Looking forward to bio-boosts in India

Well, China is making a big leap in the field of biotechnology and modern medicine. It is planning to make a total output value of $630 billion by the end of the year 2015. This involves modernizing the traditional and old Chinese medicine. India has a rich heritage of traditional medicine. I wonder when the government will wake up and start revolutionizing it..........before it gets lost and loses faith. 

Scientists have now got to be good videographers

Scientific publications are even more fascinating now. A new journal called JoVE is publishing videos of the research conducted in lab. So if you want to believe science you can go to this journal website and watch the videos. Science is cool but this is even cooler. I am not sure how much effort goes into producing a publishable video, but probably should start thinking of it now.

Muscular Dystrophy

Muscular dystrophy is an open access book published by the InTech publishing house.With more than 30 different types and subtypes known and many more yet to be classified and characterized, muscular dystrophy is a highly heterogeneous group of inherited neuromuscular disorders. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the various types of muscular dystrophies, genes associated with each subtype, disease diagnosis, management as well as available treatment options. Though each different type and subtype of muscular dystrophy is associated with a different causative gene, the majority of them have overlapping clinical presentations, making molecular diagnosis inevitable for both disease diagnosis as well as patient management. This book discusses the currently available diagnostic approaches that have revolutionized clinical research. Pathophysiology of the different muscular dystrophies, multifaceted functions of the involved genes as well as efforts towards diagnosis and effective patient management, are also discussed. Adding value to the book are the included reports on ongoing studies that show a promise for future therapeutic strategies. 

Whole Exome OR Hole Exome?? education is essential

I had been to the annual ACMG (now ACMGG) conference recently and its all been about whole exome sequencing. Everyone is talking about whole exome sequencing and its potential. But one thing is to be understood, especially by the public that whole exome is still not whole exome. Many genes and exons cannot still be captured and sequenced even by the latest and greatest technology. Lots of false positives and false negatives show up through the assay and I am really surprised how it is being offered as a clinical diagnostic test in some of the labs in the country. I myself have been analyzing whole exomes and has still been a big challenge even in research labs, forget about clinical labs. So please be educated well, before you start opting the test or even supporting the idea.

There are more blood groups than you know............Not just A, B, AB or O.

Recent discovery of two new blood proteins by researchers at University of Vermont, have totaled the number of known blood groups to 32. Blood groups are determined by the presence or absence of a certain protein or group of proteins (called antigens) on the surface of the red blood cells of an individual. So with the discovery of the two new proteins 'junior' and 'Langereis', new blood groups namely junior positive or junior negative and like wise have come into existence. These are more common in Japanese population. What is the importance of this discovery or what actually is the importance of knowing the blood group of any individual. Its significant for blood transfusions or pregnancy compatibility. The proteins or  antigens present on one's own blood cells may  trigger production of counter acting proteins called antibodies when transfused into someone else who naturally did not have these antigens. This may result in clump formation and eventual death. Nobel Laureate Karl Landsteiner was the one who first discovered the existence of different blood groups 1901. I wonder how we managed blood transfusions then and the Japanese until now.

What have you done that wasn't for your own benefit?.......honestly????

Before I get into the details of the current post, I admit I haven't done anything worth mention. However, I take personal pride in referring one of my former students Sandeep, who is a fellow at TEACH for INDIA. I personally believe its an amazing program and i respect the youngsters who have participated in this program and dedicated 'two' crucial years of their career building period. I honestly admit that committing two years to something like this, needs self-motivation and visionary thinking. When it comes to just donating few bucks from our pocket to someone who is in dire need, we often ask ourselves; " REALLY! My little contribution is gonna make a difference to his/her life?" and most often we hear a negative response from within us and we skip donating. But to believe that their contribution will bring difference and to work towards it, one has to be visionary and philanthropic. Though I regret, I could not do it myself, I am glad I am able to appreciate someone who has done it. My appreciation extends to every young Indian who has participated in the 'Teach for India' program and served the nation.

Its a viral protein that helps you grow healthy in mother's womb.....Amazing!!!

We all know how bad viruses are. From common cold to the deadly AIDS, they affect us in many ways. But it is amazing and startling to know the fact that they have played a crucial role in our (human) life cycle. If not for these certain viruses, we would be hatching out of eggs like birds or reptiles. In the year 2000, a group of scientists from Genetics Institute Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts identified a new human gene that expresses a protein called syncytin. Though Syncytin gene is a part of human genome now, it has been incorporated there by viruses. This original viral protein would be expressed by the invading virus to spread along the host body and cause infection. However, the protein served a different function for the human or more precisely mammals by forming placenta. Placenta is the connecting tube between a growing fetus and the mother’s uterus which serves nutrient uptake and ensures fetal development.  It is believed that human or mammalian placentae are formed by fusion of the cytotrophoblast cells through expression of syncytin. If there were no viral gene syncytin, there would have been no placenta formation. Several forms of syncytin are being discovered in different mammalian species piecing together the story of evolution. Not just syncytin, there are several other genes that make up the human DNA accounting for atleast 8% of human DNA.