CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu, opened a four-day residential training programme on 21 July on "Laboratory Animal Imaging and Experimental Techniques for Preclinical Research," pulling in researchers, faculty and scholars from across the country for hands-on lab time rather than lecture-hall theory.
The programme runs through 24 July under the institute's ongoing skill-development track, which CSIR-IIIM's Nodal Officer for Skill Development, Dr Nasir-ul-Rasheed, has been building out since 2021. It's aimed squarely at a gap many young life-science graduates in Jammu run into: certification and coursework rarely translate into the specific, regulated hands-on competencies — animal handling, ethical protocol paperwork, imaging technique — that labs and pharma companies actually hire for.
What the four days cover
Day one, inaugurated by Director Dr Zabeer Ahmed with the release of a training manual, focused on the biology of laboratory animals, the laws and ethics governing animal experiments, and how to prepare Form B — the mandatory ethical-approval paperwork for any animal experiment in India — followed by supervised practice in handling and restraining lab animals.
Dr Shashank Kumar Singh, Scientist-G at the institute, framed the intent as building industry-relevant skills with regulatory compliance built in from day one, rather than bolted on afterward. The remaining three days move into practical experimentation, advanced imaging methods and experimental design — the kind of translational-research skillset that feeds directly into preclinical drug discovery work.
Why it matters for Jammu's early-career researchers
For students and early-career scientists in Jammu weighing a move into pharma, biotech or academic research, this is one of a small number of venues in the region offering supervised, regulator-compliant lab animal training rather than purely theoretical instruction — the kind of credential that increasingly shows up as a hiring filter for preclinical research roles.
Sources: CSIR-IIIM Jammu
