Kerala will soon get an Advanced Virology Institute to address the frequent threats of infectious viral diseases, its early detection and rapid prevention besides carrying out research in the area.

An ambitious initiative of the state government, the 'Institute of Advanced Virology' (IAV) is being set up at the campus of KSIDC Life Science Park at Thonnakkal. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will announce the establishment of IAV and release the base document for the preparation of its detailed project report (DPR) at a function here tomorrow, an official statement said. He will also inaugurate a one-day International Virology Meet, to be attended by eminent virologists of the country and abroad, in the same function, it said.

Subhash Vasudevan, National University of Singapore, M G Sargadharan, University of Maryland, USA, Navin Khanna, International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology (ICGBE), New Delhi and Devendra Maurya, National Institute of Virology, Pune are among the experts, expected to take part in the Virology meet, the statement added. According to official sources, IAV is envisioned as a virology institute of global standards with most modern laboratories complying with high end international bio-safety levels in order to research, diagnose and manage the emerging and re-emerging infectious viral diseases, focussing on the Kerala scenario.

Kerala Biotechnology Commission (KBC) and Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) have been entrusted with the task of spearheading the establishment of the institute. The IAV is expected to be a reality by July 2018, sources added.