CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: A two-day CME and hands-on workshop on “Lessons in Immunology for Developing Immunodiagnostics and Vaccine” was organised at Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC), Bhopal, under the aegis of the Indian Immunology Society.
The workshop was attended by chief guest Lieutenant General (retired) Narendra Kotwal, Executive Director and CEO, AIIMS Bhopal; and special guests Madhavananda Kar, Director, AIIMS Darbhanga; Rajnarayan Tiwari, Director, NIREH, Bhopal; Santosh Kumar Kar, formerly of JNU; and Sumedha Kotwal.
In her welcome address, BMHRC Director-in-charge Dr Manisha Srivastava said the era in which we are living is a time of innovations, immunodiagnostics and development. She said BMHRC is working on a unique hub-and-spoke model. Its eight community centres are functioning in different parts of the city, where free medicines and treatment are provided to gas-affected patients and their dependents. Treatment is also provided to Ayushman card holders and patients below the poverty line.
Dr Srivastava said that, on the lines of AIIMS, the institute is also working to link patient data with the e-Sushrut software, which can help improve diagnostic facilities. Work is continuing in the direction of sickle cell anaemia and TB elimination. To improve the quality of life of kidney patients, the institute is providing maintenance dialysis facilities. She said BMHRC is continuously working in new areas and in the field of research. “Make in India is the time of today’s youth. Move forward and face challenges; this will make your future bright,” she said. She added that the workshop was an excellent opportunity for researchers to understand the journey from basic immunology to translational research.
Addressing the gathering, chief guest Narendra Kotwal, Executive Director, AIIMS Bhopal, said the workshop, based on the two fundamental pillars of immunology – diagnosis and treatment – is very useful for researchers. He said vaccines developed for the prevention of about 14 diseases have saved six lives per minute over the past 50 years. He further said the benefits of science are extraordinary, as science creates vaccines, but their positive impact depends on people’s trust in them. Sharing the formula for success with researchers, Kotwal said honesty, integrity, credibility, passion and hard work with selfless commitment in the field of research can lead them to success.
Delivering a lecture on “Immunodiagnostics – The Landscape for Future Therapeutics”, Madhavananda Kar said the priority should be to make the right diagnosis of a patient at the right time and provide timely medicine and treatment. With the advent of modern diagnostic methods, accurate diagnosis of diseases has made treatment easier. He said working with dedication in one’s field, learning something new and contributing to research gives a satisfying experience. Participation is very important in research, he said, adding that it is important to contribute to research with mental alertness and motivation.
Santosh Kumar Kar, formerly of JNU, spoke on “Evolution of the Immune System”. He said an immunology-biotechnology centre was established 25 years ago and today everyone is familiar with immunology. Immunology is now being taught in about 1,600 universities, he said. Emphasising women’s empowerment, he said that if you educate a girl, you educate an entire generation. He said the purpose of the hands-on CME workshop was to promote an active lifestyle. He further said that just as changes in viruses are increasing the number of new diseases, people also need to change their lifestyle and strengthen immunity to fight these diseases.
Rajnarayan Tiwari, Director, NIREH Bhopal, told the gathering that earlier the concept of vaccine and immunity was associated with communicable diseases. Later it was felt that communicable diseases had almost ended, but Covid dispelled this misconception. In today’s context, he said, immunodiagnostics is not limited only to communicable diseases; its scope has become much wider. The immune system will now also have to be kept strong indirectly for non-communicable diseases.
Avinash Sonawane from IIT Indore delivered a lecture on “Health Care Innovations – Novel Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology”. About 75 participants took part in the workshop. A group discussion was held between participants and subject experts.
On the day of the two-day lecture series, Himanshu Kumar of IISER Bhopal will deliver a lecture on “Principles and Biology of Autoimmune Disease Diagnosis”. Santosh Kumar Kar, formerly of JNU, will deliver a lecture on “3D Purification of Immunoglobulins”.
At the end of the workshop, Puneet Gandhi, Head of the Research Department, BMHRC, expressed gratitude to all the special guests, officials and researchers present.
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