Greater Noida: The Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Greater Noida will establish the first genome sequencing laboratory in the West to study the Coronavirus variant.
The state government has gave sanctions RS 2 Crore for facilities that tend to operate in October this year.
According to officials, the tender process to get equipment for the laboratory will begin this month.
At present, samples from NCR cities are sent to the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) in Delhi for genome sequencing.
Uttar Pradesh has two such laboratories in King George’s Medical College and University (KGMU) and the other at the Central Narcotics Research Institute (CDRI), both in Lucknow.
“The state government has cleaned Rs 2 Crore to establish a lab in GIMS.
This will be the first facility in NCR and Western.
The country has two sequence and CDRI laboratories, Lucknow, is a central government institution.
The GIMS lab will have modern equipment.
Two facilities at The state has old equipment and can handle a number of samples is limited.
We will begin the tender process for the GIMS lab in seven-10 days and we hope it becomes operational in October this year, “said Brigadier (RTD) Dr.
RK GIms, Director, GIMS.
Currently the sample of the GIMS, which serves Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hapur, and Saharanpur among other places sent to IGIB in Delhi, which is the Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research Council (CSIR).
Usually, reports take about two months.
After the GIMS lab becomes operational, the test results can be available within seven to 12 days.
Dr.
Vivek Gupta, a partner professor in the pathology department and is also responsible for molecular diagnostics and research laboratories, GIMS, said: “The lab in Kgmu has a 16 capillary sequencer, which is an older model.
We will have the next generation and surrounding sequencing machine 100 samples can be tested in the lab while traveling.
“Sequencing genomes help identify the type of Coronavirus variant possessed by the patient.
In June, Gims had sent 199 samples from Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hapur and Saharanpur and other places for IGIB in Delhi for the genome sequencing.
Of the 137 samples found to have a Delta variant.
While 59 of these samples came from Ghaziabad, 56 from Hapur and 23 came from the Gautam District of Budh Nagar.
The Delta Plus variant was not found in this sample, officials said.