Manipal Academy of Higher Education secures BSL-3 lab certification, boosting high-containment research capacity

New Delhi: Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE),  an Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University, proudly announces the successful certification of its Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) Laboratory by Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, marking a significant milestone in the MAHE’s sustained commitment to excellence in biomedical research, infectious disease preparedness, and global health security.

This achievement substantially enhances MAHE’s research, diagnostic, and training capabilities.

The certification underscores MAHE’s adherence to internationally accepted biosafety and biosecurity standards and reflects its unwavering commitment to the highest levels of laboratory safety and scientific integrity. With this milestone, MAHE further consolidates its position as a leading centre for advanced research, diagnostics, and capacity building in infectious diseases.

The newly certified facility is equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and advanced biosafety engineering. It features specialised containment architecture, negative pressure environments with directional airflow, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration systems, secure access controls, and stringent operational protocols. The certification process involved a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation encompassing laboratory design, engineering controls, biosafety management systems, standard operating procedures, personnel training and competency, and emergency preparedness.

The establishment and certification of this advanced facility were accomplished under the leadership of Dr Chiranjay Mukhopadhyay, Director, Manipal Institute of Virology (MIV), Manipal, with strong collaborative support from Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MCOPS), Manipal School of Life Sciences (MSLS), and Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), Manipal. The facility will serve as a dynamic platform for interdisciplinary collaboration among microbiologists, virologists, clinicians, epidemiologists, and public health experts. In addition to enabling cutting-edge research, it will play a vital role in strengthening national and regional preparedness by offering specialised training in biosafety practices, high-containment laboratory operations, and outbreak response strategies.

Dr H S Ballal, Pro Chancellor, MAHE, said, “The certification of the BSL-3 laboratory is a proud and defining moment for MAHE. It reflects our unwavering commitment to scientific excellence, innovation, and public health. Notably, this is among the first stand-alone, state-of-the-art BSL-3 facilities within a premier private university in India, poised to serve the nation at a broader level and contribute to the national BSL-3 consortium in the future.”

Lt. Gen. (Dr) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, VSM (Retd.) MAHE stated, “This advanced facility will empower our researchers to undertake critical studies on airborne and high-risk pathogens and to conduct critical work such as pathogen isolation, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, molecular diagnostics, vaccine and drug development, host–pathogen interaction studies, aerosol transmission research, and evaluation of biosafety protocols. It reinforces MAHE’s commitment to scientific excellence, innovation, and public health, while strengthening India’s biomedical research ecosystem and contributing to global infectious disease preparedness.”

Dr Sharath K Rao, Pro Vice Chancellor, Health Sciences, MAHE, added, “This facility will foster high-quality, multi-institutional and multidisciplinary research, and is poised to emerge as a centre of excellence for advanced infectious disease research in southern India.”

With this achievement, MAHE joins a select group of institutions in India equipped with certified BSL-3 laboratories, further reinforcing its leadership in biomedical innovation, infectious disease research, and global health security.