The CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, a microbial institute under the Ministry of Science and Technology, organised a one-day symposium at Chandigarh on June 19, on the issue of the rise in drug resistant bacteria or super-bugs.

The symposium, titled 'Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): Need for a United Front' aims to develop new collaborative research networks for building multi-institutional projects with specific focus on the discovery of novel anti-bacterials, exploring policy measures and developing tools to tackle issues of AMR in India.

The conference was presided over by Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator V P Singh Badnore. The governor suggested that it was crucial that the scientific community, along with other public health stakeholders, work towards delivery of new solutions for bacterial drug resistance. The governor appreciated IMTECHs role in developing new drugs that can counter drug resistance bacteria.

He also stressed on the urgent need of Indian research and development institutions to deliver new solutions on the issues of AMR. Eminent scientist N K Ganguly, former DG, ICMR, Delhi, advised steps India must take to tackle the vital issue of AMR. Speaking on the occasion IMTECH Director Anil Koul said, "We are witnessing an alarming rise in the levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria linked to misuse of antibiotics in hospitals and general population. The rise of drug-resistant pathogens is a global challenge. The IMTECH is a key stakeholder in developing new drugs to tackle AMR."

He stressed that the IMTECH also has a national centre for Microbial Type Culture Collection and Gene Bank which has more than 30,000 unexplored microbial strains, that can serve as goldmine for discovery of new antibiotics, the way penicillin, streptomycin and other antibiotics were discovered in early 19th century.

The institute is also part of the Union Governments National Action Plan for antimicrobial resistance containment and aims to tackle issue of antimicrobial resistance via new research in drugs, vaccine and diagnostics. The IMTECH is entering into new collaborations for tackling drug resistant bacteria with international and national companies like Johnson & Johnson & Cadila Healthcare Ltd respectively, Koul informed.