IIT Delhi opens biosafety L-3 research facility

The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) has inaugurated a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) facility under its Central Research Facility (CRF), aiming to transform biomedical and clinical diagnostics research in the country. This marks the first such initiative among India’s premier educational institutions focused on developing diagnostic devices and therapeutics targeting class-3 pathogens.

“This research and testing facility will enable innovation in medical diagnostics and therapeutics, supporting IIT Delhi’s efforts to serve both academia and industry in the healthcare research domain. It will bring scientists and engineers together on a common platform to conduct cutting-edge research and open up several opportunities for collaborations with medical institutes in the NCR and across India,” said Prof. Arvind Nema.

Located within the Micromodel Complex, the facility would be available to researchers from academic institutions and industry on a paid basis, in line with CRF norms. It would offer short to medium term assisted access, making it advantageous for start-ups and MSMEs. These users would be able to bring in their hardware and personnel for testing and refinement, without needing to invest in dedicated infrastructure.

“We are proud to introduce a new dimension to the medical diagnostics ecosystem at IIT Delhi. Unlike other BSL-3 facilities in India, this is the first to allow users to take their medical devices inside the unit and test them under the supervision of trained professionals with expertise in handling class-3 pathogens,” said Prof. Sandeep K. Jha.

“This will allow hardware and software engineers to debug and fine-tune their diagnostic platforms within the facility,” he added.