HIV DRUG RESISTANCE

The HIV Drug Resistance Laboratory at ICMR- NARI is a state of the art laboratory for analyzing the HIV drug resistance genotyping. This is the only national laboratory designated by World Health Organization (WHO) for in-house tests using Dried Blood Spot specimens in India. The laboratory has been providing key support to various countries in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) for drug resistance genotyping and capacity building. Phylogenetic analysis is an additional strength of the laboratory. Development of new methods as well as evaluating the new testing platforms to support the national program activities has also been part of the laboratory agenda.

Key achievements:

• The first ever national HIV Drug Resistance survey of India
• Provided support for capacity building and HIVDR genotyping to Myanmar, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.