Persistent Systems, the leading outsourced product development (OPD) services company, announced development of Virus Laboratory Information Management Software (VirusLIMS) for the National Institute of Virology (NIV), located in Pune. VirusLIMS is a secure web-based information management system which is designed to efficiently manage field and laboratory information for clinical and laboratory testing across the institute and related centres.

The VirusLIMS Software will enable NIV to efficiently manage constantly increasing sample inflow at the same time ensuring documentation of all phases of laboratory testing and reporting activities, aiding compliance with standards defined by agencies such as ICMR, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO. The software further provides the infrastructure for timely sharing of laboratory information outcome with health agencies -- which is crucial for effective response to outbreaks of infectious diseases.

"We are happy to be able to develop the VirusLIMS software for NIV which will facilitate accurate information flow and ensure that NIV is able to effectively respond to public health threats. Lifesciences is an exciting and important domain for Persistent Systems and this development is one of our achievements towards excellence," said Dr Anand Deshpande, chairman and managing director of Persistent Systems.

NIV Director Dr A C Mishra said that national labs like NIV are required to deal with large number of specimen inflow which increases in an outbreak situation and during surveillance studies. This makes it critical to have a robust information management system in place. The VirusLIMS software developed by Persistent Systems will provide the required infrastructure and will also enable NIV to capitalize on advances in information technology for managing clinical and laboratory testing across various centres.

NIV is involved in high quality applied and basic research in the area of epidemiology, molecular characterizations, vaccinology and prevention and control strategies of viruses of public health importance. Various disease specific groups at NIV are constantly working on tracking newer viruses and the spread of viruses involving extensive field and laboratory activities.