CCMB opens ancient DNA lab

A state-of-the-art ancient DNA laboratory was inaugurated at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) by M K Bhan, secretary, department of biotechnology, Government of India, today.

The laboratory was created by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

The DNA laboratory is the first of its kind in the sub-continent and is already actively pursuing projects in collaboration with reputed archaeologists and palaeontologists.

The laboratory is specially designed with positive pressure created by highly filtered air, an exclusive water supply, and ultra-violet irradiation to maintain it free of contamination. The molecular analysis is set up to very high sensitivities and is achieved by sophisticated equipment.

According to Lalji Singh, director of CCMB, the cost of total infrastructure was around Rs 4 crore and was put in place on an experimental basis for a three-year period.

One of the recent studies carried out in the newly established ancient DNA facility, was the skeletal remains found in Roopkund Lake situated in the eastern part of Chamoli district of Uttaranchal.

The high altitude lake of Roopkund also known as 'Mystery Lake' for its puzzling occurrence of several hundred human skeletons in the lake and in its vicinity. The lake remains frozen for almost 11 months in a year; when snow melts the skeletal-remains can be seen, at times with flesh attached.

Addressing a press conference after the inauguration, Bhan said, "The competition between various scientific agencies was putting a lot of pressure on each other. This needs to be curbed and all institutions and agencies need to work together."

Bhan further said that mentorship was not developed in many institutions which was why there were many administrative and academic problems which in turn was effecting progress in the area.

"There is also a need to market scientific studies as a career so that graduates and students could come into the field and continue research based studies," Bhan said.

According to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on June 21, between CCMB and the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI), for the study of DNA polymorphism from the ancient human skeletal remains dating back to 500-1000 BC, the broad objectives of these studies are to examine the nature and extent of genetic variation of ancient population in Indian sub-continent, to reconstruct evolutionary history of man in India using molecular evidences.

The study would also examine the genomic contribution of the ancient human population to the present day population of this sub-continent, to create a database pertaining to genomic-diversity of ancient populations of Indian sub-continent and to throw further light on the ancient migration, admixture and affinities of the ancient people of this sub-continent.