Chandigarh:Â The state of the art “Kidney diseases research laboratory” was inaugurated at the department of nephrology, PGIMER, by institute director Prof Vivek Lal. Prof H S Kohli, head of the department of nephrology and former faculty members of the department, Prof Vinay Sakhuja, Prof KL Gupta and Prof Vivekanand Jha were present on the occasion.
In addition to routine clinical investigations, the laboratory will also offer facilities for advanced diagnostics and research. A large bio-bank storing biological samples of patients with kidney diseases has been established. The department is home to the central bio-bank of the countrywide cohort of chronic kidney disease and various glomerular diseases. This has been made possible through numerous grants from the department of biotechnology, department of science and technology, Indian Council of Medical Research and grant-in-aid from PGIMER, Chandigarh.
The department is also host to the prestigious Indian Alliance (Department of biotechnology, Government of India and Wellcome Trust, UK) clinical and public health grants by way of which the department is establishing a network of various centres for clinical research. The department is the only place in India where a dedicated facility for measurement of kidney function (glomerular filtration rate) by plasma clearance of Iohexol has been established.
