First in Odisha, IMS and SUM Hospital sets up advanced in-house genomics laboratory

Bhubaneswar: The state’s first comprehensive in-house molecular diagnostics and genomics laboratory has been established at the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS) and SUM Hospital, marking a major milestone in advanced healthcare services in Odisha. 

The newly developed facility is equipped with advanced technologies, including next-generation sequencing (NGS), fluorescence in-situ hybridisation (FISH), cytogenetics, and other molecular diagnostic platforms. The laboratory aims to support the diagnosis, classification, and monitoring of cancers, haematological disorders, and genetic diseases.

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Speaking to TNIE, Dr Shivangi Harankhedkar, head of the department of Molecular Diagnostics and Genomics, said, “Genomic testing offers critical information for patients with leukaemia, lymphoma, myelodysplastic neoplasms and myeloproliferative disorders by helping establish diagnosis, predict disease outcome and identify mutations that could be targeted with specific therapies. Similar profiling also supports personalised treatment in cancers of the lung, breast, ovary, colon, pancreas, brain, thyroid and prostate.” 

The laboratory is equipped with advanced sequencing platforms, including the Ion GeneStudio S5 Plus, Illumina MiSeq i100, and Illumina NextSeq 2000, enabling targeted genetic testing as well as whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing.

The facility also includes PCR and real-time PCR systems, nucleic acid quality assessment equipment, FISH imaging technology, cytogenetic processing facilities, and Sanger sequencing capabilities.

Medical Superintendent Prof. (Dr.) Pusparaj Samantasinghar said the facility would reduce the time lost in transporting samples to distant laboratories while ensuring proper sample handling for accurate results. It will particularly benefit patients from remote areas of Odisha who previously had limited access to specialised genetic services, reports UNI.

Apart from patient care, the genomics laboratory will also serve as a centre for education and research by providing training opportunities for medical students, residents, and researchers in molecular diagnostics, sequencing technologies, cytogenetics, and genomic reporting.

The introduction of the laboratory is expected to strengthen precision medicine in the state by enabling doctors to provide more accurate diagnoses and personalised treatment plans based on patients’ genetic profiles.

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