Indian scientist awarded 1.5 million
euros grant
Berlin: A young Indian scientist based
in Germany has been awarded a grant of 1.5 million euros to investigate the
role of gut microbiota in autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system
such as Multiple Sclerosis.
The Starting Grants of the European
Research Council (ERC) seek to give talented scientists at an early stage in
their careers the freedom to pursue their most creative ideas. Gurumoorthy
Krishnamoorthy, group leader at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, was
one of this year's successful Starting Grant applicants. With the 1.5 million
euros he will receive over the period of five years, Krishnamoorthy will establish
an independent research group at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in
Martinsried.
The group's aim is to investigate the
role of gut microbiota in autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system
such as Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, is the most common
inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. In the disorder, cells from
the body's immune system penetrate into the central nervous system. Here, the
cells wreak havoc by triggering off inflammatory reactions and attacking nerve
cells.
Despite decades of research on MS, the
causes and course of the disease are still largely unclear.
Three years ago, Krishnamoorthy and his
team discovered that bacteria from the natural intestinal flora, which every
human being needs for digestion, could act as a trigger for the development of
Multiple Sclerosis.
The researchers showed that genetically
modified mice develop an inflammation in the brain similar to the human disease
if they have normal bacterial intestinal flora. Mice without microorganisms in
their intestines and held in a sterile environment remained healthy.
With ERC Starting Grant, Krishnamoorthy
seeks to unravel the role gut microbiota play in the development of autoimmune
responses.
The aim is to identify the harmful gut
bacteria and the molecular pathways involved which are relevant to central
nervous system autoimmunity. Based on the results, he hopes to identify
therapeutic strategies targeting gut microbiota in order to limit the
development of inflammatory processes during autoimmune diseases.
Source: www.zeenewsindia.com
25.02.2015
Drug price monitoring cells across
India planned
New Delhi: The government plans to
set up monitoring cells across the country to keep a watch on price movements,
collections and availability of drugs.
The move follows a proposal to the
Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers by drug price regulator National
Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) which suggested revision of the
existing scheme of consumer awareness and publicity through various forms of media.
The proposal has a component for
setting up consumer awareness, price monitoring and resource units at states
and Union Territories (UTs) with the objective of forging better linkages with
the state drug controllers (SDCs), an official statement said.
Most of the state drug controllers have
in-principle supported the proposal for setting up the units at states/UTs
level. The proposal is yet to be placed before the appropriate Committee for
approval, it added.
Stating that the information was given
by Minister of State (MOS) in the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers
Hansraj Gangaram Ahir in the Lok Sabha today, it said the units are expected to
provide necessary technical assistance to the SDCs and NPPA.
The monitoring cells will assist SDCs
and NPPA towards monitoring the notified prices of medicines, price movement,
collection and compilation of market based data.
Besides, the cells would also provide help in conducting
training, seminars and workshops at the state and district levels for consumer
awareness and publicity covering aspects relating to availability of scheduled
and non-scheduled medicines at reasonable prices, availability of alternative
cheaper medicines, role and function of NPPA, among others, the statement
added.
Source: www.zeenewsindia.com
25.02.2015
When you cease to dream you cease to live
Malcolm Forbes
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