About the Institute:
Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRI), Agamkuan, Patna is one of the permanent Institutes of Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi an autonomous body of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India. Its main thrust is research in different aspects of Visceral Leishmaniasis like Clinical, Vector biology and control, Immunological, Biochemical, Molecular biology, Pathological, Parasitological and Social.
The Institute started functioning primarily as a chest institute and the departments for the purpose created were as follow: i.e., Department of Clinical Medicine, Department of Pneumoconiosis, Department of Cardio Respiratory Physiology, Department of Radiology, Department of Pathology, Department of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry, Department of Pharmacology & Drug Research. When Kala-azar broke out in an epidemic form in Bihar in 1977, investigations on the disease were started of the affected area by the scientists of the Institute and tests in the laboratory were planned. Workshop on Kala-azar sponsored by W.H.O. and the Institute was organized in 1982 in which several national and international scientists working in the field of the disease participated. Later on, an attempt was made on study of Nutrition and Infectious Diseases.
The Clinical trial (Phase III) on Orally administered drug Miltefosine in children suffering from Visceral Leishmaniasis was successfully carried out for the first time in the institute under the aegis of WHO/TDR. Followed by this, a spate of clinical trials viz. phase IV miltefosine, Phase III and IV paromomycin, phase IIB sitamaquine, Combination therapies, dose-finding study of miltefosine in PKDL were undertaken. The departments were enriched with latest equipments i.e., fully automated random access clinical chemistry analyzer, semi automated auto analyzer, blood cell counter, ion selective analyzer, UV-spectrophotometer, flow cytometer, PCR equipment, etc. and uplifting of the Institute campus. to further upgrade the laboratories.
The Institute is continuously striving for quality research on diagnostic, treatment and control aspects of kala-azar apart from high-end basic research on disease pathogenesis and mechanism. The Institute has contributed significantly in operational research providing effective tools for surveillance, diagnosis, treatment and vector control under national kala-azar elimination programme. Besides this, the institute is contributing significantly in research and service towards HIV/AIDS through ICTC, ART, ART Plus, OST clinic. The other components include MDR/XDR laboratory, virology centre. The Institute is now of international repute for research and coming up as a research on tropical diseases through inception of Samrat Ashoka Tropical Disease Research Centre.
Vision:
To understand more about Leishmania biology, epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment and control.
To search for newer cost effective drugs against Kala-azar.
To study the host and parasite interaction responsible for disease progression, cell-cell interaction and protection against the disease by immunological, molecular biological & biochemical tools for designing vaccine.
To develop a national repository for sera and parasite and make it available to scientific community working on Leishmania.
To design and develop Leishmania vaccine
To explore vector bionomics and develop vector control strategies.
A center of excellence for research in leishmaniasis.
An opinion leader on leishmaniasis control policies
A core facility for training on leishmaniasis research and control
A nodal agency for advocacy for leishmaniasis control in India
A counseling agency for HIV in the State of Bihar
Mission:
The mission of RMRIMS, Patna is to provide technical support to the policy makers and implementers to combat the kala-azar disease at the ground level through conducting high quality research on diagnosis, treatment and control as well as capacity building to the different stakeholders. Besides Kala-azar, the Institute is rolling forward to broaden its research focus on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other tropical diseases and come forward as a centre of excellence on the land of Bihar.
RMRIMS is mandated by Indian Council of Medical Research to provide scientific understanding and technology needed to support the fight against leishmaniasis.
RMRIMS is committed in the Kala-azar elimination programme of Govt. of India by providing better research facilities, tools and technologies for diagnosis and improved treatment methods through various clinical trials and providing strategies for vector control and research.
RMRIMS strives for integrity, quality and relevance of its research by constantly improving its scientific activities through external peer review and extramural funding.
RMRIMS utilizes tools from clinical, biological and social sciences to understand the parasite, vector, patient and the programme associated with leishmaniasis.
RMRIMS recognizes its obligation to patients with leishmaniasis and promotes and practices the highest standard of patient care in the course of its research activities.
RMRIMS endeavors to provide excellent training programme to researchers, students in both basic and clinical sciences.
