Ministries & Departments

National AIDS Research Institute (NARI), Pune

National AIDS Research Institute (NARI) aims to build a research capability of distinction to face the challenge of growing HIV/AIDS in India. Objectives of NARI include prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, treatment and care for HIV infected, generating new information on HIV biology in context with Indian epidemic, and conducting research complementing needs of national AIDS control programme. The NARI targets to achieve control of HIV spread and to provide care to HIV infected population (Care, Treatment & Vaccine) and strives for the achievement of zero new infections, zero deaths and zero discrimination towards AIDS patients. The NARI is working in direction to establish research initiatives that have an interface with intervention and policy development to prevent and control the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Research Areas: Medical Sciences

Ministries: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Govt of India

Contact Name: Dr. Samiran Panda,Director & Scientist G

Contact Address: National AIDS Research Institute (NARI), 73, G-Block, MIDC, Bhosari, P/O box no. 1895, Pune, Maharashtra 411026

Contact Phone: 91 020 27331200, 27121071

Email:

Fax: 020-2712 1071

State: Maharashtra

Output & Achievements

  • 1. Publications (34), Annual Reports (03). 2. Institute has got local, regional, national and institutional collaborations. 3. Research Projects: Completed (23), ongoing (39) and project reports (1). 4. Establishing A Cohort Of HIV Sero-negative Persons: NARI established a cohort of patients attending STD clinics and through their long term follow up collected very important information on the factors that are associated with the spread of HIV, the rate at which HIV infection is increasing in this group (Incidence) and the role of associated disease such as Herpes simplex virus 2, syphillis etc. 5. Clinical Trial for HIV Vaccines: NARI conducted India's first HIV vaccine trial. Phase one trial of HIV-1 subtype C based Adeno Associated Virus (AAV) vector based vaccine. This was followed by second Vaccine trial involving DNA vaccine (ADVAX) priming followed by Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vector based vaccine as a boost in a Phase I safety and immunogenicity trial. Through these trials NARI has established a world class facility to undertake vaccine trials. 6. Clinical Trial Unit: NARI has established a capacity to carry out clinical trials for anti-HIV drugs under international regulatory requirements. The Centre has undertaken clinical trials on the treatment of HIV patients with tuberculosis and demonstrated that early treatment is beneficial. The centre also provides treatment to more than 3000 HIV infected persons through National ARV roll out programme. 7. Studies on Women Controlled Methods for Preventions of HIV. 8. Integrated Behavioural and Biological Assessment Survey: NARI along with six sister Institutes completed a bio-behavioural survey in six high HIV prevalent states and four Highway segment to collect data on seven behavioural and 184 behavioural parameters. Data from more than 25000 respondents at risk for HIV infection was collected in two rounds for assessing the impact of one of the largest intervention programme for prevention of HIV infection among sex workers, men having sex with men, intra-venous drug users and long distance truck drivers. 9. Assistance to National Programme: NARI as the Apex laboratory provides proficiency testing programme for HIV serology and CD4 counts to over 300 CD4 testing laboratories and 8000 serological testing laboratories. NARI contributes to capacity building through training and technical assistance. 10. Community Programme: A robust community programme has helped in reaching out community, address community concerns in the research carried out by the Institute, adding community perspective for research programme and community participation in research. 11. WHO Collaborating centre for HIV diagnosis and monitoring of anti-retroviral treatment. 12. HIV Virus Repository: NARI has established a virus repository with over 120 virus strains that are characterized and are available for scientists for the research purpose. NARI also has carried out full length sequencing of over 90 Indian HIV virus strains. 13. Establishment Of the national facility for screening of new entities for anti-HIV activity in vitro. 14. HIV drug resistance genotyping laboratory: This was the first laboratory in South East Asia that has been accredited by WHO for carrying out HIV drug resistance genotyping. The laboratory is or carrying out HIV-1 genotyping for NIH sponsored networks. The laboratory has developed a cheaper alternative for HIV genotyping using both plasma and dried blood spot samples. 15. Training activities at NARI. 16. Publication: NARI Bulletin: NARI publishes a quarterly bulletin that carries review articles on topical issues, information on Institute’s activities and publications, commentaries etc. The bulleting is aimed at disseminating NARI research results, update information on multifaceted disease AIDS and reaching out to policy makers, academicians, programme managers and general public. 17. Clinics: 1. National AIDS Control Organization Supported-NARI-PMC Clinical Care and Research Centre, Clinic at National Institute of Virology and Clinic at Gadikhana Dispensary.

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