14^th National Level Training Course on 'Immunodiagnostics for Infectious Diseases':

A week long hands-on short term training course on most of the basic and advanced wet lab techniques of immunodiagnostic research with Filariasis & Tuberculosis as disease models was organized by the Department of Biochemistry & JB Tropical Disease Research Centre. The course was inaugurated on 7^th February, 2008 with Dr. Tapan Chakrabarti, Director, NEERI, Nagpur as the Chief Guest. Dr Chakrabarti addressing on this occasion cautioned on the inevitable effect of Global warming in keeping up the breeding of the mosquitoes and on the consequent rise in the mosquito borne infections. He suggested exploring the knowledge gained recently on the genetic composition of humans and pathogens to come out with useful tools to control such infections. Dr (Mrs.) P. Narang, Secretary, Kasturba Health Society, who presided over the Inaugural function stressed on the need to indigenously develop rapid tests, vaccines and curative drugs for the major infectious diseases affecting our country. Welcoming the participants, Dr. (Ms) S.Chhabra, Dean, MGIMS, said the fact that this was the 14^th course being conducted reflected it’s serving the purpose well. Dr. B.C. Harinath, Director, JBTDRC also addressed the participants and Dr. Satish Kumar, Professor in Biochemistry proposed a vote of thanks. While briefing on the theme of the course, Prof. M. V. R. Reddy, the Head of the Department of Biochemistry and the course organizer said that this course supported from Dept. of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India was conducted once in every year and that the participants would be trained not only on the diagnostic tests developed for Filariasis & Tuberculosis, but also on the basic methods needed to develop such assays for other diseases.  Nineteen selected participants representing the faculty & residents of the departments of Biochemistry, Microbiology & Pathology of different Medical Institutes all over India and few research scholars from Universities participated in the course.  During the course, expert lectures were delivered on development of immunodiagnostics, vaccines & drugs for major infectious diseases affecting our country. Prof. B.C. Harinath shared his experience in developing and using in house developed tests of filariasis and TB in the hospital setting. Dr. S.P. Kalantri, Professor of Medicine, MGIMS lectured on the new generation interferon gamma based assays (IGRAS) for the detection of latent Tb and shared the data related to the studies on Quantiferon Tb Gold In-tube assay (QFT-G) conducted by MGIMS in collaboration with working groups at University of California, Berkeley & Mc Gill University, Canada. Dr. S.L Hoti, Deputy Director, Vector control Research Centre (ICMR), Pondicherry gave an up date on the diagnostic options available for Dengue and Chikungunya infections. Dr Abhay Chowdhary, Director, AIDS Research & Control Centre (ARCON), Mumbai spoke on different HIV diagnostic tests available in the market and on the ongoing AIDS vaccine research. Elaborating on the feasibility of filarial vaccine, Dr.M.V.R. Reddy covered the results of animal experiments conducted at MGIMS on lead vaccine candidates for filariasis. The intricacies of quality control aspects as applicable to diagnostic assays were explained by Dr Kalyan Goswami, Associate professor in Biochemistry at MGIMS. A confidential written feedback from the Participants at the conclusion of the course reflected that the course was well received. Distributing certificates to the participants in the concluding programme on 12^th February Dr  (Ms) S.Chhabra, Dean suggested that the participants should feel free to contact the organizers in future for any help as needed when they would implement these techniques in their areas of research. 

 Visitors:

 q       Dr. Parul Chakrabarti, Professor Emeritus (Honorary), Dept of Chemistry, Bose Institute & Research Advisor (Honorary), Bengal Tuberculosis Association, Kolkata visited the Centre to discuss on related collaborative research work in tuberculosis during February 23-25, 2008

q       Dr. (Mrs.) Vijaya Venkat, renowned Nutritionist, The Health Awareness Centre (THAC), Mumbai visited the Centre on. February 18, 2008. 

q       Ms. G. L. Sampoorna, Counseling Psychologist and Founder, Oneiric, Chennai visited the Centre on February 27, 2008.

q       Dr. P. D. Gupta, Dr. P. D. Gupta Science Centre, Research and Training Centre for Biological Science, Palghar, Mumbai visited the Centre on February 28, 2024

q       Dr. Kanan Yelikar, Professor & Head, Dept. of Obst. & Gynae., GNMC, Aurangabad visited the Centre on March 4, 2008.

Participation in Meetings / Conferences / Symposia:

Dr. B. C. Harinath

q          Delivered a Guest Lecture on “Mycobacterial  excretory secretory (ES) protein antigens of interest in diagnosis of pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis and TB with hiv coinfection” in the Tuberculosis session in Indo-Brazil Meeting on Infectious Diseases, 2008 at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore during January 25-27, 2008.

 q          Delivered a Guest Lecture on “elisa based immunodiagnostics for detection and monitoring of filaria and tuberculosis from research laboratory to hospital setting” in the Molecular Biology & Genetics Unit at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore on January 25, 2008.

 q          Attended the 19^th BTISnet Coordinators’ Meeting at Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute, Mysore during February 3-4, 2008.

q          Visited Narayana Hrudayalaya, Bangalore for discussion on initiating Tropical Disease Research programme on March 4, 2008.

 Dr. Satish Kumar attended 19^th BTISnet Coordinators’ Meeting at Central Seri-cultural Research and Training Institute, Mysore during February 3-4, 2008. 

Awards / Recognitions:

Dr. Satish Kumar was nominated as Member, Board of Studies in Biotechnology & Bioinformatics by the Vice Chancellor, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) Nashik.

 Ms. Richa D. Sharma, was awarded best poster presentation on “Oxidative rationale as a novel tool for anti filarial drug development” at the International Conference on Free Radicals and Natural Products in Health and 7^th Annual meeting of the National society of Free Radical Research, organized by the Department of Zoology, Rajasthan University, Jaipur during 14-16^th February 2008.

 Short Term Projects in Biotechnology:

 Ms. Priyanka P. Bagwe, pursuing M.Sc. Biotechnology Course at Ranibai Agnihotri Institute of Computer Science & Information Technology, Wardha carried out her dissertation work entitled ‘Isolation of anti ES - 6 Antibody by Affinity Chromatography and its’ Use in Tubercular Antigen Detection in Pulmonary and Extra-pulmonary Tuberculosis Cases’ during December 10, 2023 to March 17, 2024 under the supervision of Dr. Satish Kumar.

 Ms. Kanchan N. Nile, pursuing M.Sc. Biotechnology Course at Ranibai Agnihotri Institute of Computer Science & Information Technology, Wardha carried out her dissertation work entitled ‘Isolation of anti ES-20 Antibody by Affinity Chromatography and Exploring its Potential in Cocktail Form in Detection of Pulmonary and Extra-pulmonary Tuberculosis’ during December 10, 2023 to March 17, 2024 under the supervision of Dr. Satish Kumar.

 Research Publication:

1)             Niraj Shende, Sonika Gupta, Vijay Upadhye, Satish Kumar & Bhaskar C Harinath  Detection of in vitro and in vivo released antigens of diagnostic interest in Mycobacterium tuberculosis by immunoblotting. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology. Vol. 46, January 2008, 22-26.

2)             K N Sahare, V Anandhraman_, V G Meshram, S U Meshram_, M V R Reddy, P M Tumane  & K Goswami. Anti-microfilarial activity of methanolic extract of Vitex negundo and  Aegle marmelos and their phytochemical analysis. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology. Vol 46, February 2008, pp.128-131.

 Arogyadham

Two unique seven day residential Life Positive Radiant Living Workshops  were organized by Life Positive Foundation at Arogyadham during February 16-28, 2008.

            First Workshop was on ‘Nutrition Re-Education’ by Dr. (Mrs.) Vijaya Venkat, renowned Nutritionist, The Health Awareness Centre (THAC), Mumbai. Fourteen participants including two couples (from Australia & Malaysia) and from all over India (Mumbai, Simla, Delhi, Bangalore, Haryana etc.) participated and got benefited.

            Second Workshop was on ‘Love yourself, heal your life’ by Ms. G. L. Sampoorna, Counseling Psychologist and Founder, Oneiric, Chennai during 22-28 February, 2008. Seventeen participants from all over India (Mumbai, Tirupati, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Vapi, Gujarat, Simla, Haryana etc.) participated and got benefited. 

 Herbal Garden

            Work of the wasteland development of about 220 acres behind Medical Institute was started on October 2^nd 2002 and developed into Herbal Garden by Jain Charities through JISL. Water is brought by a 5-6 Km. pipeline from Pawnar river.  Presently Aonla (20500), Ritha (50), Karanj (103), Neem (292), Ashoka (155), Custard apple (105), have been planted under drip irrigation.  Application of farm yard manure is in progress. 

            In kharif season crops like dhaincha, sunhemp, moong, udid, soybean etc. were taken as green manure crops which help to improve soil fertility. Now Aonla crop is in flowering stage. This year premonsoon cotton crop on drip irrigation is taken as a demonstration plot for local farmers. Till date about 100-150 farmers visited the cotton crop.

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