History

The Blood  Group Reference Centre (BGRC)  made its debut in 1957  as a result of active interest shown by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)  in the field of blood banking.   The functions entrusted to  BGRC were few but of  national importance.
  1.  To train the people  in methodology of blood grouping and blood banking.
  2. To prepare and supply standard blood grouping reagents.
  3.  To work  as a reference centre  for the unsolved  problems of cross matching.
  4. To prepare  and maintain a list of  rare bloods and conduct research in this unknown  field in the country at that time.
This centre which was started by ICMR basically  to solve problems in blood banking, slowly branched out  successfully to initiate research in various other related areas of immunohaematology viz.  biochemical genetics ,  red cell enzymopathies and hemoglobinopathies ,  population genetics, antenatal serology,  Immunology,  HLA etc.   In the  first  twenty five  years,  using limited space, limited  resources  and budget,  talented and highly enthusiastic young  scientists from the  center under the guidance of  dynamic  stalwarts Dr.  H M Bhatia and  Dr.  A J Baxi could produce as many as 271  publications  of which 71  were published in prestigious  international  journals.  The  centre had  many discoveries to it’s credit.    Seeing this progress,   ICMR decided to rechristen BGRC  as ‘Institute  of Immunohaematolgy’ at the time of  the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the Institute in 1982 to accommodate all the departments of the centre under one roof .
 
Subsequently the Institute could mobilize  various International collaborations  to  develop many  advanced  techniques.   Five years after  celebrating it’s  silver jubilee, due to the untiring efforts of  Dr.  Bhatia,  the Institute could get one floor in the newly constructed multi-storeyed  building in the KEM Hospital campus.   
 
Our  motto is to conduct basic  and clinical research for the benefit of society and  ultimately the nation. Newer areas developed  included molecular genetics and prenatal diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies,  hemostasis and thrombosis, cytogenetics and  molecular cytogenetics,   cell  biology applications in hematology and stem cell research.   While celebrating its 50 years  of existence,  the  Institute has developed in stature as an  “unique”.   Institute conducting  basic and applied research, providing reference  services  (for routine and  specialized tests)  to needy patients and offering  training especially  in blood banking  methodology and several blood bank technicians and medical officers and molecular  hematology thus ultimately helping   the  society in different ways.
 
Considering   these  facts  ICMR  decided  to give the Institute a national status and renamed it as “National Institute of Immunohaematology”  on 5th  February 2008.   The coming years will see  further  expansion  of its activities.