NAKSHATRA-ICMR’s first high-performance computing facility

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has launched its first high-performance computing facility, named NAKSHATRA, at its National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. This state-of-the-art computing cluster aims to significantly bolster India’s genomic research and pandemic preparedness capabilities.

Key highlights:

• Location: The facility is established at ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune.
• Timing: Its acquisition comes shortly after a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in India, emphasizing its timely relevance.
• Capabilities of NAKSHATRA:
  • Enables enhanced storage for genomic data.
  • Optimizes the pipeline for genomic research.
  • Ensures better viral genomic surveillance capacity.
  • Boosts national preparedness for future pandemics.
  • Supports faster analysis of complex genomic data, allowing earlier detection of new disease threats.
  • Facilitates more efficient response to outbreaks.
  • Accelerates AI-driven vaccine and drug development.
• Development and Project: Developed under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PMABHIM), NAKSHATRA is the cornerstone of a new project called the High Performance Computing Next Generation Sequencing Hub.
• Initial Reach: The Pune facility will initially serve five ICMR institutes across the country, functioning as a central repository for sequencing data.