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Major Breakthrough in Marine Biotechnology Boosts India’s Blue Economy Vision
Pooja Srivastava | Anytime News Network
Kochi: In a significant achievement for marine biotechnology and ocean research, ICAR–National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBFGR), Kochi, has successfully developed six new cell lines derived from mesopelagic and deep-sea fishes. The breakthrough has been achieved under the Government of India’s ambitious Deep Ocean Mission (DOM), implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
The programme was inaugurated by Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, who formally handed over the newly established cell lines to ICAR-NBFGR Director Dr. Kajal Chakraborty. The event was attended by several leading scientists, including Deep Ocean Mission Director Dr. M. V. Ramana Murthy, INCOIS Director Dr. T. M. Balakrishnan Nair, and CMLRE Director Dr. R. S. Maheshkumar.
According to Dr. Ravichandran, the initiative aligns with the broader objectives of the Deep Ocean Mission, which aims to strengthen India’s capabilities in the exploration, conservation, and sustainable use of deep-sea bioresources. He stated that the achievement would contribute significantly to the development of a resilient and sustainable blue economy.
Dr. Kajal Chakraborty described the development as a major milestone in India’s efforts to conserve genetic resources of deep-sea fishes and strengthen marine biotechnology research. He highlighted that deep-sea ecosystems remain largely unexplored and require extensive scientific attention for understanding biodiversity and genetic wealth.
During the programme, the newly established cell lines were formally deposited in the national repository of ICAR-NBFGR, and related scientific publications were also released. The event also witnessed the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between ICAR-NBFGR, INCOIS, CMLRE, and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) to promote collaborative marine research initiatives.
