultancy for the control of tuberculosis.