VACCINE RESEARCH CENTRE-VIRAL VACCINES
CENTRE FOR ANIMAL HEALTH STUDIES, TANUVAS, CHENNAI -51

Vaccine Research Centre – Viral Vaccines was started on 10th October 1983 for conducting research on Vaccine development for important and emerging viral diseases affecting livestock and poultry. It is funded by Government of Tamilnadu and is located at the Centre for Animal Health Studies, TANUVAS, Madhavaram Milk Colony Campus, Chennai – 51.

Objectives

• Development of cost effective vaccines to cater the needs of farmers and livestock breeders
• To improve the quality of existing vaccines
• Development of field level diagnostic kits for rapid identification of causative agent
• Development of conventional vaccines for the control of emerging poultry diseases
• Establishment of centre of Excellence in vaccinology

LABORATORY FACILITIES AVAILABLE AT VACCINE RESEARCH CENTRE - VIRAL VACCINES

• The Cell Culture Laboratory is being utilized for the cultivation of virus and for development of vaccines for important poultry and livestock diseases.
• The Serology Laboratory facilitates the sero monitoring and sero diagnosis of important poultry and livestock diseases.
• The Molecular Virology Laboratory facilitates the molecular characterization of vaccine and field viruses and also the molecular epidemiological studies of the viruses.
• The Shrimp Disease Diagnosis Laboratory is being utilized for the detection of viral diseases of shrimp such as Whitespot Syndrome virus, Monodon baculo virus and Hepatopancreatic parvovirus by PCR
  

ONGOING RESEARCH SCHEMES

Externally funded schemes

• ICAR funded, “All India Net Work Programme on bluetongue” TANUVAS Centre
• DBT Scheme on, “Development of Molecular and immunodiagnostic kits for Hepatopancreatic parvovirus (HPV) in shrimp

Self-financing scheme

• Shrimp disease diagnosis laboratory

Training

• Training on Animal Tissue Culture to life science undergraduate students, postgraduate students and faculty members of Universities at the cost of Rs.5000/- per candidates for 10 days duration and Rs.7,500/- per candidate for 21 days duration, will be given on need basis.
• Training programmes on Basic Virological techniques to field Veterinary Assistant Surgeons and Postgraduate Life Science Students on need basis.
• As a part of Internship training programme, students of both Madras Veterinary College, Chennai and Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal are explained about the biologicals products developed by VRC-VV and its activities.

UTILIZATION OF LAB FACILITIES FOR PROJECT WORK
Several Life Science Postgraduate students of various Universities are utilizing the facilities of this unit to complete their Project work.
PATENTS PUBLISHED
Patency filed by TANUVAS for “Inactivated multivalent bluetongue vaccine” was published on 25.01.2008.
Development of primers for the detection of Hepatopancreatic parvovirus (HPV) in shrimp by Polymerase Chain Reaction was published in the patent bulletin on 21st August 2007

PATENTS FILED
PCR primers for detection of WSSV in shrimp

TECHNOLOGY RELEASED

• Inactivated multivalent bluetongue virus vaccine.
• Hydropericardium syndrome Agar gel Immunodiffusion test kit.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based primers for the detection of White spot syndrome virus in shrimp.
• Development of Nested PCR based diagnostic kit for the detection of HPV in shrimp

VACCINES DEVELOPED AT VACCINE RESEARCH CENTRE - VIRAL VACCINES

• Inactivated Infectious Bursal Disease Virus Vaccine.
• Inactivated Hydropericardium Syndrome Vaccine.
• Inactivated Ranikhet Disease Virus Vaccine.
• Adjuvant for Ranikhet disease virus live vaccine.
• Inactivated multivalent bluetongue virus vaccine.
• Live attenuated vaccine for contagious ecthyma.

DIAGNOSTIC KITS DEVELOPED AT VACCINE RESEARCH CENTRE - VIRAL VACCINES

• Infectious bursal disease Agar gel immunodiffusion test kit
• Ranikhet disease virus haemagglutination inhibition test kit
• Bluetongue disease virus agar gel immunodiffusion test kit.
• Hydropericardium syndrome Agar gel Immunodiffusion test kit.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based diagnostic kit for the detection of White spot syndrome virus in shrimp.
• Nested PCR based diagnostic kit for the detection of HPV in shrimp.

RESEARCH SCHEMES COMPLETED
Externally funded schemes

1. Antigenic, pathogenic and molecular characterization of field isolates of infectious bursal disease virus – Indian Council of Agricultural Research
2. Molecular characterization of polypeptides of Rinderpest and PPR viruses - Board of Research on Nuclear Sciences, Government of India
3. Development of a Homologous vaccine for Peste des petits ruminants – National project on Rinderpest Eradication.
4. Development of a Homologous vaccine for Contagious Ecthyma - Indian Council of Agricultural Research
5. Collaborate Project on Development of efficacious inactivated Newcastle Disease Virus Vaccine - Seppic Company and Its Indian affiliate Yasham Bioscience Pvt. Ltd.,

Government of Tamil Nadu schemes

1. Development of bluetongue vaccine for sheep
2. Scheme on Strengthening the Vaccine Research Centre – Viral Vaccines for Molecular Epidemiology
3. Development of Bluetongue diagnostic kit
4. Simultaneous antibody screening to three major Poultry diseases
5. Assessment of Physical and Microbiological score for evolving standards for Chick Quality
6. Studies on Chicken Anaemia virus
7. Development of cell culture based vaccine for sheep pox

Self-financing scheme

Production and supply of biologicals, diagnostic reagents and for diagnostic services

Faculty

Dr. K. Saravanabava, Professor and Head
Dr. Y. Krishnamohan Reddy, Professor
Dr. A. Ramesh, Assistant Professor (SS)
Dr. V.S. Vadivoo, Assistant Professor
Dr. A. Uma, Assistant Professor (SS)