About Animal Biotechnology Division
Biotechnological tools offer an opportunity for tremendous savings and expansion of livestock production for global food security through development of newer and economic means of producing effective and safe vaccines and diagnostics. Realizing the great potential of biotechnology in rapid improvement of animal health and production, the National Biotechnology Centre (NBC) was established at IVRI during VII plan by ICAR in collaboration with Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India and UNDP/FAO in the year 1986 with the emphasis on post-graduate education and training in biotechnology and conducting research in identified areas of immunobiotechnology. It received funds from various sources, e.g., ICAR/IVRI, UNDP/FAO, INDO-US, ILTP (INDO-USSR), ODA (INDO-SWISS), Indo-UK for creating adequate infrastructural facilities to undertake research in frontier areas of animal biotechnology such as genetic engineering, hybridoma technology, peptide synthesis, protein engineering, etc.
In recognition of the contributions made by this centre, ICAR conferred the status of the Centre of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Animal Biotechnology. Later, the National Biotechnology Centre was identified as Centre of Excellence in Veterinary Biotechnology by ICAR under the National Agriculture Technology Programme (NATP) funded by World Bank. It was then designated as Division of Animal Biotechnology after merging Immunology Section in it.