Russia plans to create DNA databank

MOSCOW. Oct 1 (Interfax) - A DNA databank will be created in Russia as part of its federal sci-tech program for the development of genetic technologies, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said.

"We are considering creating a national DNA databank that will contain all information, scientific research in fields which are relevant and prioritized in the country nowadays," Golikova said at a press conference on Friday.

The issue of establishing such DNA databank is being tackled together with the Kurchatov Institute national research center, which is the head organization of the aforementioned federal program, she said.

The main avenues of this program are biosecurity and technologies for medicine, agriculture and industrial microbiology, Golikova said.

"A complete inventory of bio-resource collections" was carried out this year as part of the program and in accordance of the country's biosecurity law, she said.

"Today, there are more than 100 of them, including both conventional collections and collections with a high level of pathogenic hazard," she said.

In all, 127 billion rubles, among them 111.5 billion rubles from the federal budget, will be allocated for the genetic technology development program, which began in 2019 and runs through 2027, Golikova said.

The program involves more than 100 organizations reporting to the Science and Higher Education Ministry, the Health Ministry, the Agriculture Ministry, the Federal Medical-Biological Agency, and the country's consumer health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor. Moscow State University and St. Petersburg State University are taking part in this program as well.