J B T D R C

News from Dept . of Biochemistry & J B T D R C

10^th Training Course on Immunodiagnostics for Infectious Diseases:

      A National level training course was conducted on ‘Immunodiagnostics for Infectious Diseases’ during February 2-7, 2004. Prof. S. K. Kar, Chairman, Centre for Biotechnology Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi was the Chief Guest during the Inaugural function. Shri. Dhirubhai Mehta, President, KHS presided over the function. Dr. (Mrs.) P. Narang, Dean, MGIMS welcomed the guests and participants. Dr. B. C. Harintath, Director, JBTDRC explained the background for initiating training courses in this area in 1987 in the light of thrust areas of on going research activities in filariasis and tuberculosis at JBTDRC. Dr. M. V. R. Reddy Course Organizer and Head, Department of Biochemistry presented the theme of the Workshop. Twenty participants selected for the course included the faculty members from Departments of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Pathology of different Medical Institutes and Scientists from Research Labs and Universities representing the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajastan, Orissa, Manipur, West Bengal and Union territory of Delhi. The participants received an intensive Hands on training on enzyme immunoassays as applied to infectious diseases including preparation of antigen-coated sticks and enzyme conjugates. Analytical techniques like SDS-PAGE, western blotting, gel filtration, ion-exchange chromatography & FPLC techniques to purify parasite or bacterial antigens and isolation of DNA from parasite & PCR technique were covered. There were lectures from experts viz. Prof. S. K. Kar (from Centre for Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi) on ‘Host – parasite Interactions in lymphatic filariasis’, Dr. Jaya Tyagi (from Dept. of Biotechnology, AIIMS, New Delhi) on ‘Multipurpose technology for the diagnosis of tuberculosis’, Dr. P.Y. Guru (from CDRI, Lucknow) on ‘Animal Experimentation in Research and Diagnosis of Parasitic Diseases’, Dr. Vijay K. Choudhary (form Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi, New Delhi ) on the AID’s rapid test developed and commercialized by him viz., ‘NEVA HIV- a whole blood agglutination assay for HIV infection’ and on ‘Phage Display Technology to Identify Immunodominant Epitopes of Infectious Organisms’, Dr. S. Rathaur (from Dept. of Biochemistry Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi) on ‘Filarial enzymes: possible use in diagnosis and protection’, Dr. S. A. Patil (from  Dept. of Microbiology NIMHANS, Bangalore)on ‘Immunodiagnostics of extra pulmonary tuberculosis’, Dr. B. C. Harinath on ‘Immunodiagnostics for detection and monitoring of filaria and tuberculosis- Sevagram experience’, Dr. M.V.R. Reddy ‘on Towards the development of filarial Vaccine: Identification of protective antigens’. The course was well received by the participants as per the feed back given by them during the Valedictory function. Presidential address of Shri. Dhirubhai Mehta has been published elsewhere in this issue of SEVAMED.

Awards:

·     Dr. B. C. Harinath has been awarded Dhanvantari Puraskar 2004 by Jai Mahakali Shikshan Sanstha, Wardha

·     Dr. M. V. R. Reddy has been awarded Seth G.S. Medical College & KEM Hospital Oration Award 2004 by Association of Clinical Biochemists of India.

·    Mr.  Y. P. Bhandary has been awarded MGIMS Tropical Disease Research Award 2004 for the best paper for his presentation on paper entitled “Evaluation of protective immunity against Brugia malayi induced by infective Larval antigen” at 30^th Annual Conference of ACBI held in Bangalore from 19^th to 22^nd January 2004.

Recognition:

·    Dr. B. C. Harinath has been made a member of Editorial Advisory Board of Biomedical Research an International Journal published from Aligarh.

·   Dr. B. C. Harinath has been elected as Advisor of Indian Association for Medical Informatics (IAMI).

·   Dr. M. V. R. Reddy has been unanimously elected as Secretary of Association of Clinical Biochemists of India for the next three years.

·   Dr. Satish Kumar has been elected as Executive Member of Indian Association for Medical Informatics (IAMI) and Assistant Editor, Journal of Indian Association for Medical Informatics (JIAMI).

Visitors:

·        Shri. Madhur Bajaj, Vice – Chairman, Bajaj Auto Ltd., Pune, Visited the Centre on 24^th  December, 2003 and was briefed on the various research activities at JBTDRC.

·    Prof. (Dr.) Nanduri Gajanana Rao, Director, Millennium Medical Information Systems (UK & India) visited the Centre on 28^th to 30^th January, 2004 and Demonstrated ‘Portable Health Record-2000’ software.   

·    Shri. Kiran Bajaj of Bajaj Group along with Members of Women Wing of Maharashtra Chambers of Commerce visited the Centre on 27^th February, 2004 and were briefed on the various academic Research & Healthcare activities of MGIMS, Kasturba Hospital, JBTDRC and Arogyadham. 

Participation in Meetings / Conference / Symposia:

Dr. B. C. Harinath:

·     Delivered a Guest Lecture on ‘Diagnosis and immunomonitoring in management of human filariasis’ at Indo-US Symposium on Infectious Disease Research and Development, IISc, Bangalore during 6^th to 10^th January, 2004.

·     Delivered a Guest Lecture on ‘Isolation and Characterisation of in vitro and in vivo released 31 and 41 kDa protein antigens of diagnostic interest in tuberculosis’ in the 30^th Annual Conference of ACBI held at Bangalore during19^th to 22^nd January 2004.

·     Delivered a Guest Lecture on ‘Diagnosis and immunomonitoring in management of human filariasis’ at CME during Annual Meeting of the Andhra Pradesh Chapter of the Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists, Vijaywada on February 8, 2004.

Dr. M. V. R. Reddy

·    Delivered a Guest Lecture on ‘Immunodiagnostic & Immunoprophylactic Studies in Lymphatic Filariasis’ in ‘National Level Seminar on Trends in Biochemistry’ organized as a part of Silver Jubilee Celebration of S.V. University, Tirupati during 26^th to 28^th February, 2004.

·    Delivered a Guest lecture on “Protective immunity against filariasis induced by immunization with native and recombinant B. malayi antigens in rodents” in the 3^rd Global Meet on Parasitic Diseases during 12^th to 16^th January, 2004 at Bangalore

·    Delivered Seth G.S. Medical College & KEM Hospital Oration on “Lymphatic Filariasis A search for Immunodiagnostic & prophylactic tools” in the 30^th Annual Conference of ACBI held at Bangalore during 19^th to 22^nd January 2004.

Dr. Satish Kumar

·    Presented a paper on ‘Medical Informatics - Importance of Databases for Disease Diagnostic and Management’ in the 30^th Annual Conference of ACBI held at Bangalore during 19^th to 22^nd January 2004.

·    Presented a paper on “Antibody response to M.tb H₃₇Ra excretory secretory ES-43 and ES-31 antigens at different stages of pulmonary tuberculosis” in the 30^th Annual Conference of ACBI held at Bangalore during 19^th to 22^nd January 2004.  

·    Attended XV BTIS Net Coordinators meeting held at Chennai on February 5-7, 2004 and presented the progress report of our Bioinformatics Centre.

Mr. Sandeep Kulkarni attended 3^rd Global Meet on Parasitic Diseases during 12^th to 16^th January, 2004 at Bangalore and presented a paper on “Seroreactivity of FPLC Purified Circulating Filarial Antigens CFA2 Fractions in Different Groups of Filarial Endemic Population” 

Dr. Debesh Ray attended 30^th Annual Conference of ACBI held at Bangalore during 19^th to 22^nd January 2004 and presented paper on “Lipid Peroxidation &n antioxidant status in sickle cell trait – A case Control Study”.

Ms. K.N. Krithika presented paper on “Comparative Analyasis of a 70 kDA proteins and recombinant ALT-2 protein as protective immunogens in filariasis” at 30^th Annual Conference of ACBI held at Bangalore during 19^th to 22^nd January 2004.   

Mr. Pramod Deshmukh participated in XV BTIS Net Coordinators meeting held at Chennai on February 5-7, 2004.

Mr. Jayant Jumde attended training programme on “Database Management System and Internet Resources in Biological Sciences” at Biotech Park, Lucknow during February 03-05, 2004.

 Short Term project:

Ms. C. Muthu Kumari from Dept of Microbiology National facility of Marine Cynobacteria (NFMC) Bharthidasan University, Trichirapalli, Tamil Nadu completed Summer Training Project  on Tb diagnostic antigens at JB Tropical Disease Research Centre in March 2004.

Research Publication:

Gupta S, Reddy MVR and Harinath BC. Role of oxidative stress and antioxidants in aetiopathogenesis and management of oral submucous fibrosis. Indian Journal of Biochemistry, 2004,19(1) 138-141.

Pradhan AK, Shukla AK, Reddy MVR and Garg N. Assessment of oxidative stress and antioxidant status in age related cataract in rural population. Indian Journal of Biochemistry, 2004,19(1) 83-87.

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