issue 21 may 2018 - india alliance · content 3. 4 india alliance fellowships 5 new india alliance...
TRANSCRIPT
News & ViewsIssue 21
May 2018
EDITORIAL
2.
India Alliance has a new logo and website address, www.indiaalliance.org, which highlights both our identity as an independent public charity registered in India and our funders Wellcome, UK and DBT, India. This change coincides with India Alliance turning 10 this year and our move towards the next phase of the program. This new identity was unveiled by Prof. K VijayRaghavan at the recently held India Alliance Annual Fellows’ Meeting in Delhi, 17-19 May.
This May issue of the India Alliance newsletter includes our Fellowship announcements, recently published research of our Fellows and updates on our new initiatives aimed at enhancing India’s research ecosystems.
At the outset, our congratulations to Intermediate Fellows, Dr. Mahak Sharma (IISER Mohali) and Dr. Prerna Sharma (IISc, Bengaluru) for receiving INSA Young Scientist Award. We would also like to extend our heartiest felicitations to Margadarshi Fellow, Prof. Anura Kurpad (St. John’s Research Institute, Bengaluru) for getting elected as the Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London.
Next call for applications for the Early Career Fellowships in Basic Biomedical Research will be launched on 2 July 2018 and for Senior and Intermediate Fellowships in Basic Biomedical Research on 27 June 2018. Read more about these schemes in this issue. Check India Alliance website for regular updates on our various funding schemes.
In the Research Highlights section, we bring to you recently published research of the following India Alliance Fellows.
Dr. Abhijit Majumder and his team at IIT Bombay, provide novel insights into cell-cell mechanical interactions that can be employed in tissue engineering.
Dr. Kavita Babu and her team at IISER Mohali, in a series of research papers, provide new insights into how neuronal genes regulate locomotion and how genes and environment control an organism’s exploration of its environment using a worm model.
Using a primate model, Dr. Supratim Ray and colleagues, provide new insights about the generation of gamma rhythm in the brain as well as processing of color along the visual pathway.
Unregulated activation of immune cells can lead to inflammation associated with several diseases, including cancer and autoimmune disorders. Recently published research from Dr.AmitTuli’s research group at IMTECH Chandigarh, show how the activation of immune cells against pathogenic stimuli hinges on an evolutionarily conserved cellular protein. Correlation of this protein to the aforementioned diseases would need to be further investigated.
Chromosomes change their address in response to their environment, shows Dr. Kundan Sengupta’s recently published study. These observations and further research using his approach can provide important clues into how aberrant signals perceived by cells within a tissue are likely to convert normal cells to cancer cells.
Dr. Paulomi Sanghavi and Prof. Roop Mallik, propose models to explain the activity of opposing molecular motors that help transport cargo inside a cell.
Research Matters covers Dr. Farah Ishtiaq’s recent study that reveals that high intensity of blood parasites such as those that cause malaria, destroy red blood cells and reduces the amount of haemoglobin in the migrant birds in the Himalayas. They also observed that the parasite load was higher in these birds in winter season, suggesting that temperature plays an important role in regulating transmission of parasites.
Government of India report on the causes of death country revealed that the deaths in rural India due to communicable diseases (41 percent) were similar to those due to non-communicable diseases, such as stroke, diabetes etc. (40 percent). Intermediate Fellow, Dr. Yogeshwar Kalkonde writes in India Development Review about the urgent need for preventive programs as well as developing new human resources, technology, healthcare delivery mechanisms and financial resources to tackle NCDs in rural areas. You can read this opinion piece in this newsletter.
India Alliance Fellowship program is unique in the way that it allows any scientist wishing to carry out biomedical research in India, irrespective of age and nationality, to apply to any of its funding schemes. One such researcher is Dr. Benedict Weobong, who is a national of Ghana, Africa, and an India Alliance Intermediate Fellow currently working at Sangath, Goa. We feature his interview in the India Alliance Fellow in Spotlight section where he talks about his research focused on drinking behavior among youth in India and the need for promoting mental health research specially in countries like India and Ghana.
India Alliance is pleased to announce the launch of the India Alliance gateway on Wellcome Open Research. As part of its commitment to open research policy, the India Alliance has teamed up with Wellcome Open Research to enable immediate publication of manuscripts of India Alliance-funded researchers.
The India Alliance, with support from European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) organized EMBO Research Leadership course for researchers in India to train them in leadership and management skills that are critical for a successful career in science. Two courses were held from 19-22 March 2018 in New Delhi and 26-29 March 2018 in Hyderabad. Read more about the workshop and the trainer’s experience of organizing first leadership course in India.
In the Public Engagement section, read about the recently held Art and Science program, The Undivided Mind: Edition III, at KhojInternational Association, New Delhi. Also find in this section, latest offering from the Life of Science team in the Women in Science series supported by the India Alliance.
As part of the recently launched program, India Research Management Initiative (IRMI), a sharing session was held at IISER Pune on 19 April 2018, to discuss enablers and challenges of research management in India with a group research managers and scientists from different institutions.
We are currently accepting applications for the Africa-India Mobility Fund (AIMF), an initiative of India Alliance and African Academy of Sciences to promote cross-learning and collaboration between India and African biomedical researchers. More information on this funding has been included in this issue. As always, a massive thank you to all those who have contributed to this newsletter.
Finally, the India Alliance Annual Report 2017-18 was released at the Annual Fellows’ Meeting by Dr. Renu Swarup, Secretary, DBT. Report can be downloaded here.
Special thanks to Shruti Thapliyal, PhD student at IA Fellow Dr.Kavita Babu’s lab, for sharing a confocal microscopy image of the nematode worm, C. elegans, expressing a neuronal protein CASY-1, labelled green for the cover.
As always, it’s helpful to receive your valuable comments and suggestions for the newsletter so make sure you keep them coming.
Find archives of our past newsletters here.
Sarah Hyder Iqbal, PhDPublic Engagement OfficerWellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance May 2018
CONTENT
3.
4 India Alliance Fellowships
5 New India Alliance Fellows
10 Fellows’ Research Highlights
15 India Alliance Fellow in SpotlightInterview with Intermediate Fellow, Dr. Benedict Weobong Sangath, Goa
17 Rural India faces epidemic of Non-communicable diseasesOpinion piece by Intermediate Fellow, Dr. Yogeshwar Kalkonde, SEARCH, Gadchiroli
19 India Alliance training workshops
* EMBO Research Leadership course
*Research Methodology
21 Public Engagement *Actor and Doctor – Public Health Theatre Festival
* Women in Science
23 New initiatives
* India Alliance Gateway on Wellcome Open Research
* India Research Management Initiative
* Africa-India Mobility Fund
26 Other announcements
India Alliance Annual Report
INDIA ALLIANCE
FELLOWSHIPS
4.
The India Alliance will be accepting applications for its Senior and
Intermediate Fellowship scheme from 27 June 2018. These
Fellowships are available across the full spectrum of biomedical
research from fundamental molecular and cellular studies through
clinical and public health research*. Interdisciplinary projects are
also welcome.
Eligibility
• No age or nationality restrictions. The applicant need not be
resident in India while applying but should be willing to relocate
to and work in India.
• A salaried position or commitment towards a salaried position at
the Host Institution is not required.
• Applicant can have a PhD in any discipline of science.
• This competition is open for basic science/veterinary
researchers between 4 -15 years of post-PhD research
experience.
• Applicants are advised to choose the most appropriate scheme
suitable for them based on their qualification, research
experience, career trajectory and track record. Please refer to
the guidance notes, provisions and mandate of the scheme for
deciding on the scheme you wish to compete for. The Office
reserves the right to advice on the suitability of the scheme
accordingly.
Eligibility guidance notes
Senior Fellowship: For researchers who have demonstrated their
potential to lead an independent research program and want to
expand it further to undertake pioneering research.
Intermediate Fellowship: For postdoctoral researchers who have
been successful in building a track record of pursuing a cutting edge
research and wish to establish their own independent research
program in India.
Provisions
The 5 year Fellowship support provides
• Competitive personal salary support
• Generous and flexible funds for research
• Funds to develop international collaborations
Requirements
The following are essential for the application.
• A research proposal that is based on a hypothesis and seeks to
answer an original biomedical research question
• A not-for-profit Host Institution in India that will administer the
Fellowship for the complete duration of the award
• A sponsor at the Host Institution, who can guarantee space and
resources for the duration of the award
Application forms will be available on the India Alliance online
application System (IASys) on 27 June 2018, 09.00 am IST.
Please visit India Alliance website for further information on these
Fellowships. Queries may be addressed to [email protected]
**We encourage Clinicians and Public Health researchers to apply in the separate Clinical and Public Health Research Fellowshipcompetition which would be announced later.
Senior and Intermediate Fellowships in Biomedical Research Preliminary application deadline : 25 July 2018
India Alliance will be accepting applications for its Early Career
Fellowships in Basic Biomedical Research from 2 July 2018. This
is a mentored Fellowship programme that provides a unique
opportunity for promising postdoctoral researchers to carry out
high-quality biomedical research in India towards building an
independent research career.
Eligibility
Applicant must be in the final year of PhD or have no more than
four years of post-PhD research experience from the date of PhD
viva to the invited full application submission deadline (tentatively
in October 2018 for the current round of competition); due
consideration will be given to justified career breaks
Applicant may have/be pursuing PhD in any discipline of science
There are no restrictions based on age or nationality
Applicant need not be resident in India while applying, but should
be aspiring to launch an independent research career in India
Applicant must choose a not-for-profit host institution in India that
will administer the Fellowship for the full duration (5 years) of the
award in line with India Alliance conditions and policies
Applicant may or may not have a faculty position
Remit
Full spectrum of biomedical science from fundamental molecular
and cellular studies through Clinical and Public Health research**
Interdisciplinary projects are welcome
Provisions: The 5-year Fellowship typically provides:
• Competitive personal support
• Generous research funds
• Funding to work overseas for up to 2 years and develop
international collaborations
Essentials on the preliminary application
Outline (750 words) of a research proposal that seeks to answer an
original biomedical research question
A Fellowship Supervisor who would guide the applicant in the
proposed research and a letter of support to this end; the proposed
research is expected to complement and benefit from the
Fellowship Supervisor’s research interests and expertise
An additional letter of recommendation
Preliminary application forms will be available from 02 July, 2018,
09.00 am IST on the India Alliance online application System
(IASys).
Preliminary applications due by 31 July, 2018, 12 noon IST.
Please visit India Alliance website for further information on
eligibility, remit, provisions, and the application process. Queries
may be addressed to [email protected]
**We encourage Clinicians and Public Health researchers to apply in the separate Clinical and Public Health Research Fellowshipcompetition which would be announced later.
Early Career Fellowships in Basic Biomedical ResearchPreliminary application deadline : 31 July 2018
5.
Dr. Deepa Agashe
National Centre for
Biological Sciences (NCBS-
TIFR), Bengaluru
Bacterial evolution in host-associated communities
Bacteria typically live within complex communities composed of
many species, that are in turn associated with other organisms.
For instance, recent research suggests that most animals
harbour (and depend upon) the millions of bacteria that they
carry. What is the impact of this complexity on bacterial
evolution? Specifically, if the host changes its diet, how does the
gut bacterial community change? Such scenarios of dietary
change are likely to be very common in many animals, including
humans. If some gut bacteria cannot live in the new nutritional
environment in the host’s gut, they might go extinct, or they
might acquire mutations that turn out to be beneficial. Ultimately,
some of these changes in the bacterial community may also
improve the host’s ability to survive on the new food. We plan to
test these ideas using flour beetles, which are common pests of
cereal flours and derive a survival advantage from their gut
microbes. In the laboratory, we will allow beetles to adapt to new
flours on which they typically have high mortality, and then
analyse how their gut bacterial communities change across
evolutionary time. Our work will thus help understand how
dietary shifts in animals affect the evolution of their gut bacteria.
NEW INDIA ALLIANCE FELLOWS
INTERMEDIATE FELLOWS 2017Basic Biomedical Research Fellowships
Dr. Rohit Anthony Sinha
Sanjay Gandhi Post
Graduate Institute of
Medical Sciences
(SGPGIMS), Lucknow
Determining the role of pancreatic alpha-cell autophagy in intra-cellular glucagon turnover and its modulation as an anti-diabetic therapy
My India Alliance-funded research is primarily focused on
understanding the role of lysosomes and autophagy in the
process of hormone secretion. Glucagon is glycoprotein
hormone secreted by pancreatic alpha(α)-cells and plays a
significant role in the pathogenesis of both Type I and Type II
diabetes mellitus (DM). Under normal physiological conditions,
glucagon secretion is increased and insulin secretion is
decreased during starvation to counteract hypoglycaemia in
humans via increasing hepatic glucose output. However, in
diabetes, glucagon secretion becomes insensitive to both high
glucose and insulin inhibition, and contributes to
hyperglycaemia. In my current research, I attempt to understand
and modulate a cellular degradative process known as
autophagy to reduce the amount of glucagon content inside the
pancreatic alpha-cells which secrete them. We believe that the
results obtained from this study would benefit future diabetes
research and treatment.
Figure: Mitophagy as visualized in TEM with a damaged mitochondrial (red) seen engulfed by an electron dense double membrane structure.
Continued on the next page..
Figure: Possible effects of host diet shift on the gut microbiome. The host has low initial fitness on the new diet. As it adapts to the new diet, the microbiome may show (A) Immediate ecological change in composition (B) Longer term evolutionary change or (C) Both ecological and evolutionary changes
6.
Dr. Geetanjali Chawla
Regional Centre for
Biotechnology (RCB),
Faridabad
Post-transcriptional regulators of aging and dietary/caloric restriction
In this project, we will assess the role of age- and dietary
restriction-modulated small non-coding RNAs termed
microRNAs in enhancement of lifespan and reducing risk factors
associated with aging. Understanding how conserved microRNA
mediated networks operate to affect the overall lifespan of an
organism will illuminate the basic principles underlying the aging
process that can be applied to the development of RNA based
therapeutic strategies that would mediate their broad-spectrum
health-improvement by not only triggering the same molecular
pathways that are elicited by long term dietary restriction, but
also, counteract late onset diseases.
My laboratory will utilize genetic, molecular, proteomic and
metabolomics approaches to:
1. Determine how dietary restriction (DR) and age-modulated
microRNAs influence lifespan.
2. Test the ability of DR and age-modulated microRNAs to lower
risk factors associated with aging.
3. Identify and characterize downstream targets of DR and age-
modulated microRNAs.
At the completion of these studies we expect to identify
conserved microRNAs that can mimic the anti-aging effects of
dietary restriction in animals that are fed a normal diet.
Dr. Parveen Goyal
Institute for Stem Cell
Biology and Regenerative
Medicine (InStem),
Bengaluru
Understanding the import of sugar molecules by pathogenic bacteria
Pathogenic bacteria are very clever in using host derived
molecules, not only for their growth, but also eluding the host
defense mechanism and cause diseases. Sialic acid, a nine
carbon sugar, is such a molecule and is found abundantly in
humans. Some bacteria can import this sialic acid and utilize as
a carbon source for energy production or modify their own outer
surface. Sialic acid decorated bacteria will be recognized as
“self” by human immune cells and will thrive well. Thus uptake of
sialic acid can remarkably increase survival of pathogenic
bacteria inside a host.
To import sialic acid, bacteria use specific classes of proteins
present in their membranes. I focus on such a class of the
membrane proteins which help bacteria in scavenging sialic
acid. The main goal is to get a detailed structure of such
membrane protein complexes and use that for drug screening.
The work can result in new drugs for better treatment of
diseases caused by the bacteria.
EARLY CAREER FELLOWS 2017Basic Biomedical Research Fellowships
Figure Legend: Sialic acid transport in bacteria: (A) Bacteria can import sialic acid through proteins present in their membrane. Once internalized, sialic acid can either be used to generate energy, or as a decoration for the bacterial outer surface to evade host immune system. (B) By blocking the membrane transport protein, bacteria will fail to use sialic acid for energy generation or surviving the host defense mechanism. This decreases overall survival fitness of such bacteria inside a host.
NEW INDIA ALLIANCE FELLOWS
7.
Dr. Masum Saini
Regional Centre for
Biotechnology (RCB),
Faridabad
Receptor tyrosine kinase signaling in skeletal muscle development, regeneration and disease
Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) comprise a family of cell
surface receptors that mediate signaling cascades critical to
cellular processes such as survival, proliferation, differentiation
and migration. These processes in turn are essential for organ
morphogenesis, embryonic development and tissue
homeostasis. Previous studies have shown that RTKs crucial for
developmental morphogenesis are also dysregulated in
pathological states. For example the RTKs -FGFR3 and c-KIT
play crucial roles during development and mutations in these
genes cause the developmental disorders dwarfism and
piebaldism. Interestingly, aberrant signaling from these RTKs
cause bladder cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumors
respectively. Similarly, signaling through the RTK MET is vital
during developmental skeletal myogenesis, and adult muscle
regeneration; MET is also known to be dysregulated in
Rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer related to the myogenic lineage.
Since, MET signaling is crucial to skeletal muscle development
and regeneration, it is important to determine the mechanisms
underlying its regulation that have remained largely unexplored.
My aim is to understand the specific spatial and temporal
regulation of this signaling pathway in skeletal muscle
development, regeneration and disease using mouse as in vivo
model and myogenic cells as in vitro tool. The proposed work
will provide important insights into regulation of skeletal muscle
development and regeneration, which could potentially aid
therapy in muscle diseases such as Duchenne muscular
dystrophy and muscle atrophy during ageing.
Dr. Gagandeep Kaur
Walia
Public Health Foundation
of India, Gurgaon
Evaluating causal relationship between regional body fat distribution and lipid profile in Indian population
The aim of the proposed study is to examine whether regional
body fat distribution is causally associated with lipid levels in
Indian population. We will first identify the genetic variants
associated with adiposity and lipid traits to derive instrument
variables based on allelic scores and then use them as proxy for
exposures and outcomes in examining the causal pathways
using bi-directional Mendelian Randomization approach.
We will be generating genome-wide data on intensively
phenotyped “CARRS cohort study” participants using a recent
GWAS chip named Global Screening Array (~640,000 markers)
to identify India specific markers. We will also utilize the
available cardio-metabochip data (~200,000 markers related to
cardiometabolic traits) on well-phenotyped data from “Indian Migration Study” in order to validate the loci of interest.
Therefore, this will collectively help in deriving allele scores to be
used as genetic proxies for the traits to be examined on the
causal pathway i.e. body fat distribution (exposure) and lipid
levels (outcome).
The findings from the proposed study will provide evidence for
the causality between increased regional adiposity and raised
levels of lipids. This will help in formulating public health
interventions and clinical management of the high risk patients
and will address the growing burden of cardiometabolic
disorders.
EARLY CAREER FELLOW 2017Clinical and Public Health Research
Figure : Confocal image showing alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells labeled by immunofluorescence for MET (red), phalloidin (green) marking the actin filaments and DAPI (blue) staining the nuclei.
Continued on the next page..
NEW INDIA ALLIANCE FELLOWS
8.
Dr. Arun K
Sree Chitra Tirunal
Institute for Medical
Sciences and
Technology & Rajiv
Gandhi Centre for
Biotechnology,
Trivandrum
Understanding phenotypes in Moya moyadisease: An imaging genomics approach
Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare chronic cerebrovascular
disorder characterized by progressive bilateral occlusion of the
supra-clinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) and its main branches.
This is associated with the development of fine collateral
networks, adjacent to the site of occlusion in the deep areas of
the brain. Epidemiological data have shown strong regional
differences with a high occurrence in Asian countries primarily
Japan, China and Korea. An incidence of approximately 1 per
100 000 has been reported in Japan. The incidence in non-
Asian countries, frequently cited in the literature is 0.1 per 100
000. Recently genome-wide linkage analysis and exome
analysis studies identified the ring finger protein 213 gene
(RNF213) on 17q25.3 as the strongest susceptibility gene for
MMD in East Asian population. Mutational analysis studies
revealed a single missense mutation in RNF213 (p.R4810K).
This mutation was detected in 90% of Japanese, 79% of Korean
and 23% of Chinese MMD cases. It strongly increased the risk
to develop MMD with an OR of 338.9 (p =10-100) in Japanese,
135.6 (p = 10-25) in Korean and 14 in Chinese populations
respectively. The mutated allele occurs in 95.1% of familial
MMD cases and 79.2% of sporadic MMD cases. The
homozygous mutation, was associated with an earlier onset and
a more severe disease course suggesting it a potential
biomarker for predicting prognosis. In addition, MMD presents
with a characteristic angiographic picture which involves the
bilateral stenosis or occlusion at the terminal portion of the ICA
and at the proximal portion of the anterior and middle cerebral
arteries, abnormal vascular network seen in the vicinity of the
arterial occlusion. Moyamoya like angiographic picture occurs in
intracranial atherosclerotic disease, sickle cell disease and
intracranial arterial dissection which may confuse the diagnosis
and management. Vessel wall imaging (VW-MR) is a novel
imaging technique which helps to differentiate the various
aetiologies of distal intracranial arterial occlusion which
demonstrates eccentric arterial wall thickening in intracranial
atherosclerotic disease while smooth, homogeneous, concentric
arterial wall thickening and enhancement in vasculitic disorders.
However, VW-MR imaging studies with MMD found a lack of
arterial wall thickening and enhancement. Interestingly,
clustering of patients with MMD has been observed particularly
from the south eastern region of Indian subcontinent which
Dr. Dorcas B C Gandhi
Christian Medical College
Ludhiana
A computer game-based rehabilitation platform for patients with fine and gross motor upper extremity impairments due to stroke
points towards geographical differences in the distribution of the
disease in the Indian subcontinent itself which indirectly gives a
clue to the possibility of a genetic association.
We plan to conduct an imaging genomics study to explore the
genetics of MMD in south Indian population
RESEARCH TRAINING FELLOWS 2017Clinical and Public Health Research
Figure (left): Axial flair sequence showing chronic infarcts in the left MCA territory with volume loss and gliosis, in addition “Ivy sign” noted (arrow) in the left temporo-parietal region. Figure (right) Digital subtraction angiography showing significantly attenuated bilateral supraclinoid internal carotid artery, MCA-M1, ACA-A1 with basal collaterals simulating puff of smoke typical of Moya moya disease.
Continued on the next page..
We are evaluating the feasibility and efficacy of using a
computer game based rehabilitation protocol for stroke patients
with upper limb impairments. We aim to focus on the functional
abilities of the patients despite their anatomical limitations. To
make therapy more engaging, focused and measurable
quantitatively the platform we have developed will be useful and
will also allow manipulation of various objects used for activities
of daily living by the impaired upper extremity. This would make
therapy functionally oriented and early independence of
patients.
NEW INDIA ALLIANCE FELLOWS
8.
Dr. Vinnyfred Vincent
All India Institute of
Medical Sciences
(AIIMS), New Delhi
Exploring the role of intracellularly formed sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) in mediating the anti-atherogenic effects of adiponectin on endothelial cells
Despite recent advances in diagnosis, interventional techniques
and pharmacological treatments targeting several risk factors of
cardiovascular disorders (CVD), cardiovascular mortality is one
of the leading causes of death globally. The pathophysiology of
atherosclerosis, which is the hallmark of cardiovascular
disorders is not fully elucidated. Research focus of our lab is
metabolic derangements associated with obesity and
atherosclerosis.
Three major anti-atherogenic molecules in circulation are high
density lipoprotein (HDL), adiponectin and sphingosine 1-
phosphate (S1P). Modulation of these molecules individually
has not provided clinically relevant anti-atherogenic effects,
which shows that the interplay between these molecules may be
important in their impact on the development of atherosclerosis.
The research funded by India Alliance explores how
adiponectin, HDL and S1P provides anti-atherogenic effects on
endothelial cells by acting in a sequential manner.
Understanding the interplay between these molecules could
provide new targets for modulation in order to modify
cardiovascular disease risk in susceptible individuals, especially
in the setting of obesity.
Other ongoing researches in our lab explore the functional
aspects of HDL as a better predictor for cardiovascular risk
compared to the traditional quantitative approach and the
modulation of insulin resistance and HDL quality by adipose
tissue in the setting of obesity.
Figure: Hypothetical pathway explored in the research. AdipoR1: Adiponectin receptor subtype 1, SK1: Sphingosine kinase 1, ABCA1: ATP binding cassette transporter A1, S1P: Sphingosine 1-phosphate, HDL: High density lipoprotein and S1PR1: Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor subtype 1
NEW INDIA ALLIANCE FELLOWS
Travelling in reverse – new insights into how genes and environment control an organism’s exploration of its environment
Dr. Kavita Babu, Intermediate Fellow
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali
10.
The human brain has billions of neurons that are interconnected
in a complex network. Connection between two neurons is called
a ‘synapse’. Many molecules present at the synapse ensure that
these connections remain stable. Any dysfunction at the synapse
can give rise to a host of neurological disorders such as autism,
dementia, addiction etc. Some of these molecules inside the
neurons that regulate activation and inhibition of these neurons
are called neurotransmitters. Apart from neurotransmitters a set
of small peptides (small chain of amino acids) are also known to
allow for activation and inhibition of neurons
largely via downstream signaling through cell surface proteins
called G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). These peptides are
called neuropeptides and the functioning of these peptides is still
fairly unclear. In our lab, we are interested in studying how these
peptides work so as to get a better understanding of the workings
of neurons and consequently, our brain.
In a recently published study from our group, we used the free-
living soil nematode or worm, Caenorhabditis elegans(C.elegans), to understand how a single neuropeptide, FLP-18,
functions through two sets of receptors to inhibit activity in a
single neuron. C.elegans have long been used by scientists to
study human biology as this organism possesses key biological
features, including a nervous system, similar to humans.
INDIA ALLIANCE FELLOWS’
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
Novel insights into cell-cell mechanical interactions that can be employed in tissue engineering
Dr. Abhijit Majumder, Early Career Fellow
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay
Different parts of our body have different stiffness. While
influence of these varied stiffness on our wellbeing is obvious in
some situations, such as muscle has to be soft to provide
flexibility whereas bone has to be rigid to provide structural
integrity, effect of tissue stiffness on cellular behavior is much
more widespread. Adherent cells measure the stiffness of their
micro-environment by holding and pulling the surrounding
materials and respond accordingly. For example, studies with
mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or “adult” stem cells have
shown that they do not divide when grown on soft materials.
Substrate stiffness also controls whether a stem cell would
become nerve cell or muscle cell or something else. Other than
that, tissue stiffness is known to influence metastasis and drug
resistance in cancer.
However, most of these observations are made when cells are
cultured at sparse keeping them away from each other. This is
very different from the situation in our body where cells are much
more closely spaced. What happens when cells are so close that
pulling by one cell is felt by its neighbor?
Our research has found that as we reduce the distance between
two cells on soft substrate (such as polyacrylamide gel), they
together can make the substrate stiff simply by pulling it in two
opposite direction similar to making a flexible rope taut in tug of
war. This way, together they can overcome the effect of soft
surface. For instance, even though many adherent cells cannot
divide when on soft substrate, together they can overcome this
effect of soft surface on cell division. Another interesting
observation was that they together form a network holding "hand
in hand" to provide sufficient support for each other which is
lacking on a soft surrounding.
The knowledge gained in this research is useful in tissue
engineering and discovering newer treatment strategies in
addition to enhancing our understanding of how cells work
together in our body.
Reference:
Cell density overrides the effect of substrate stiffness on human
mesenchymal stem cells’ morphology and proliferation. Balu
Venugopal, Pankaj Mogha, Jyotsna Dhawan and Abhijit
Majumder. Biomaterials Science. March 2018
Continued on next page…
11.
C.elegans, unlike humans who can quickly turn clock-wise or anti-
clock-wise, travel in reverse when they need to make a turn.
These movements are critical for worm’s survival – whether it is to
search for food or to move away from potential predators.
Our research shows that the neuropeptide FLP-18, functions
through two GPCR receptors, NPR-4 which is functional on the
FLP-18 expressing neuron AVA (giving rise to a feedback of
activation and inhibition of the same neuron) and NPR-1 which is
expressed on a subset of sensory neurons. Through the activity of
these two receptors FLP-18 is able to inhibit the activity of the AVA
neuron, which in turn allows for the worm to stop making a
reversal or backward motion. The absence of either flp-18 or its
receptors’ shows increase in the activity of the AVA neuron and a
corresponding increase in the length of the reversals in C. elegans.
We further show that in the absence of food the worm shows
increased levels of FLP-18 and a corresponding decrease in the
reversal length. Our hypothesis is that with shorter reversals,
worms are able to turn and change directions more quickly in their
search for food – they conserve energy under starvation
conditions. Our data is illustrated in the published model shown
below (Bhardwaj et al., 2018).
Reference:
FLP-18 Functions through the G-Protein-Coupled Receptors NPR-
1 and NPR-4 to Modulate Reversal Length in Caenorhabditis elegans. Bhardwaj, A., Thapliyal, S., Dahiya, Y., and Babu, K. The Journal of Neuroscience. May 2018
Role of a calcium-binding neuronal protein in regulating locomotion in a worm model
A functional nervous system requires strength from two pillars
that form the basis of synaptic transmission; excitation and
inhibition. Excitatory signals from presynaptic cells to
postsynaptic cells make the latter more likely to fire, while
inhibitory signals decrease the probability of firing in the
postsynaptic cells. An imbalance in excitatory and inhibitory
signaling has been reported to be a factor in the pathogenesis of
several neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, autism
spectrum disorders and epileptic seizures. The neuromuscular
junction (NMJ) of the tiny nematode worm, C. elegans receives
synaptic inputs from both excitatory and inhibitory motor neurons,
thus making it an excellent system to study the balance between
excitation and inhibition.
We have characterized an isoform specific role for a calcium-
binding protein, Calsyntenin, CASY-1 in maintaining this balance
at the NMJ. The shorter isoforms of CASY-1; CASY-1B and C
contain the conserved C-terminus of mammalian Calsyntenins.
We show that the shorter isoforms regulate the release of the
inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA from GABAergic motor
neurons. CASY-1B/C interact with the motor protein UNC-
104/KIF1A and allow for the normal trafficking of GABA synaptic
vesicles, thus modulating GABA release at the NMJ (Thapliyal et al., 2018b). GABA acts as one of the major inhibitory
neurotransmitters in both vertebrate and invertebrate nervous
system.
We also show that the longer CASY-1A isoform, which contains
all the conserved domains of mammalian Calsyntenins,
modulates the activity of sensory neurons by regulating stable
release of the neurotransmitter, Glutamate (Thapliyal et al.,
2018a). Glutamate release in turn has been shown to maintain
normal release of the excitatory neurotransmitter acetylcholine at
the NMJ (Choi et al., 2013; Choi et al., 2015).
In light of this work, we hypothesize that in the absence of casy-
1, the balance between excitation and inhibition at the NMJ is
disturbed, resulting in altered locomotary behavior. Restoring this
balance by expressing CASY-1B/C in GABAergic motor neurons
or CASY-1A in sensory neurons completely restores the
movement defects seen in casy-1 mutants.
Our study illustrates a novel role for C. elegans ortholog of
mammalian Calsyntenins in regulating excitation-inhibition
balance at the NMJ (see illustration). Mammalian Calsyntenins
have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several neurological
disorders. Thus, future investigations in this area could enhance
our understanding about pathophysiological mechanisms that
trigger Calsyntenin related brain disorders.
References
Analysis of NPR-1 reveals a circuit mechanism for behavioral
quiescence in C. elegans. Choi, S., Chatzigeorgiou, M., Taylor,
K.P., Schafer, W.R., and Kaplan, J.M. Neuron. 2013
Sensory Neurons Arouse C. elegans Locomotion via Both
Glutamate and Neuropeptide Release. Choi, S., Taylor, K.P.,
Chatzigeorgiou, M., Hu, Z., Schafer, W.R., and Kaplan, J.M.
PLoS genetics 2015.
Regulation of Glutamate Signaling in the Sensorimotor Circuit by
CASY-1A/Calsyntenin in Caenorhabditis elegans. Thapliyal, S.,
Ravindranath, S., and Babu, K. (2018a). Genetics . 2018a
The C-terminal of CASY-1/Calsyntenin regulates GABAergic
synaptic transmission at the Caenorhabditis elegansneuromuscular junction. Thapliyal, S., Vasudevan, A., Dong, Y.,
Bai, J., Koushika, S.P., and Babu, K. PLoS genetics. 2018b
INDIA ALLIANCE FELLOWS’
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
12.
To understand brain function, electrical activity can be recorded
using a variety of techniques, such as using microelectrodes in
monkeys that provide information at a very local scale (one or a
few neurons), to diffuse population measures such as
electroencephalography (EEG) in humans that provide information
at a much larger scale (millions of neurons). At such scales, brain
signals often show oscillations at different frequencies, whose
magnitude or frequency may depend on the cognitive state.
Signals recorded from the brain often show rhythmic patterns at
different frequencies. One such rhythm is called “gamma”, which
occurs between 30-80 Hz, and has been linked with high-level
cognition such as meditation and attention. Interestingly, gamma
can also be induced in the visual cortex (part of the brain that
processes visual information) by viewing certain stimuli, even
when no other task is involved. One stimulus that induces strong
gamma is called a grating, which consists of black-and-white
alternating stripes, but whether natural stimuli (which are typically
not black-and-white) also produce strong gamma is not well
understood.
In our lab, we showed monkeys a variety of natural stimuli while
recording gamma rhythm from their primary visual cortex.
Surprisingly, we found that whenever the monkeys saw a red
colored object, their brain generated an intensely large gamma
wave, almost ~10-fold larger than grating-induced gamma. The
magnitude of gamma was dependent only on the purity of the
color, but largely invariant to overall brightness. This gamma
appeared to be correlated with a specific type of color computation
done in the brain.
These results provide new insights about the generation of gamma
rhythm as well as processing of color along the visual pathway.
Reference:
Long-wavelength (reddish) hues induce unusually large gamma
oscillations in the primate primary visual cortex. Vinay
Shirhatti and Supratim Ray (2018). PNAS, April 9, 2018
Banner image credit: Wellcome Images
A functional immune system enables our vulnerable bodies to
mingle freely with the environment teeming with billions of
microbes. Nothing supports this statement better than diseases
resulting in severe immunodeficiency where even a brief exposure
to “normal” surroundings can be life threatening. Crucial defenders
in our immune system army, macrophages (derived from the
Greek word meaning “large eaters”) are cells that engulf and
degrade pathogens while alerting the other sentinels about the
presence of foreign pathogens. Although required for proper
immune function, unregulated activation of macrophages is
responsible for inflammation associated with several diseases,
including cancer and autoimmune disorders.
In a recent study, we have uncovered a molecular player important
for macrophage function – Arl11, a protein that activates
macrophages in response to pathogenic stimuli (Arya SB et
al., Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2018). Our study provides the
first clue to the cellular function of Arl11, an evolutionarily
conserved protein that has remained functionally uncharacterized
till date. Our research findings show that Arl11 expression is up-
regulated in macrophages stimulated with pathogen-associated
molecules, such as LPS. Arl11, in turn initiates a cascade of
signaling events, resulting in an “effector” response by the
activated macrophages to clear away the pathogen. In agreement
with this, macrophages lacking Arl11 expression, fail to efficiently
internalize, and degrade pathogenic bacteria. Interestingly, we
found that merely increasing Arl11 levels was sufficient to induce
macrophage activation in the absence of pathogenic stimuli. This
suggests Arl11 expression is tightly controlled to prevent
unnecessary macrophage activation. Since macrophage activation
is not only crucial for defense against pathogens, but also leads to
inflammation that damages the uninfected normal tissues.
Therefore, it will be highly relevant to further investigate whether
Arl11 expression is correlated with inflammatory conditions such
as autoimmune disorders, atherosclerosis, and obesity.
Reference:
Arl11 regulates lipopolysacchride-stimulated macrophage
activation by promoting MAPK signaling. Subhash B. Arya, Gaurav
Kumar, Harmeet Kaur, Amandeep Kaur, and Amit Tuli. Journal of Biological Chemistry. April 2018
Media Report: Scientists uncover a piece in the puzzle of
macrophage activation; could help with understanding functioning
of the immune system. FirstPost. May 23 2017
New insights into color processing in the primate visual cortex
Dr. Supratim Ray, Intermediate Fellow
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru
Activation of immune cells against pathogenic stimuli hinges on an evolutionarily conserved cellular protein
Dr. Amit Tuli, Intermediate Fellow
CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh
INDIA ALLIANCE FELLOWS’
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
13.
Chromosomes change their address in response to their environment
Dr. Kundan Sengupta, Intermediate Fellow
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune
The human body has many different types of cells which can be
distinguished from one another by their shape and stiffness. The
brain is a very soft tissue; while kidney, liver and intestine are of
intermediate stiffness and bones are very stiff. The stiffness of the
tissue is a combined property of cells and their interaction with the
environment. Most remarkably, changes in the stiffness of the
environment relays information into the nucleus directing gene
expression to cater to the functions of that tissue.
The nucleus houses DNA as chromosomes, that are organized as
specific territories in the 3-dimensional space of the nucleus.
Chromosomes find their address inside the nucleus reproducibly
across cell division cycles. Chromosomes containing more genes
(gene-rich) are located in the nuclear interior, while chromosomes
with less genes (gene-poor) are closer to the edge of the nucleus.
Does the stiffness of the tissue affect the organization of
chromosomes in the nucleus and does this in turn affect gene
expression?
In the lab, cells are typically grown on stiff plastic dishes or glass
coverslips. To assess the impact of substrate stiffness on the
genome, we exposed colon cancer cells to two extremes of
stiffness - soft gels and stiffer glass coverslips. Interestingly, we
found that gene-poor chromosomes moved from their otherwise
peripheral position into the nuclear interior simply by exposing cells
to softer matrices for ~90 minutes. Chromosome locations
responded very quickly to changes in stiffness of the environment,
as they returned to their original locales in ~90 min, in cells
transferred back to glass. These results highlight the remarkable
plasticity of our genomes and its rapid response to changes in the
mechanical properties of its external milieu. Further, we discovered
that a protein - Emerin, which resides in the inner nuclear
membrane undergoes a modification (phosphorylation) in cells
exposed to soft gels and serves as a key relay signal to activate
changes in chromosome locations.
The relative location of chromosome territories determines the type
and quantity of gene expression in the form of RNA – a chemical
cousin of DNA. Our studies show that RNA levels are directly
altered by the interaction of a cell with its environment, which is cell
type specific. Our studies require further investigation of tissue type
and cell type specific location and expression of chromosomes in
response to changes in the stiffness of their external environment.
This approach will provide tantalizing clues of how aberrant signals
perceived by cells within a tissue are likely to convert seemingly
normal cells to cancer cells.
Reference :
Emerin modulates spatial organization of chromosome territories in
cells on softer matrices. Pradhan R, Ranade D and Sengupta
K. Nucleic Acids Research. April 2018
Banner image credit: Dr. Kundan Sengupta. Description: Cells exposed to softer gels or matrices begin to spread as shown by cells producing extensions or cable like projections (green). This shows how changes in the properties i.e stiffness of the external environment affects cell shapes, which in turn affects locations of chromosomes in the nucleus.
Coin tossing explains the activity of opposing molecular motors that transport cargo inside a cell
Dr. Paulomi Sanghavi, Early Career Fellow
Corresponding author : Prof. Roop Mallik, Senior Fellow
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai
INDIA ALLIANCE FELLOWS’
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
Microtubules are hollow tubes made up of proteins that are part of
the cell's overall skeleton and are responsible for maintaining the
cell shape, transporting material inside the cell and cell division.
Microtubules are used by eukaryotic cells to segregate their
chromosomes during cell division. Microtubule motors Kinesin and
Dynein are required for localization of many different organelles
inside the cell. Most Kinesins transport cargoes towards
microtubule plus-ends towards cell periphery while Dynein is a
minus-end motor, which transports molecules towards cell center.
How opposite polarity motors present on a cargo work together to
achieve bidirectional transport is hotly debated. Some reports
suggest that opposite motors are engaged in a Tug-of-War
scenario where both motors pull against each other. Thus, the
direction of motion is dictated by the winning motor. On the
contrary, another model proposes that motor activity is highly
coordinated and only one motor is kept active at one given time.
In this study, we addressed how back and forth motion of early
phagosomes is achieved by Kinesin and Dynein motors.
Interestingly, we find that activity of Kinesin and Dynein motors on
early phagosome is stochastic. Unlike the proposed models, we
showed that inactivating one set of motors does not affect the
activity of the opposite motor suggesting that both Kinesin and
Dynein function independently of each other. Using mathematical
modeling, we also showed that the choice between Kinesin and
Dynein could be explained by tossing a hypothetical fair coin.
Thus, our model provides a conceptual framework for
understanding bidirectional transport. We believe that the choice
between Kinesin and Dynein motors can be affected by regulatory
proteins or lipids or other molecules, which bias the coin hence
allowing one motor to predominate and drive cargo transport to
their respective sub-cellular sites.
Reference:
Coin Tossing Explains the Activity of Opposing Microtubule Motors
on Phagosomes. Paulomi Sanghavi, Ashwin D’Souza, Ashim Rai,
Arpan Rai, Ranjith Padinhatheeri, Roop Mallik. Current Biology.
April 2018
By Paramananda Barman
Mountains are harsh, hostile terrains where life does not come
easy. But, there are a few plants and animals, including humans
(think of the Sherpas of Nepal) that call these lofty peaks home,
braving the biting cold! At such heights, oxygen—our essential
requirement to live—is scarce too, resulting in hypoxia—a
condition where body tissues are starved of oxygen. Hence, these
plants and animals have evolved specific adaptations that help
them thrive. For example, the Tibetans and Sherpas are bestowed
with 'super athlete' gene, which regulates the production of
haemoglobin to help them breathe in air that has reduced oxygen.
Birds in the mountains have a greater misery. They are prone to
infections by various blood parasites that attack their blood cells,
reduce the concentration of haemoglobin and the oxygen-carrying
capacity of their blood. So how do they deal with such infections?
A Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance funded new study by Dr.
Farah Ishtiaq and her team from the Centre for Ecological
Sciences, Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru, have explored
answers to this vital question. The study was conducted on 18
species of passerine birds (birds belonging to the order
Passeriformes) across seven elevations in the western Himalayas
during the breeding season (April-May) and the non-breeding
seasons (January- March).
The birds in the western Himalayas follow two migration strategies.
A few of them stay in the higher elevations all year. The others,
called ‘elevational migrants’, move to breeding grounds in higher
elevations only during the summer and return to the plains during
the harsh winter. It is during this time that they are at a higher risk
of contracting infections since the birds in the lowlands are loaded
with blood parasites, which could compromise the capacity to
regulate haemoglobin and cope with hypoxia.
“An earlier study on Himalayan birds showed that they modulate haemoglobin in the blood to increase its oxygen-carrying capacity. In this study, we wanted to understand how these birds deal with the increased demand for oxygen with decreased haemoglobinlevels due to infections by parasites”, says Dr. Ishtiaq, talking
about the motivation behind this study.
The researchers analysed the parasite DNA in bird blood samples
of the 18 species to screen if parasites like Plasmodium,
Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon causing avian malaria were
present in them. They also measured the haemoglobin and the
percentage of red blood cells in the blood. “Each parasite has a specific vector group. For example, Plasmodium is transmitted by mosquitoes, Haemoproteus by biting midges (Culicoides), and
black flies transmit Leucocytozoon. The sexual phase of the parasite takes place in the vector species, and the asexual phase happens in the birds”, explains Dr. Ishtiaq.
The study reveals that high intensity of these blood parasites
destroy the red blood cells and reduce the amount of haemoglobin
in the migrant birds. When a bird is infected with more than one
type of the parasite, it could turn lethal. The researchers found that
Leucocytozoon was present in most of the samples, with 40%
prevalence, followed by Haemoproteus and Plasmodium. They
also found that the probability of infection by Plasmodium was high
in the plains and the risk of infection by Leucocytozoon increased
with the height.
An interesting finding of the study was that the researchers
observed an increased parasite load, a measure of the number
and virulence of the parasites in a host, in the non-breeding
(winter) season. “This is in stark contrast with previous studies conducted in temperate regions where the intensity of infection was reported to be higher during the breeding season. This contrast for Himalayan birds could be either due to cold weather or poor food availability,” explains Dr. Ishtiaq. They also observed
that the intensity of infection decreased with elevation in the
breeding season.
Measuring the parasite load is vital to evaluate the role of
infections on host fitness and physiology, say the researchers.
“Our finding brings a new perspective to disease ecology in high elevation environment where birds are infected with fewer or inactive blood parasite infections”, says Dr. Ishtiaq. “Previous studies have shown that high parasite load is correlated with high mortality rates in human malaria. It is quite possible that a heavy-load of blood parasite infections cause excessive damage to the red blood cells of the seasonal migrants, leading to anaemia, and our experimental result supports the same” she adds.
So, what does the future hold for these birds, considering climate
change is affecting the Himalayan ecosystem? The future seems
to bleak according to Dr. Ishtiaq. “Temperature plays an important role in regulating the transmission of parasites. With increasing global temperature, the range of mosquitoes and blood parasites might expand to higher elevations. Such a situation might exacerbate hypoxic stress experienced by high elevation birds,” she warns.
This article was originally published on Research Matters.
14.
INDIA ALLIANCE FELLOWS’
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
Is malaria sucking up oxygen in the Himalayan
birds?
Please tell us what you are working on and what impact do you
hope it will have.
My passion to help address some of the myriad of problems has
led me to this crazy but exciting idea of leveraging technology
such as simple mobile messaging to help adolescents cease to
drink in risky ways! This ‘magic pill’ is called POWERTXT, and it’s
about harnessing the POWER in a TEXT message to deliver a
brief intervention in order to address a behavioural problem that is
beginning to assume very alarming proportions. Almost 1 out of
every 3 adolescents currently drink at risky levels, and if this is
not checked, it could lead to many health, social, and economic
problems later in life. Children and adolescents are the future and
we have an obligation to help guarantee this future in an
increasingly volatile world. POWERTXT is trying to do this, and I
am very optimistic that in the next 4 years we may just have
‘discovered’ a ‘cool’ approach (yes, cool because adolescents
don’t like to be judged and a bot offers exactly this!) to help
adolescents cease to drink in risky ways.
What are some of the challenges you have faced so far in
carrying out this research? Are some of these challenges specific
to India or would these be similar in other countries, including in
your home country Ghana?
It has largely been quite smooth-sailing- thanks to the fantastic
support from my host institution Sangath, Goa. There are always
challenges with getting the personnel with the right caliber and
this is a ubiquitous challenge in most LMICs and particularly
pronounced in the field of mental health. Mental health research
capacity and leadership is lacking in LMICs and this presents
considerable challenges to mid-career researchers hoping to
build and sustain teams necessary for achieving independence.
To buttress this, my fellowship provided (or actually encouraged)
me to recruit post-doctoral researchers but this has been very
challenging. There is also the issue of research management and
being able to navigate and fulfil administrative requirements whilst
at the same time keeping your eyes locked on the science and
project timelines.
Why is Mental Health research not a priority, specially in LMICs
and how can we promote it more actively in our countries?
I would place this squarely on the over-dominance of the
biomedical model/conceptualization of disease and causation! To
many it’s much easier to connect with the notion of a pathogen or
germ etc. that can be isolated and shown to cause a disease, and
which can be treated with a simple pill or injection. Indeed, I
would dare say as a direct consequence, the health system in
many low-and middle-income countries (the world over perhaps!)
– is based on models of care designed for acute illness, maternal
and child ill health and communicable diseases. As a result, it
fails to contribute as much as it should to saving lives or
alleviating suffering related to mental and neurological conditions.
Closely related to this is the very dangerous role of ignorance- to
many the interconnectedness between mental ill health and
physical health is a mirage and does not exist, plus they don’t
know the disease burden from mental health conditions. I
remember vividly, many years ago, being told by a colleague that
mental health issues/research is ‘the icing on the cake’! This
posturing means potential change agents or effector institutions
would find it very challenging to take bold decisions in favour of
mental health programmes. Basically, mental disorders are
considered invisible in most societies.
15.
Continued on next page…
INDIA ALLIANCE
FELLOW IN SPOTLIGHT
Dr. Benedict WeobongIntermediate Fellow
Sangath, Goa
There are always ways around these challenges and it’s gratifying
to note that the landscape has improved considerably over the last
decade and there is now very credible momentum in pushing the
mental health agenda. We are beginning to see deep-seated and
collective interest from funding agencies, governments, and world
bodies such as the UN. This is largely due to the efforts of the
movement for global mental health
(http://www.globalmentalhealth.org) whose philosophy is the
prioritisaton of mental health and equity in mental health for all
people worldwide. Knowing that mental disorders are invisible in
most societies, the strategy to put mental health on the global
agenda has been to make the cause visible to everyone by
providing clearly synthesized data on the state of the world’s
mental health, the economic consequences (annual global cost
attributable to depression alone is estimated at USD 1·15 trillion),
and more importantly evidence of effective and cost-effective
treatments. In parallel to these strategies, there is an urgent need
to develop much-needed research leadership and capacity within
LMICs and one innovative strategy is to harness the strength of
established centres/institutions of excellence within the global
south through South-South collaborations. This is something close
to my heart and I have the unique opportunity to initiate/build this
bridge between my host institution Sangath and the School of
Public Health University of Ghana.
Is there a research area other than yours that interests you
deeply?
I guess that would mean I’m probably not in the right place? No,
not really as I really do enjoy being an epidemiologist, and even
more exciting to be doing this in the field of mental health research.
But I guess there are always other interests and the areas of
artificial intelligence and economic evaluation in mental health that
fascinates me.
How has Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance funding helped you
and your research?
Opportunity to rack up my track record and be able to be
competitive and independent- it’s an open secret that the quality of
our research and thus, our career growth, is mainly measured by
the number of publications we produce, number of citations we get,
and the amount of grant money we obtain. Fellowships are by far
the best catalyst to achieve these and the India Alliance is offering
this. Also guaranteed funding (if you work hard!) and offers the
opportunity to conduct focused research without any
dependencies!
What keeps you going everyday?
That there are still unanswered questions! Oh….and I take much of
this inspiration from Bradford Hill because “All scientific work is incomplete and liable to be upset or modified by advancing knowledge, yet this does not give us a freedom to ignore the knowledge we already have, or to postpone the action that it appears to demand at a given time! Indeed, as Robert Browning asked; who knows but that the world may end tonight? True, but on available evidence most of us make ready to commute on the 08:30 next day whether it be observational or experimental”
Finally, if you were not a researcher, you would be?
Patience…. there are often prolonged time scales to reward. And
critical thinking are key attributes of a researcher. I think, I would
do pretty well practicing law or professional acting!
Find out more about Benedict’s scientific journey and current research here.
16.
INDIA ALLIANCE FELLOW IN SPOTLIGHT
DR. BENEDICT WEOBONG
Benedict with participants at a recent intervention development workshop
By Paramananda Barman
A 46-year-old male labourer with high blood pressure and
diabetes, a 55-year-old male farmer who has recently suffered a
heart attack, a 52-year-old woman with anxiety and depression, a
56-year-old woman with chronic back pain… A day at my clinic is
full of cases that one would be surprised to find in a rural and tribal
region of Gadchiroli, one of India’s most backward districts.
My friends—doctors and non-doctors alike—are puzzled when I
talk about the increasing incidence of chronic non-communicable
diseases (or NCDs, for lack of a better word) in rural and tribal
regions of India. “But these are the diseases of people who live in
cities!” they argue. This dangerous myth needs to be countered.
India’s disease pattern is shifting.
Unbeknown to most of us, the disease pattern in India in general
and particularly in rural India has undergone a significant shift over
the last 15 years. An early inkling of this change was evident in a
2001-2003 Government of India report on the causes of death in
the country. The report revealed that the deaths in rural India due
to communicable diseases (41 percent) were almost matched by
those due to NCDs (40 percent).
A follow-up study on the causes of death in rural India for the
years 2010-13 showed that NCDs accounted for 47 percent of all
deaths while communicable, maternal, peri-natal and nutritional
conditions together accounted for 30 percent, indicating that NCDs
have unquestionably become a healthcare priority.
The pattern of NCDs in rural India looks largely similar to that in
urban India. High blood pressure, the biggest risk factor for death
worldwide, now affects one in five adults in rural India, while
diabetes affects about one in 20 adults. We are already in the
midst of an NCD epidemic in rural India!
The growing burden of disease
Certain chronic diseases such as coronary artery disease, strokes,
lung diseases and cancers lead to deaths as well as disability;
however, there are several NCDs—such as chronic low back pain,
mental health and neurological disorders, anaemia, cataracts and
hearing loss—that do not cause death but lead to significant
disability.
A key metric to measure the burden of a disease on a community
is disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost. It is the sum of years
of life lost due to premature deaths and years lived with disability.
A recent report released by the India State-Level Disease Burden
Initiative shows that three of the top five leading causes of DALYs
lost in India were NCDs: coronary artery disease, chronic lung
diseases and stroke.
The burden of disease is immense. Due to their chronic nature, the
significant disability and premature death, NCDs lead to chronic
expenditure on health and, thereby, worsen poverty. Loss of
productivity and purchasing capacity could lead to slowing of
economic growth and development. It is estimated that India is
likely to lose USD 4.58 trillion before 2030 due to NCDs.
It’s time to take rural NCDs seriously.
Given the havoc they threaten to wreak on rural lives, it is time that
NCDs are addressed on priority. All the stakeholders, including
civil society, businesses, academia and policymakers, need to
take a serious note of this new health challenge in rural India
where a majority of India’s population lives.
17.
Is malaria sucking up oxygen in the Himalayan birds?
Rural India faces epidemic of
non-communicable diseases
Dr. Yogeshwar Kalkonde, Intermediate Fellow
Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health (SEARCH), Gadchiroli
OPINION
Continued on next page…
But why are NCDs becoming a problem in rural area? The prime
reason is epidemiological transition, which is a shift towards
chronic non-communicable diseases along with socio-economic
development. Increasing life expectancy and urbanisation of
lifestyle in rural India have led to this transition.
Since Independence, the life expectancy at birth has increased
substantially in India; from 32 years in 1947, it had more than
doubled to around 68 years in 2017. The life expectancy in rural
India is not very different from that in urban India. This means that
more people in rural India are surviving to an age where diseases
related to ageing—such as high blood pressure, diabetes and
cancers—catch up.
The challenges of tackling rural NCDs
There are multiple challenges to managing NCDs in rural India:
1) NCDs in rural India are affecting a relatively younger
population—about a decade younger—compared to that in the
developed countries. This is likely to be due to malnutrition early in
life, which paradoxically increases the risk of NCDs and an
unhealthy lifestyle in early adulthood. This means younger
population in rural India needs to be screened for chronic
diseases.
2) There is very low awareness about these diseases in rural
India, leading to further challenges to inculcating lifestyle changes
and prevention methods.
3) Facilities for diagnosing and treating these disorders are often
not available in rural areas, resulting in late diagnosis and
treatment.
4) NCDs lead to chronic expenditures on healthcare and, many
times, catastrophic health expenditures, which push the families
into poverty. There is no financial safety net to help people absorb
the negative economic consequences of NCDs.
5) Lack of systematic mechanisms to collect data on NCDs from
rural India could hamper efforts at measuring the problem, guiding
interventions and monitoring them effectively.
6) NCDs are typically treated by physicians with advanced level of
training; since such physicians are not accessible to villagers, the
best way to treat NCDs at the village level needs to be understood.
NCDs, thus, create a big challenge for healthcare systems—public
as well as private—in rural India. The government-run healthcare
system in rural India largely focuses on maternal and child health
and infection. For instance, of the total health budget of INR
47,343 crore in 2017-18, only INR 955 crore was allotted to the
NCD programme. This system now faces the dual burden of
tackling not just infections but NCDs as well.
This would require healthcare policymakers to focus on developing
new human resources, technology, healthcare delivery
mechanisms and financial resources to tackle NCDs in rural areas.
Needless to say, prevention needs to be a priority.
This article was originally published in India Development Review
18.
RURAL INDIA FACES EPIDEMIC OF NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Dr. Yogeshwar Kalkonde
Dr. Yogesh Kalkonde is an India Alliance Intermediate Fellow, a neurologist and public health researcher at Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health (SEARCH), a non-government organization working in rural and tribal parts of Gadchiroli district in India. Find out more about Yogesh’s current research here.
INDIA ALLIANCE
WORKSHOPS
“The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life.” —Rabindranath Tagore
One way we sometimes define the task of the leader is this: It is
his or her job to prepare the next generation for the challenges
they will meet when their time to lead arrives. Naturally, passing
along the knowledge we elders have gained over time also has its
more immediate rewards. These include seeing the faces of
younger colleagues light up with understanding when our
message connects with them. And the feeling of satisfaction that
arises when we note our charges’ increasing self-confidence and
willingness to accept greater responsibility in their teams and
institutes.
Nonetheless, it is also true that many of the seeds today’s leaders
plant will only come to fruition at some remote point in the future.
This is the truth implied in the above quotation. When asked,
“Why lead?” a veteran of the job might thus answer, “Because I
have started to understand the meaning of life!” This multi-layered
answer would seem to be typical of India, where the edifice of
modern science is being built on an ancient foundation of deep
insights into human existence.
We recently had the privilege of facilitating two workshops for
research group leaders in Delhi and Hyderabad. These followed
the familiar format of the EMBO research leadership workshops
that we have been conducting for many years in Europe and,
more recently, in the United States. This initiative, undertaken as
a joint venture with The Wellcome Trust / DBT India Alliance, was
part of EMBO’s continuing efforts to promote high-quality training
and research among scientists around the world.
One ancillary goal of these two workshops was to learn how to
transfer the good leadership practices discussed in the existing
EMBO workshops to the research settings found on the sub-
continent. Hofstede’s model provides a framework to understand
India’s culture. At each step in the process, we made the required
minor adjustments, together with the participants, so that the
material fit to their environment, which is both more hierarchical
and more male-dominated. Based on the response of the
participants, it seems clear that the tentative answer to the
question of the workshop’s suitability for India is “yes.” Granted, it
is in the nature of leadership training that its true utility only
becomes apparent after the workshop is over.
Before issuing a final judgment, the workshop participants must,
therefore, return to their work environments, begin implementing
the new concepts and strategies they encountered during our four
days together and collect data on the observable effects. Only
then will truly reliable information exist.
This being said, our experiences with some of India’s best and
brightest make us optimistic about the positive ripple effects that
may be expected. The eagerness with which the participants
threw themselves into the work at hand, the insights revealed via
their countless probing questions, their willingness to share openly
of their own experiences — both happy and unhappy — make
clear that they were not just there as spectators, but as co-
creators of a deeply meaningful learning experience and
promoters of useful change “back in the lab”.
Two moments stand out in particular. During the EMBO module
on team dynamics—which includes building a series of dioramas
on the floor using colourful plastic figurines – the group became so
engrossed in the emerging team sculptures that they slid from
their seats and crept, one by one, up to the display. Eventually,
virtually the whole group was gathered around the dioramas,
sitting cross-legged on the floor, listening to a captivating story.
This was a priceless moment and a novum in our experience as
facilitators.
Eat, Pray, Lead – Our First Experiences With Scientific Leadership in IndiaCJ Fitzsimons
EMBO Research Leadership Course19-22 March 2018, New Delhi & 26-29 March 2018, Hyderabad
The India Alliance, with support from European Molecular Biology
Organization (EMBO) organized EMBO Research Leadership
course for researchers in India to train them in leadership and
management skills that are critical for a successful career in
science. Two courses were held from 19-22 March 2018 in New
Delhi and 26-29 March 2018 in Hyderabad and were attended by
32 early and mid-career academic researchers from 27 institutions
from across India. These were attended by researchers who are
not India Alliance fellows as well with a view to strengthening the
ecosystem.
“The leadership course was one of its kind. To run a scientific lab or an organisation, one needs to go through similar outstanding Leadership courses. Especially the course sculptors were highly engaging and learned. They were experts in the area of scientific leadership and made us aware about the operational skeleton of day to day interactions with our business group in areas related to scientific leadership etc. I rate this course 10 on a 10 point scale.”Course participant
This was the first time EMBO Leadership Course was organized
in India. CJ Fitzsimmons, who delivered the workshop along with
his colleague Mr William Uber, has designed this course
(Leadership Sculptor®) which he has been conducting in various
parts of the world for the last 15 years. He shares his experience
below of holding his first-ever Research Leadership course in
India.
19.
INDIA ALLIANCE
WORKSHOPS
And, at the end of the workshop, the taking of group selfies
(apparently, an inviolable Indian tradition) lasted a good ten
minutes, since nearly everyone wanted their own personalized
souvenir of the occasion. We now have evidence you can just
about squeeze eighteen people into a selfie!
Another first for us was the cake of gratitude that suddenly
appeared at the end of the course in Hyderabad – evidence of
Southern hospitality.
Google #EMBOIALSLabLead for more tweets and selfies from the
Eat, Pray, Lead – Our First Experiences With Scientific Leadership in India
CJ and Billy with course participants in Delhi. Photo credit: Dr. Sandhya Koushika
Research Methodology Workshop 12-13 and 14-15 March, 2018, THSTI, Faridabad
The India Alliance established the Clinical and Public Health
(CPH) Fellowships program in 2014. In order to make up for a
lacuna in understanding of research methodology in clinical and
public health researchers, the CPH Committee suggested that a
training workshop on Research Methodology would be useful in
order for the India Alliance Fellows to perform high quality
research. However, it was decided later that the training would be
open to basic researchers as well. Consequently, India Alliance
organized two 2-day workshops on Research at Translational
Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad.
The workshops were open to all active India Alliance Fellows. The
aim of the workshops was to provide structured training that would
help in improving the quality of data collection. The workshops
were coordinated by Clinical Development Services Agency
(CDSA), which is an extramural unit of THSTI. Prof. J P Muliyil,
former Principal of Christian Medical College Vellore, facilitated
these workshops.
Following feedback was received from some of the attendees of
these workshops:
“Had to be the best epidemiology/statistics class ever! Thank you Professor Muliyil for making this course so interesting and interactive.”
“I have been introduced to these concepts previously but the way sessions are conducted is an indeed a great learning on how difficult concepts can be put across via enjoyable environment.”
“The best thing is the course started from very basic ideas and everything is explained with examples and previous studies of real life clinical situation.”
courses.
Before closing, we’d like to offer a special vote of thanks to Luis
Valente (EMBO) and Shahid Jameel (India Alliance) for making
this exciting new venture possible, and our on-site coordinators,
Sarah Iqbal and Saritha Vincent, for all their organisational magic
to ensure a smooth and most enjoyable visit. Their advance work
contributed greatly to the successful execution of the workshops
and ensured that we “innocents from abroad” arrived safely and
on-time at the appropriate location to carry out our duties — Delhi
and Hyderabad traffic conditions notwithstanding.
Finally, another quote from India’s great Nobel laureate,
Rabindranath Tagore:
“Reach high, for the stars lie hidden in you. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.”
This expresses beautifully our wishes and hopes for all our new
friends in India. You have much to offer the world of science and
the world beyond science. Reach high, dream deep, and make it
so.
With fondest regards from Baden-Baden,
CJ and Billy
Read this article on Leadership Sculptor®
20.
The Art + Science program aims to promote a dialogue between
artists and scientific concepts, phenomena and technology through
practice. Instituted by Khoj International Artists’ Association and
supported by Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance, the Art +
Science programme is designed to advance projects that explore
artistic applications of emerging thoughts and technologies with
the help of partners from the scientific industry and academia. This
year the Art + Science Grant funded a small number of projects
that engaged emerging themes around science and technology.
The grant consisted of a six month research and development
period culminated into a four-week residency and Open Studio at
Khoj Studios on 29 March 2018. During the research period,
selected artists interacted and collaborated with scientists and
technologists to develop their project.
The selected residents for programs were: Darya Warner and
Puneet Kishore; Sonia Mehra Chawla; Bodhisattva
Chattopadhyay, Goutam Ghosh, and Susanne Winterling; and
Tulika Aasma, Kaushal Sapre and Abhinav Gupta.
The artists presented their work at Open Studio in Khoj on 29
March 2018. The team of Bodhisattva Chattopadhyay, Goutam
Ghosh, and Susanne Winterling for their project, took off from the
two interlinked futurist descriptions of anthropogenic impact on the
planet: the desert planet and the drowned world, focusing on
investigating the former through a geo-cultural, the biological, and
the science fictional lens. Sonia Mehra Chawla’s project Salt Lab
reflected on the urgency to develop salt-tolerant and drought
resistant crops in India. The project continues to explore both
indigenous saline tolerant rice varieties in India, as well as recent
developments in transgenic rice. Darya Warner, a bioartist,
collaborated with engineer and science researcher, Puneet Kishor,
to develop MycoPrinter, an open source 3D bioprinter that prints
mycelium substrate ready for inoculation with various types of
fungi. The printer brings together engineering, biological sciences
and art under the umbrella of open citizen science. The team of
young artists and engineers, Kaushal Sapre, Tulika Aasma and
Abhinav Gupta, worked with air monitoring data to explore the
ideas around sentience, affect and memory by looking at
atmospheric envelopes as the primary material for investigation.
For more information on this year’s program, visit
http://khojworkshop.org/programme/art-science-iii/
INDIA ALLIANCE
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
21.
REPORT
The Undivided Mind: Art + Science Program September 2017- March 2018, Khoj, New Delhi
Bioartist Darya Warner
INDIA ALLIANCE
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
22.
Women in Science series The Life of Science
India Alliance is supporting the “Women in Science series” an
initiative of The Life of Science (TLos) that aims to highlight the
work and challenges faced by women scientists in India and to
showcase these scientists as role models for young girls. TLoS is
a science media platform currently focussed on women scientists
in India.
Through this series, TLoS will feature around 30 India Alliance
women Fellows through writing pieces, photo features, podcasts,
etc. on their website and other popular media channels over the
next few months.
Below are some of the latest offering from this series. Click on the
photo or the text link to read the fascinating science and journeys
of some of India Alliance Fellows.
Nano-pollution is real, warns Madhu
A biologist in Chandigarh who studies the darker shades of nanotechnology shares
her thoughts on her scientific life and raising a child in one.
A taste of fruit fly research with Pinky
A neurobiologist talks about her interesting research with fruit flies, dealing with
retraction and the realities of Indian science.
Sreelaja goes fishing for embryos
A photoessay featuring an embryologist exploring how much our mothers influence
the very initial moments of our life
Comic: Sucharita’s Guide to Preventing Diabetes
In a research unit in Bengaluru, Sucharita Sambashivaiah and her team of
researchers are looking into an unconventional aspect of Type 2 Diabetes, and
studying how the disease can be better managed in Indians. This is her story in
illustrations.
INDIA ALLIANCE
NEW INTIATIVES
23.
The India Alliance Gateway on
Wellcome Open Research
India Alliance is pleased to announce the launch of the India
Alliance gateway on Wellcome Open Research. As part of its
commitment to open research policy, the India Alliance has
teamed up with Wellcome Open Research to enable immediate
publication of manuscripts, followed by open invited peer review,
of its funded research.
Wellcome Open Research is an online platform that publishes
research output funded or co-funded by Wellcome. On this
platform, all articles are published rapidly as soon as they are
accepted, after passing an in-house quality check. Peer review by
invited experts, suggested by the authors, takes place openly after
publication. An article remains published regardless of the
referees’ reports. Articles that pass peer review are indexed in
PubMed and other bibliographic databases.
Authors are encouraged to respond openly to the referee reports,
which are published with the article, and can publish revised
versions of their article, if they wish. Read more about Wellcome
Open Research’s post-publication peer-review model.
Find India Alliance Fellows’ open research at
https://wellcomeopenresearch.org/gateways/IA and a list of
gateway advisors that are championing the brave new practice of
open access publishing.
India Research Management Initiative (IRMI)
Good research management is crucial for research and enables
researchers to access new funding opportunities, navigate
changing schemes and policies at agencies, receive support for
team science programs and effective grant management and
helps ensure that research findings are used effectively.
A Scoping Study on research management in India commissioned
by the Wellcome Trust in 2016 and a panel discussion on
professional research development offices at Indian institutions,
hosted at the India Alliance Annual Fellows Meeting in 2017,
highlighted the need for developing this part of the Indian research
ecosystem. IRMI, the India Research Management Initiative, was
subsequently launched by the India Alliance in February 2018, for
building capacity in research management at organizations in
India.
IRMI will be developed along a framework that encompasses four
themes:
• Generating leadership support for research management in
India
• Making research management offices sustainable
• Identifying common standards and good practice for research
management
• Individual capacity development: ensuring recognition of
research management as a profession and developing a pool
of qualified staff
IRMI is initially being implemented as a pilot phase aimed at
establishing a detailed account of research management at Indian
research institutions and identifying gaps in the system. There are
now 17 research institutions and Universities registered with IRMI
and this has allowed the India Alliance to develop a baseline of
research management in India, guided by the IRMI framework.
With an increasing number of institutions registering for IRMI, this
knowledge-base is expected to become more comprehensive.
Early conversations suggest that universities and research
institutes have the staff, processes and management in place to
receive core funding from specific arms of government. However,
systems to help researchers compete for, negotiate, manage and
make use of competitively won external resources appear to have
been slower to develop in India.
An IRMI sharing session was recently organized at IISER Pune on
19 April 2018, which included attendees from the scientific
leadership at participating institutions along with research
managers. The format of the workshop allowed for in-depth
sharing of ideas on the benefits of research management along
with a detailing of the barriers to implementation, from the varied
perspectives of institutions and individual research managers.
More such workshops are planned in other parts of India during
the IRMI pilot phase in 2018. This would provide a comprehensive
view of research management in India, which in turn is expected to
guide future policy and specific funding opportunities via the India
Alliance.
Institutions wishing to participate in IRMI should complete a
registration form available on the Wellcome Trust/DBT India
Alliance website via the link
https://www.indiaalliance.org/news/203 and completed forms
should be sent to [email protected].
IRMI in the media - Research management critical for Indian labs
to become competitive
- Dr. Savita Ayyar, Lead, IRMI
24.
IRMI sharing session at IISER Pune
Participants at the IRMI sharing session at IISER Pune
INDIA ALLIANCE
NEW INTIATIVES
The Africa-India Mobility Fund (AIMF) is a two-year programme
designed to provide researchers from Africa and India with
opportunities for short visits in either direction to explore
opportunities for building and strengthening scientific
collaboration.
The AIMF initiative by the Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance
(India Alliance) and the African Academy of Sciences intends to
encourage South-South collaborations and learning between the
two ecosystems. This is in recognition of the fact that Africa and
India face similar challenges, both in the diseases that affect their
populations and socio-political issues as well as the leadership
required to address these. The exchanges are expected to
enhance their skills and contribute to the growth of knowledge
and leadership towards common health challenges.
In Africa, the travel grants will be administered by the Alliance for
Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA) and in India
by the India Alliance.
The AIMF comes on the heels of the Third India-Africa Forum
Summit held in October 2015 and where Heads of State adopted
the Delhi Declaration renewing their commitment to work with
each other, and outlining the priority areas and ways in which
Africa and India can work together to improve the lives of their
people. It is also one of many efforts to exploit the synergistic
relationship between Africa and India outlined in the India Africa
Health Sciences Summit held in 2016. Over the last two years,
the India Alliance and AESA have also hosted African and Indian
biomedical researchers, respectively, at their Annual Grantees
Meetings.
These travel grants will be supported by the India Alliance (for
Indian researchers) and the Wellcome (for African researchers,
administered through AAS and AESA).
Purpose, Objectives and Scope of the Initiative
Purpose
To establish links and cultivate a culture of collaboration between
African and Indian researchers that will serve as a vehicle to
improve research capacity and build leadership in biomedical and
clinical research for Africa and India.
Objectives
• To strengthen research & innovation capacity and knowledge
exchange
• To strengthen scientific collaboration between Indian and
African teams
Scope
Applications broadly focused on infectious and non-
communicable diseases of relevance to local, national, or global
health will be accepted every month. The scope of the
collaborative opportunity may include but is not limited to
HIV/AIDS, TB, dengue, malaria, vector-borne diseases, parasitic
infections, emerging infections, cancer, diabetes, hypertension,
health systems research, antimicrobial resistance, drug
development, microbiome and general biomedical sciences.
While applications that involve existing collaborations will be
considered, applications that target new collaborations and
encourage diversity especially female and young applicants are
particularly encouraged.
Application Process, Review and Deadlines
All application forms should be submitted through the AAS Grants
Management System (Ishango). Register as a user to apply. See
sample application form here
Click here to find out more about these travel grants.
References:
Why it’s time African researchers stopped working in silos. The Conversation. May 2016Health research: Africa–India health-science
partnerships. Nature. September 2016
Outwards to Africa. The Hindu, September 2016
Bringing together African and Indian Biomedical Researchers. India Alliance Newsletter, September 2016
India meets Africa again: Recognising common research goals and mapping
the road ahead. India Alliance Newsletter, September 2017
25.
INDIA ALLIANCE
NEW INTIATIVES
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS
26.
Download India Alliance Annual Report 2017-18
Please send your feedback, suggestions and contributions to
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