The IPD tool can automatically determine the abundance of SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences, carry out mutation analysis with respect to the Wuhan sequence and finally based on the mutations seen in each sample assign it to the respective phylogenetic clade. Assigning a sample to a phylogenetic clade is based on the complete profile of mutations seen … Continue reading ACTREC’s automated tool makes SARS-CoV-2 genome mutation analysis easy
Tata Memorial Centre
Detecting RNA virus in saliva samples using Raman Spectroscopy
Researchers at the Mumbai-based Tata Memorial Centre have used Raman Spectroscopy to detect RNA viruses present in saliva samples. It is a proof-of-concept study to analyse non-infectious RNA viruses using conventional Raman Spectroscopy without using any additional reagent to enhance the signal. If Israel developed a spectroscopy-based one-minute breathe analyser to detect coronavirus, a team … Continue reading Detecting RNA virus in saliva samples using Raman Spectroscopy
Biomarkers found for lymph node metastasis in oral cancer
Researchers at the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani, and ACTREC, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai have identified five biomarkers for lymph node metastasis in oral cancer. Two of the biomarkers are heritable DNA changes while three are somatic DNA alterations. Patients can be spared of lymph node dissection in the absence of the biomarkers. By looking … Continue reading Biomarkers found for lymph node metastasis in oral cancer
Podcast: How progesterone protects breast cancer patients unravelled
Dr. Amit Dutt of ACTREC-Tata Memorial Centre explains how progesterone administered prior to breast cancer surgery helps in reducing the chances of migration and invasion of cancer cells to other parts of the body. Immaterial of whether patients had progesterone receptor or not, the hormone is equally effective.
TMC team unravels protective mechanism of progesterone in breast cancer patients
Tata Memorial Centre researchers have uncovered the mechanism by which a single injection of progesterone administered prior to breast cancer surgery helps in reducing the chances of cancer cell spread (causing a relapse) whether patients have progesterone receptors or not. Since progesterone cannot be given to men and children, the results of the study can … Continue reading TMC team unravels protective mechanism of progesterone in breast cancer patients
Podcast: Finding a potential target for treating gallbladder cancer
Dr. Amit Dutt from Tata Memorial Centre explains how the team using different approaches identified the mutations that cause gallbladder cancer. They found that a drug that is already in use for treating colorectal cancer can now be used for treating gallbladder cancer too. By performing molecular profiling of every gallbladder cancer patient it might … Continue reading Podcast: Finding a potential target for treating gallbladder cancer
Existing drug can be repurposed to treat gallbladder cancer
Researchers at Tata Memorial Centre have found that a drug used for treating colorectal cancer can be used for treating gallbladder cancer patients too. The researchers have not only found the mutations that cause gallbladder cancer but have also found a way to tell which patients will respond to treatment using the existing drug. Currently, there … Continue reading Existing drug can be repurposed to treat gallbladder cancer
Yogi Adityanath takes pledge to control tobacco menace in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has committed himself to controlling tobacco consumption in the State by signing a strongly-worded pledge. Uttar Pradesh accounts for one-fourth of the 10,00,000 new cancer cases seen every year in India, and nearly half of all cancers in the State are caused by tobacco. On February 5, a day … Continue reading Yogi Adityanath takes pledge to control tobacco menace in Uttar Pradesh
IIT teams developing a self test for cervical cancer
A team of researchers led by Dr. Aravind Kumar Rengan from IIT Hyderabad is attempting to quantify the visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) technique for cervical cancer so it becomes technician-independent. The ultimate goal is to develop a self test for cervical cancer. A pap smear, a gold standard test, for cervical cancer screening may … Continue reading IIT teams developing a self test for cervical cancer
This is one reason why India does not produce path-breaking health technologies
'Make in India' will forever remain only as a catchy slogan if India cannot provide funding to translate promising health research into technologies and products. When was the last time you heard of a path-breaking health technology, technique, procedure or product coming out of India? Is science and technology funding provided by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) … Continue reading This is one reason why India does not produce path-breaking health technologies
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