Thrust Areas
The major thrust of research programmes of the Institute is on Leprosy, Tuberculosis and HIV infection.

LEPROSY

The main focus of the research of the Institute is on Leprosy which covers several themes such as:

• Understanding the disease better using electrophysiological, immunological, molecular and electro-microscopic tools.
• Developing better tecnologies for diagnosis using immunological, molecular and in-situ techniques.
• Viability determinations using mouse foot-pad, ATP and molecular methods.
• Studies on drug resistance using molecular methods.
• Studies on transmission using epidemiological and molecular approaches.
• Improvising Treatment regimens and surgical methods.
• Studies on drug metabolism, disposition and kinetics.

TUBERCULOSIS AND OTHER MYCOBACTERIAL INFECTIONS

The research in tuberculosis and other related mycobacterial infections aims at :

• Development and application of techniques for DNA fingerprinting.
• Studies on drug resistance using conventional and molecular (probes, microarray) methods.

HIV INFECTION / AIDS

Besides serving as a surveillance centre for several years the Institute is now focussing on :

• Studies on the relationship between HIV and TB and HIV and Leprosy.
• Studies on the clinical course of disease.

(B) PATIENT CARE

Since this Institute is involved in clinical and therapeutic research, it is essential to provide good quality patient care. Patient care activities have, therefore, been quite significant.

• About 30,000 patients attend the OPD of the Institute every year.
• Among these 8,000 to 10,000 are new patients of leprosy and related diseases. Of these new patients nearly 50% suffer from leprosy, who are registered and treated in our hospital.
• OPD treatment, in-patient treatment and surgical treatments are given free of cost.

(C) HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Besides research and treatment activities, the Institute also actively participates in human resource development by :

• Imparting training to medical officers and other categories of leprosy workers.
• Guiding MD, MS, MVSc and PhD students.
• Imparting specialized training to scientific personnel in recent immunological and molecular biological technologies.
• Participating in various multi-centric National and International collaborative programmes.
• Conducting postgraduate courses in Life Science Disciplines of Biotechnology, Biochemistry and Microbiology.