On the eve of the silver jubilee celebrations, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, had a surprise visitor and a curious learner. He was none other than Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. The Centre is celebrating its silver jubilee from November 24 to 29 with an address by the scientist-turned President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam on November 26. Naidu thought of taking a few lessons before the President arrives.

The Chief Minister, during his first ever visit to the Centre, spent almost three hours, going round the labs doing research, in what is called a peep into the world of genes. He was accompanied by some of the captains of the IT and Biotechnology. CCMB Director Lalji Singh gave a presentation to the Chief Minister on the amazing activities and took him around the new facilities added to the Centre.

CCMB had recently set up the country's first National Facility for Transgenic and Gene Knock-out Mice and Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) facility. The setting up of the two latest molecular biology techniques has opened up new vistas in the field of drug discovery and functional genomics. The new facilities would also help understand the disease profile, the causes, as also the development of new drugs, vaccines and procedures to prevent the outbreak of diseases.

Himself a visionary and one who wants to make Hyderabad the Biotech Capital of India, Naidu was all excited throughout the visit to the very center of genetics and molecular biology. Interacting with the scientists, Naidu enquired about the nature of research and the prospects of using it for the benefit and needs of the society and also the viability of commercializing the same.

Addressing the scientists, who were waiting in the open ground for more than three hours, the Chief Minister asked them to take CCMB to new heights with path-breaking innovations and discoveries. He wanted CCMB to be networked with all the universities and research institutions in the country. He also asked CCMB to organise workshops to focus greater attention on its achievements and how others can make use of the unique facility. The Chief Minister complimented the Director, the scientists and the staff for the excellent work and assured them full support. He also agreed to persuade the Union Government for additional financial assistance.

The Chief minister advised CCMB to take up research work on Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha medicines so that cost-effective and safe medicines could be provided to the poor.