Asia's first human DNA bank comes up in Lucknow

LUCKNOW: Asia's first -- and the world's second -- human DNA bank has been set up at the Biotech Park in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow district, said an official on Wednesday.

"DNA Identification System (DIS) will be one of the most important functions of the DNA bank that will facilitate establishing identity of individuals within a few seconds," Biotech Park's CEO P.K. Seth said.

The members of the DNA bank will receive a microchip based DNA card containing information of their fingerprints, and anthropological details, said Seth.

The information stored on the DNA card can be read through special readers that will be installed at important places across the globe.

 the DNA park has been developed under a public private partnership by IQRA Biotech Services (IBS) and Lucknow's Biotech Park.

IBS director Saeed Ahmad told reporters: "The card will be very useful in cases like establishing the identity of an unconscious person in an accident. Unidentified bodies can also be recognised through the card."

He said the card can also be used as a check point at several places including immigration counters at airports.