NCNPR, University of Mississippi, US.

Department of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha andHomoeopathy (AYUSH).

Central Council for Research in Ayurveda & Siddha (CCRAS).

Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM).

Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH).

Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy (CCRYN).

National Medicinal Plants Board(NMPB).

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Department of AYUSH, under the Ministry of Health and family welfare, Government of India opened an Indo-US joint Center for Research on Indian Systems of Medicine ( CRISM) at National Center for Natural Product Research (NCNPR), the University of Mississippi, Mississippi, USA in 2008. This initiative has been taken under an earlier Memorandum of Understanding for scientific cooperation in the field of ‘botanicals’ signed between CSIR through its constituent, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu with the University of Mississippi through NCNPR in 2005.

For the establishment of CRISM , the department of AYUSH has provided the necessary financial support and will also be providing the necessary skill, expertise, knowledge and resources through its constituent councils, departments and other associated institutions engaged in research & development and teaching in the areas of Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) & natural products for development of ISM /herbal and botanical pharmaceuticals. The main aim of this center is to facilitate scientific validation and acceptance of Indian system of medicines [ISM] through collaborative research between the research partners of AYUSH, CSIR and NCNPR and other external agencies including industry both in India and USA.

Objectives:

Role of Mirror Centre (CRISM) at IIIM, Jammu:

1. To participate in the collaborative research programmes and to facilitate in developing repository of crude drugs and natural product extracts of ISM drugs at CRISM in USA and also organization of seminars, workshops and training programmes and clinical trials for ISM /botanical products in India and USA.
2. To maintain a mirror repository of all the voucher specimens, crude drugs, reference standards and natural product extracts deposited with CRISM in USA.
3. To help AYUSH in developing collaborative grant proposals for submission to appropriate funding agencies in USA in the area of botanical quality control and standardization as well as herbal drug development.
4. To develop linkages with AYUSH organizations namely, Pharmaceutical Laboratory of Indian Medicine (PLIM)/Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeial Committee (APC) /Unani Pharmacopoeial Committee (UPC) for their active involvement in the activities of CRISM.

The mirror center of CRISM in IIIM, Jammu would work for the fulfillment of following Objectives and goals of CRISM:

1. Advocacy for Indian Systems of Medicine in the U.S.A.

1. To disseminate authentic information about the strengths of Indian Systems of Medicine (Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha) and to help clarify the misconceptions about these systems of medicines in the U.S.A.
2. To facilitate awareness generation regarding Indian Medicine by means of education, training, workshops and exchange programmes between Indian and U.S. institutions.

2. R&D activities

1. To define and undertake research and developmental activities based on the potential of the ISM and the latest scientific advances for promotion and scientific acceptance of the ISM and its products thereof.
2. To create a repository of crude drugs, extracts and reference standards for research and regulatory requirements.

3. Preparation of Dossiers for Market Authorization

1. To encourage and facilitate cooperation for research activities between the Indian and U.S. academic and research institutions and industry in the areas of standardization and quality control of ISM / botanical drugs and herbal drug development.
2. Preparation of Indian medicine drug dossier for market authorization in the U.S.
3. To facilitate dialogue between the Indian scientific community and the regulatory bodies of the two countries and to evolve a platform for such regular exchange.
4. To identify an industry partner with an advanced lead on proprietary or classical drugs and help in the preparation of a dossier for market authorization in the U.S.

Mission:

The primary mission of the CRISM is to facilitate scientific validation and dissemination of information on Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM), in particular Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicine, through collaborative research and advocacy by the Department of AYUSH and NCNPR. The activities of CRISM in MISSISSIPPI are being coordinated by a mirror center of CRISM at the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu. The major objective of this mirror center is the development of cooperative efforts between IIIM and AYUSH for coordinating and efficiently running the activities of an Indo-US joint Center for Research in Indian Systems of Medicine (CRISM) in the University of Mississippi, USA. This includes, developing ISM/ herbal and botanical products for therapeutic uses following international standards and norms for safety, quality, standardization, efficacy, and clinical trials, and also to promote exchange between the faculty and students sponsored by two organizations as well as the exchange of academic and research information.