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At the outset, let me extend a warm welcome to each one of you, specially one to the delegates who have come from overseas countries. I am indeed very happy to be associated with this inaugural function of the Research Coordination Meeting (RCM) of the IAEA’s Coordinated Research Programme (CRP) on “Development of Radio-Immunometric Assays (RIA) for Non-clinical Applications”.
I must compliment IAEA for their effort to extend the application of RIA techniques from its well established domain of clinical to non-clinical applications. As you are aware, Radio-Immunometric Assays (RIA) are attractive and versatile analytical tools for determination of a wide variety of molecules present in complex matrices in view of the high degree of specificity of the antigen antibody reaction. The other advantages include the high sensitivity offered by radioactivity measurement, simplicity of the technique, reliability and need for only modest equipment and facilities. In the past few years, immunoassays, which have already found tremendous application in clinical medicine for the estimation of a wide variety of molecules including protein hormones, thyroid hormones, fertility hormones, tumour markers and drugs, have traversed into non-clinical areas also such as food industry, environmental study, veterinary science, forensic investigations and pharmacognosy.
I understand that in the consultative meeting of IAEA held in September, 2000, IAEA has identified the non-clinical applications of RIA in three target areas viz., food technology, veterinary science and environmental study.
The group of molecules identified for the proposed CRP are myco toxines (for food applications), steroids (for veterinary science) and triazines (for environmental science) with the corresponding three typical analytes being aflatoxin-B1, progesterone and triazines respectively.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has aflatoxins as potent carcinogenic agents. Different countries have imposed limits on aflatoxin-B1 contamination in food and food products. It is, therefore, important to see if RIA can be a reliable analytical technique with high sample throughput for estimation of aflatoxin-B1.
Veterinary science is one of the early beneficiaries of the immunoassay techniques. For example, RIA technique can be very effectively used for cattle breeding programme by progesterone assay in milk .
Similarly, atrazine is the specific analyte that has been identified for RIA applications in environmental monitoring work.
I am happy that IAEA has chosen BARC, India, as the venue for the first RCM of the CRP related to the development of RIA technique for non-clinical applications. You might be aware, in addition to our prime mandate of power generation from nuclear fuel, the Department of Atomic Energy assigns high priority in application of nuclear science and technology in non-power generation area too for improving the quality of life of our people by way of our contributions in health care, agriculture and food preservation as well as industrial needs.
BARC, together with the sister organisation, the Board of Radiation & Isotope Technology (BRIT), has a long standing record in the field of radio-immunoassay. In fact, BARC is one of the institutions, which started the RIA programme very early, with the first RIA kit for measurement of insulin being introduced into the Indian market in the year 1976. This was followed by the introduction of several new kits, such as the kits for thyroid hormones, fertility hormones, etc.
In the context of this present CRP, I would like to mention that BARC has already made good progress in developing indigenous RIA for aflatoxin analysis of food products and RIA for measuring progesterone in milk for veterinary applications.
One of the prime reasons for BARC’s advances in the area of RIA applications has been its high priority for RIA training programme which was started as early as 1980.
With over a 1000 medical and para-medical personnel trained through 42 courses of RIA conducted by BARC, there are presently over 500 RIA laboratories in India. The RIA programme of BARC has subsequently matured through a strong tie-up with the IAEA’s RIA programme. BARC started accepting RIA trainees right from the early eighties.
At least 40 trainees from more than 15-20 countries have received training in RIA in India. In addition, one exclusive International Training Course on RIA for IAEA sponsored candidates was held in 1986 in Isotope Group, BARC, India.
With the expertise and resources available at BARC, I am sure our scientists would come up to the expectations of IAEA in their desire to extend the RIA technique from clinical to non-clinical areas.
With these few remarks, let me compliment IAEA once again for this CRP of high societal values and wish this RCM all success in finalising the road map for implementation of the proposed CRP with the help of various participating Member-States. I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my best wishes for a very happy stay at Mumbai on this occasion and a safe return to your respective countries with full professional satisfaction.
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