In a landmark move to strengthen public health research and virology capabilities in North India, CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu today inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Council of Medical Research – National Institute of Virology (ICMR-NIV), Pune. The agreement formalizes cooperation between the two premier institutions in areas of diagnosis, outbreak investigation, biomedical research, biosafety, biosecurity, and public health sciences, with the aim of addressing emerging health challenges effectively.

Speaking at the occasion, Dr Zabeer Ahmed, Director of CSIR-IIIM Jammu, highlighted the significance of collaborative research in building robust public health systems and advancing scientific expertise in the region. “Partnerships like these are critical not just for research, but for ensuring rapid and coordinated responses to outbreaks that may impact communities,” he said.

Under the MoU, CSIR-IIIM will monitor local disease patterns and potential viral outbreaks, while coordinating with ICMR-NIV for testing, sample collection, and outbreak investigations. Both institutions will develop joint Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to guide investigations, facilitate data sharing, and ensure research findings are published collaboratively, enhancing transparency and scientific credibility. The agreement also paves the way for joint research projects in priority health areas, funded by national agencies including CSIR, ICMR, DBT, and DST, as well as external sources. Researchers, faculty, and students from both institutions will have access to each other’s state-of-the-art facilities, encouraging knowledge exchange and innovation in life sciences, virology, and allied disciplines. Academic and training initiatives are a core part of the collaboration. Faculty and student exchange programs, workshops, lectures, and symposia will allow participants to gain hands-on experience in epidemiology, clinical diagnostics, bioinformatics, biomedical sciences, environmental health, and other relevant areas.

Officials present from ICMR-NIV included Dr Naveen Kumar, Director, and Dr Qaiser Farooq Dar, Scientist-C and Office Incharge, North Zone, Jammu, while CSIR-IIIM Jammu was represented by Dr Zabeer Ahmed, Abdul Rahim, Dr Shashank Kr Singh, Dr Govind Yadav, and Dr Mir M Asrar.