Genomics Archives - InnoHEALTH magazine

Advancing Food Security, Biodiversity, and Climate Solutions through Structural Bioinformatics

Khushi Khandelwal — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 06:30:00 +0000

Dr. Gitanjali Yadav

1. Can you explain structural bioinformatics and how it is integrated into your research ?

Structural Bioinformatics encompasses studies into three dimensional biomolecular composition and its modulation by atomic bonding patterns, active-site architectures, domain constitution, surface accessibility as well as inter-molecular forces, to help understand how biomolecules adapt to specific functions, and in particular, and how they cooperate with each other to perform these functions more efficiently.

My group at NIPGR New Delhi is currently addressing Food Security and Biodiversity Conservation. Our work in both of these areas is deeply integrated with structural bioinformatics. For example, we investigate how nature has evolved and optimized mechanisms to enhance crop yields through photosynthetic efficiency. This requires a detailed structural analysis of the octameric carbon fixing enzyme RuBisCO, often argued to be the most abundant protein on the planet! My other interest is to decipher the silent language of plants, combining Botany, Chemistry and Geography. Here too, structural data (both macro- and molecular), is crucial to interpret ‘the variable chemical code’ that plants use to communicate with each other, and the rest of the biosphere.

2. What specific applications do you see for Structural Bioinformatics in enhancing crop resilience ?

Traditionally, this field has been famous in drug discovery and biomedical health applications, but the past decade has witnessed a huge surge in studies incorporating structural insights into crop biology, specially towards rational design of plant natural products and creation of Climate Smart crops. Crop Resilience can benefit directly from structural bioinformatics in terms of identification and modeling of key genes and proteins that play a crucial role in environmental stress and disease resistance. Structural bioinformatics can elucidate functional roles of specific base pairs and amino acid residues, as well as intermolecular networks associated with pathogenesis, towards predicting spatio-temporal maps of yield modulation under varying stress conditions.

3. With the vast amount of genomic data available, what strategies do you employ to ensure effective integration and analysis for your research objectives ?

The -Omics revolution of this millennium, mediated by advanced sequencing technologies, has led to an exponentially increasing dataset of biomolecular signatures, offering new opportunities in deciphering biology. Most importantly, availability of this data has released us from the confines of working with model organisms, so that, for example, real crops can now be investigated and improved. However, availability of such enormous datasets also poses new challenges; addressing a question is akin to finding a single needle in a million haystacks. Our primary strategy to ensure effective use of high throughput multi-omics datasets is to integrate diverse sources of information, and reduce data dimensionality by combining modern computational techniques with data FAIRification methods, to ensure Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reproducibility of both data and results.

4. In what ways can genomics and structural bioinformatics contribute to the conservation of plant biodiversity and ecosystems ?

Modern Data science techniques, particularly Biodiversity informatics play a crucial role on ecosystem conservation, as evident from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and several other world repositories. Our own work in Invasion Genomics also makes use of these tools. Genomics in conjunction with structural bioinformatics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and epigenomics, can help to identify species that are vulnerable to environmental changes. Many other contributions of such Multi-Omics approaches to the conservation of plant biodiversity and ecosystems include monitoring, characterizing and restoring biodiversity, as well as by providing rational leads for Biodiversity Management decisions. Such interventions are possible not just for individual organisms or reference genomes, but entire ecosystems, through identification, annotation and mapping of functional genetic variations, use of DNA barcoding, adaptive trait identification, species distribution modeling, establishing ex-situ breeding programs, predicting impacts of environmental change on regional biodiversity etc.

5. Could you elaborate on any innovative techniques or technologies that you are using in your Research ?

We have been exploring new knowledge-based approaches like Open Notebook Science and RAG/LLMs for extracting knowledge from locked literature, using machine intelligence over natural language processing (NLP). Open Notebook Science enables innovative and disruptive Knowledge Sharing Practices in the community, bringing together climate scientists as well as policymakers. Our work in AI over NLP comprises optimizing the output of Large Language Models (LLMs) by means of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). Taken together, these two new strategies have allowed us to create a community of like minded climate and technology enthusiasts all over the world, known as #semanticClimate! We hope to build a lightweight term-based climate knowledge prosthetic that will travel up generations, as well as a factually educated group of young people worldwide, with energy and commitment for Climate.

6. What are the main areas of research that your lab is currently focusing on, and why are they Important ?

The major research thematics in the lab presently span Climate, Conservation and food security as I have already outlined. Our work in #semanticClimate raises awareness; Climate Change impacts everyone on Earth, but above all the Global South, and therefore is of immediate importance to us all. Our work in Food security and enhancing photosynthetic efficiency translates directly into higher agricultural productivity and in turn, greater biomass. Within this ambit, our aim is to try and rectify a flaw that is at the heart of photosynthesis – the global carbon fixing enzyme RubisCO is less efficient in higher plants due to its inability to distinguish atmospheric CO₂ from Oxygen. We are investigating unicellular green algae that have evolved a unique biophysical CCM to successfully separate RubisCO from oxygen, resulting in tremendous increase in photosynthetic efficiency. We are trying to identify key components of this process in the hope of using it to improve crops.

The third focus of our lab is in the area of biodiversity informatics where we address the question of how plants become invasive and how this capacity confers upon their genomes, the phenomenal ability to travel, adapt and expand into new realms. This work is important for Ecosystem Conservation, as well as for understanding evolution of ploidy in the plant kingdom.

7. How do emerging technologies, such as CRISPR and machine learning, play a role in your research, and what potential do you see for future applications ?

CRISPR has completely changed the concept of genetic modifications, and Indian researchers have been hugely successful in gene editing for Crop improvement and Agri Tech. Machine learning techniques have also transformed information discoverability and data reproducibility in the health, agriculture and pharmaceutical industry.

Both these techniques are easy to incorporate or understand, thereby connecting science and the industry to society. I see huge potential for both these technologies in mediating food security and

sustainable agriculture for a growing population on the planet. In #semanticClimate, we make use of AI over NLP to transform locked literature into semantic, hypermedia form, resulting in FAIRified documents that can be traversed by machines and embedded in the Linked Open Data cloud. We are using this to create a Climate Knowledge Framework, a self-improving network of semantic tools, using Python and rOpenSci, embedded into Raspberry pi, empowering every citizen to populate their own knowledge graphs from open source!

8. What policy changes do you believe are necessary to support the integration of genomics and bioinformatics in addressing food security and ecosystem conservation ?

Integration of basic science with modern techniques like genomics and informatics can drive informed policy decisions that support both food security and species survival or ecosystem stability in the face of climate change and habitat destruction. India is leading in the use of knowledge-based approaches as the driving force to steer our national and international policies, such as, for example, India’s National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBSAP) or the more recent Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) of India released by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to Govt of India. Many of our national policies already promote sharing and access to open data generated using public funds by various Ministries/Departments/Subordinate offices/Organizations/Agencies of Government of India. These policies are not limited to the Center, but extend to the States as well, and are meant to be used for national planning, development and awareness to address societal and technological challenges. However, I wonder how many of us have actually read any of these policy documents. My belief is that before trying to ‘change’ policy, it is imperative that we make ourselves ‘aware’ of existing policies in crucial areas, but many of us remain clueless or more importantly, disinterested in policy matters. This attitude has to change, and requires a paradigm shift in the way we think about these issues, as citizens, from high schoolers to educators at all levels, retired citizens, city planners, voluntary organisations etc: Ignorance is Not Bliss!

9. Can you share what inspired you to pursue a career in plant genetics and molecular biology ?

Growing up, I had no expectation about being a scientist; Born at the Military Headquarters of War, with three generations of illustrious officers in the family, we traveled a lot, often living in distant small towns. A lot of my childhood was spent in North Eastern India, where I first learnt about ‘sacred groves’, little pockets of traditionally protected natural wildlife, across India’s biodiversity hotspots. This gave me the opportunity to explore nature, and discover my love for plants and for reading. We didn’t have the internet, but we had access to very good libraries; I loved the adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but also the adventures of Mendel, Darwin and Marie Curie. I was moved by stories of scientists, how Newton felt about light transforming to matter, what Lavoisier might have discovered if he hadn’t been guillotined in the French Revolution, or how Vavilov’s crop gene bank was saved even though he died of the one thing he spent his life trying to prevent (Starvation). The turn of the millennium was a pivotal moment for Technology in India and I believe that too had a strong effect on my desire to pursue Genetics-based technologies. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced National Technology Day to honor the successful nuclear test conducted at Pokhran in 1998. The past 25 years have proved how that time was ripe for India to advance her capability and potential in Science and Technology, and I feel lucky to have been part of this movement, serving as a beacon for the nation’s future and India’s technological growth.

10. What advice would you give to young scientists who are just starting their careers in plant Research ?

My wish (and advice) would be for more of us to inculcate an interdisciplinary approach, or transdisciplinary thinking in our research, and to avoid getting Silo-ed into disjoint boxes of expertise. This is not difficult at all, but it’s the only way we can jointly combat the most pressing global and societal challenges. You can begin today; Make friends outside your own classroom, listen to seminars by people from a different subject expertise, attend meetings where you might run into someone from a completely different research area. It can be a fabulous learning experience as well; exploring long distance field trips, going for writing retreats or picnics, getting people on a bus is the best way to break ice, get them talking and designing inter-disciplinary collaborations! Who knows, we might be able to combine drug discovery and biomedical health priorities, for example, with crop biology, towards rational design of Climate Smart crops. My own diverse educational background allows me to work at the interface of botany, geography and chemistry, and the good news is that we have an increasing number of young researchers who seem to be aware of the benefits of working at the intersection of multiple fields and technologies. You can use high resolution land records from rural India, you can use genomes, fossil records of pollen in ancient civilizations, robots, GPU chips, mathematical simulations, and all kinds of rocket science, to address the global challenge of feeding an ever increasing population, why not?!

11. What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your research, and how do you overcome them ?

A career in research has several challenges that have to be constantly overcome, spanning from ensuring data quality, time management, funding sources, building a skilled team and much more. I find myself incredibly lucky to be able to fulfil my inherent sense of curiosity about the natural world, something that a scientific career enables uniquely. But it is a constant challenge to balance basic research with application oriented research that gets priority for fundability. It’s a tricky line to tread and I call it my own ‘Verity-Vision’ balance (aka Work-Life balance!).

One of the most consistent challenges I face in research is the ‘publish or perish’ mentality, that makes it very difficult for researchers to focus on efficiency and research conduct. They become more concerned about the ‘destination’ rather than the scientific journey. Although the situation is global and unlikely to change anytime soon, my solution is to encourage a change in mindset of young scholars. For academia to break free of the publisher’s monopoly, we must focus on FAIR principles and open access publications, as well as for example, completely new paradigms like ‘Nanopublications’; a FAIR and quick way to make the world sit up and recognise your work, and you can have an unlimited number of these.

Another research challenge that I find to be common across lady researchers globally, is how we are somehow more prone to self-questioning, guilt and doubt, or the fear that combining an academic career with a family is not possible. Highlighting stories of successful women scientists can go a long way to overcome this; as your magazine is doing! In this regard, may I request everyone reading this article to please encourage your female friends and colleagues in STEMM, to join the National SWATI portal, launched in 2024, an initiative of the Indian Science Academies. It takes a minute to sign up, just use this link or the QR code below! The idea behind ‘SWATI’ (Science for Women, A Tech and Innovation Portal) is to bring together role models and opportunities on a single platform, bridging gaps and bringing out the huge untapped potential among WiS whose contributions often go unnoticed. I do hope you will help us expand this initiative to reach each and every Indian girl/woman in STEMM!

Authors Biography

Dr. Gitanjali Yadav, Group Leader at NIPGR, New Delhi, and co-founder of #semanticClimate, is an expert in Genomics and Machine Intelligence for food security and conservation. An adjunct Professor at IISER Bhopal and visiting Lecturer at Cambridge, she holds a Ph.D. in Immuno-Informatics (NII, JNU). Recognized with prestigious awards like the Hamied Fellowship and INSA Medal, she advocates Open Data, leads the SWATI portal for Women in STEMM, and promotes sustainable solutions. Dr. Debleena Bhattacharya, Associate editor, interviews her on advancing food security via structural bioinformatics.

The post Advancing Food Security, Biodiversity, and Climate Solutions through Structural Bioinformatics appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

AI: Synthetic Intelligence with Organic Source

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 09:23:32 +0000

Artificial intelligence: The know-how

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to “the intelligence generated through synthetic sources”. However, the irony here is, the source is a product of an organic (human)brain. Thus, it is a misnomer. Earlier it was speculated that AI progresses as per the evolutionary rate of human brain and if it happens otherwise, it can soon turn into an extinction tool. But today human evolution has reached a stage in which data processing technology stored in smartphones is far more superior than those used in sending the first man in the space. This miraculous journey of human evolution took nearly five to six decades.

The current century not only witnessed a revolution in the areas of biotechnology and genomics; it also produced enormous data (annotated sets). Since the last two decades, we have reached a complete shift from human-based to machine-based data analysis, filtering, classification, and interpretation. Deep learning algorithms are replacing 1940’s neural networks and providing data which was invisible to human perception earlier. Biologists now face this challenge of prediction analysis based on this in-depth data analysis.

Tools and Tactics

Some of these machine-based data analysis tools such as Cell Profiler have now evolved from individualistic feature-based characterisation to analysing multiple features like DNA staining, organelle texture and quality of empty cases-based cell sorting. In a similar way, Deep Variant has evolved from genomic information processing to image-based analysis. Google’s TensorFlow (open platform for deep learning algorithms); Atom wise (visualise molecules into 3D pixels referred to as voxels, provides atom- based interactions); answer ALS (a consortium-based approach to combine genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, proteomics, imaging and pluripotent stem cell population to target neuro degenerative diseases) and Contour (clustering of cellular imaging on the basis of trends rather than mortality factor alone) etc., are some remarkable newly evolving Deep Algorithm tools.

The over fitting of the model to its training data, which in turn is huge in size, poses a challenge to find ways to classify data to train it more efficiently. Computers have learned to find the needle (required information) in a haystack (huge database)which we as humans fail to identify and process.

During data analysis earlier, we were keeping experimental variations constant, but now with input tools like adding environment design, multiple controls etc., the perspective of data processing has changed completely. Present elaborate databases are analogous to our DNA in which most part looks repetitive and to know exactly why it is there, critical data screening and processing is required by new tools which further get improved through the acquired information and are better prepared for next generation of data.

Also Read: The Vulnerability of Medical Institutions to Cyber Attacks

Human intelligence is a complex simulation outcome of twelve characteristic features that include perception, resolving problems, learn, reason, abstract, plan,decide, understand, feel, act, create, and finally communicate. The human brain can be compared to a processor which processes these features using eight mental mechanisms which include imagery, concepts, rules, analogy, emotions, actions based on intentions, language, and consciousness. These twenty features (twelve characteristic features and eight mechanisms), taken together present the evaluating benchmarks for current AI. The major flaw in our current AI system compared to human intelligence is its limited ability in terms of abstracting and understanding with no feelings. However, AI is expanding its knowledge and processing in an exponential manner. Human-made AI now understands more than its earlier versions. AI is forecasted to pass through phases of knowledge engineering, machine-learning, and contextual marginalisation. It is like acting by rules, making new rules, learning to act again, to evolve new rules.

A simple AI tool such as a calculator can enable a person to use arithmetic for him/her. AI is now providing solutions in natural language processing, complex data sets for agriculture variables, etc.

However, unlike a calculator, it is yet to be accessible both in terms of tools, data set and skill for the public. Networking of multiple disciplines and protected commercial data with limited accessibility are major hurdles in the process. India is getting digitized in a fast manner. Adding Aadhar *unique identification number* was the major step followed by demonetization. As per CIS (India) of 2018, AI will add 957 billion USD by 2035. Health IT is booming with new start-ups every day, but the challenge is integration under streamlined vision. It is important to understand that any solution is sustainable with a participatory approach as exhibited by the evolution of telecommunication globally. Our basic education system is extremely diverse across the country with varied types of public and private players. The variation in state wise curriculum especially other than language is questionable. We can still choose Biology or Mathematics as separate options at our higher secondary education. This itself kicks out the possibility of emerging computational biologists in the future. It took almost ten years to build the world’s largest neuromorphic (neuron-like) computer Dubbed Spiking Neural Network Architecture (SpiNNaker) at the University of Manchester. This machine rethinks the way a conventional computer works. Its major objective is to support existing partial brain models of the cortex, basal ganglia, etc. It can manage 200 quadrillion tasks simultaneously. Still, we have reached only 1 percent of human brain capability that too with many simplified assumptions in the process. SpiNNaker is more comparable to mouse brain which is 1000x times smaller than the human brain. Although we need to explore more to understand the human brain and how it functions but once it is decoded any universal Turing machine can be turned to mimic human cortex actions. Intelligent and super-intelligent machines are our future and will make our life more convenient. Still, there are numerous challenges and ethical issues during these developments. We are moving towards a stage where time will become the ultimate currency governing all the aspects of human life.

About the author

Dr. Sarita Jaiswal, an ex-research officer at University of Saskatchewan, Canada, is an accomplished Plat Scientist having 15+ years of R&D experience with specialization in cereal and pulse crop biochemistry and genomics. She has been awarded twice for the category of Young Scientist (Indian Society of Plant Physiology and amp; KK Nanda Foundation for Advancement of Plant Sciences).

The post AI: Synthetic Intelligence with Organic Source appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

World’s First AI powered Ayurveda Protocol

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Wed, 26 Dec 2018 08:24:41 +0000

World’s First AI-powered Ayurveda Protocol launched in India; prospects of its linkage of AYUSH grid brighten up

Boarding a wobbly roadways bus, a dhoti-kurta clad young man, with protuberant vermillion dash on forehead, used to head for mythological twin city of Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, clutching tightly his voluminous bag, stuffed with Ayurvedic medicines in tiny folded paper pouches for distribution to patients at ISKON center every weekend in early nineties.

But, recently, sporting a brick colored shirt and creamy Nehru jacket and matching black tight trousers, Ayurveda medicines practitioner Dr. Partap Chauhan unveiled world’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered protocols modeled on the basis of a mind-boggling database of patients and their successful cure.

Moved by the protocols’ apparent efficacy, India’s AYUSH Secretary, Dr. Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, has minced no words for exploration of a possibility to have a link of the protocols with the Ministry’s recently floated grid for the popularization of India’s traditional medicines at international fora.

[vc_single_image image=”5122″ img_size=”600×400″ alignment=”center” onclick=”link_image”]

The world over, he said, moves are underway to reduce the cost of quality treatment. Recently, Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JP Morgan have announced a company with an Indian American Dr. Atul Gawande as its CEO to work out healthcare of US employees. It might be typical of disrupting the healthcare industry whale cost, a conundrum is raging madly. The new company will be headquartered in Boston and will operate as an independent entity that is free from profit-making incentives and constraints.

Dr. Gawande is a globally-renowned surgeon, writer, and public health innovator. He practices general and endocrine surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and is a Professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School.

“I’m thrilled to be named CEO of this healthcare initiative,” said Dr. Gawande, “I have devoted my public health career to building scalable solutions for better healthcare delivery that are saving lives, reducing suffering, and eliminating wasteful spending both in the US and across the world”. This work will take time but must be done. The system is broken, and better is possible.”

He is the Founding Executive Director of the health systems innovation center, Ariadne Labs. He also is a staff writer for the New Yorker magazine, has written four New York Times bestsellers: Complications, Better, The Checklist Manifesto, and Being Mortal, and has received numerous awards for his contributions to science and healthcare.

“Medicine has triumphed in modern times, transforming the dangers of childbirth, injury, and disease from harrowing to manageable. But when it comes to the inescapable realities of aging and death, what medicine can do often runs counter to what it should”. Says Dr. Gawande in his book “Being Mortal”.

Dr. Kotecha envisions Indian traditional medicines’ colossal potential in ensuring cheap and best treatment and country’s values, coupled with such medicines, have answers of all these emerging challenges. He spoke briefly about the “Being Mortal” book and the newly formed company.

The AYUSH Secretary was of the view that Indian traditional medicines should be included in ICD -11 as Chinese medicines have entered the classification already. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is the international “standard diagnostic tool for epidemiology, health management, and clinical purposes.” Its full official name is International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems and is maintained by WHO.

Amid these developments, the protocols have been framed. Dr. Partap Chauhan, Director Jiva Ayurveda, narrated his arduous journey and said India’s traditional medicines efficacy was being recognized the world over, and his protocol would help according to it a scientific explanation on various parameters.

He had started his journey from a small dispensary in a garage in Haryana in 1992, and now a globetrotter is interacting with world-famous universities for deeper scientific researches on country’s 5000 years old traditional medicines.

The personalized treatment syndrome is catching up and researchers are underway on how to promote personalized treatment for more accuracy. He said the World’s first Diagnostic Protocols for Ayurveda would turn this ancient healing tradition into a data-and evidence-driven system of medicine and JIVA Health App.

These protocols, meant to standardize the practice of Ayurveda, have taken four years to develop after analyzing the consultation records of more than two lakh patients; the protocols have been successfully run on 20,000 patients till now, with dramatic results. This system will create a wealth of data and evidence that will go on to validate Ayurveda as a legitimate science of treatment, boosting its acceptability worldwide. The JIVA health app will provide authentic and actionable health and wellness information with content exclusively curated by Dr. Partap Chauhan.

JIVA group President Rishi Pal Chauhan has said the JIVA’s unique protocols are like an operating system for Ayurveda practice that structures the practice of Ayurveda and creates the wealth of data. It is well known that unlike Allopathy, which is focused on symptoms and standardized drug choices, Ayurveda is fundamentally a personalized system of medicine.

Even though thousands of years old, this traditional system of healing, conceptually, is a far more evolved science. For instance, personalized medicine (based on genomics) and the “systems view” of human health is only now beginning to come into fashion in allopathy, when Ayurveda has been built around these very concepts.

The reason is that the scientific community asks for data and evidence – on what basis are the medicines given and how is their effect proven? This data and evidence Ayurveda does not have. The big question is: “How do you standardize a system of medicine that is fundamentally personalized, with patients being given different treatment based on the root cause, even if the symptoms are the same?”

This is the challenge of mapping intuitive Eastern systems of medicine over objective Western frameworks. Data Analysis of Consultation Records of two lakh patients four years ago, Jiva Ayurveda began a huge data analytics project, reviewing the consultation records of two lakh patients that its doctors had treated over the decades.

After analysis, running into thousands of hours using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer modeling, the Jiva analysts concluded that while the Ayurveda treatment cannot be standardized for every patient, Ayurveda practice can surely be standardized. In other words, the way Ayurveda practitioners diagnose patients can be standardized by laying down definite protocols. This methodology currently exists only in the mind of the Ayurveda practitioner and each arrives at the diagnosis in his own way. The result of this is that no consistent data can be generated, and the methodology cannot be validated. And so began at JIVA the painstaking process of writing diagnostic protocols around the practice of Ayurveda by scanning the consultation records of lakhs of patients.

India’s first-ever Protocols for Ayurveda: the protocols that have been created over the last four years by Jiva. These protocols, and the decision support system built over them, help Ayurveda practitioners anywhere in the world arrive at the correct diagnosis in a data-driven way. The system also categorizes the diseases in terms of severity, which has a direct bearing on prognosis. As the consultation protocol flows, based on patient answers, the system starts assigning weights to different diagnostic possibilities and makes calculations to arrive at an authoritative diagnosis. It helps avoid judgmental errors and the cost of the wrong diagnosis. It also suggests diagnostic clues that the doctor may have missed which may lead to a possible different line of treatment.

Narrating all these, Dr. Chauhan says these protocols to standardize the practice of Ayurveda, the first-ever to be attempted in India, signal a revolutionary shift. They are akin to Ayurveda’s operating system that is accessible to everybody. This system will create a wealth of data and evidence that will eventually go on to validate Ayurveda as a legitimate science of treatment, boosting its acceptability worldwide. The protocols have been run successfully on 20,000 patients so far, with dramatic results. Three international universities are collaborating with JIVA to validate this data.

The post World’s First AI powered Ayurveda Protocol appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

India's first global consortium to unveil collective diagnostic strength of four countries

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Thu, 08 Mar 2018 10:01:12 +0000

Aggregating the fragmented diagnostic sector of the country, four nations joined forces to launch India’s first global Pathology Laboratory Consortium- Neuberg Diagnostics in Bangalore. Founded by the renowned healthcare entrepreneur, Dr. G.S.K.Velu, the international alliance brings together leading laboratories from India, Sri-Lanka, South Africa and UAE under one umbrella, making it one among the top laboratory chains of the country from the day one of its inception, both in footprints and revenue.

Neuberg Diagnostics was conceived with the goal to erase geographical borders and make the world of healthcare one, bringing advanced diagnostics affordable to people across the globe. The conglomerate, which has a combined diagnostic expertise of over two centuries, is an alliance of top laboratories like Anand Diagnostic Laboratory, Supratech Micropath, Ehrlich lab, Global labs and Minerva Labs, which have already made their presence in their respective countries and states such as Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, South Africa & UAE.

Neuberg will have three world class global reference laboratories located in Bangalore, Ahmedabad, and Durban (South Africa) carrying out advanced range of testing using new generation Invitro diagnostics techniques along with total lab automation & big data analytics tools supported by robust world-class laboratory information system.

With full throttle growth expected to take up Indian diagnostics in the near term, the new generation consortium will pool in cutting-edge advanced diagnostics technology and actively perform 5000 plus variety of pathological tests, promoting prevention and early diagnosis, thereby empowering the Indian healthcare consumer. In conjunction with providing comprehensive laboratory services, covering all areas of laboratory medicine. Neuberg will combine conventional pathology testing, new generation laboratory techniques and basic Radiology & imaging techniques for enhanced patient outcomes.

The aim of the partnership is to develop a new shared services model for the provision of pathology services in the Middle East, Africa including west and South India. Neuberg Diagnostics is built on the vision to provide modern, innovative and sustainable services that deliver world-class lab facilities with the focus on high-end technology and services like Genomics and Proteomics to doctors and patients alike.

Indian healthcare delivery is growing by leaps and bounds. A global consortium is, therefore set to be a major platform, to introduce new generation pathology services to the sector, thereby increasing the quality and affordability of the country’s healthcare services.

Want to write for InnoHEALTH? send us your article at magazine@innovatiocuris.com

Read all the issues of InnoHEALTH magazine:
InnoHEALTH Volume 1 Issue 1 (July to September 2016) – https://goo.gl/iWAwN2
InnoHEALTH Volume 1 Issue 2 (October to December 2016) – https://goo.gl/4GGMJz
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 1 (January to March 2017) – https://goo.gl/DEyKnw
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 2 (April to June 2017) – https://goo.gl/Nv3eev
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 3 (July to September 2017) – https://goo.gl/MCVjd6
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 4 (October to December 2017) – http://amzn.to/2B2UMLw
InnoHEALTH Volume 3 Issue 1 (January to March 2018) – https://goo.gl/fksdQx

Connect with InnovatioCuris on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/innovatiocuris
Twitter: https://twitter.com/innovatiocuris
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7043791
Stay updated about IC, visit: www.innovatiocuris.com

The post India's first global consortium to unveil collective diagnostic strength of four countries appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.

ONCOTRACK

InnoHEALTH Magazine — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 07:39:46 +0000

[vc_single_image image=”944″ img_size=”146×200″ onclick=”link_image” qode_css_animation=””]

ONCOTRACK: The Liquid Biopsy blood test for cancer recurrence detection and monitoring

Dr. Avantika Batish is working as Director Strategy and Healthcare at International Health Emergency Learning and Preparedness. Also, guest faculty for MBA (HR) and MBA Healthcare Management at various B-Schools and is a soft skills trainer.

[vc_empty_space]

India is likely to have over 1.73 Million new cases of cancer and over 880,000 deaths due to the disease by 2020. Around 70% of all cancer patients approach the doctor when the disease has advanced, and the chances of cure are very low

[vc_empty_space]

[vc_single_image image=”1625″ img_size=”455×256″ alignment=”center” onclick=”link_image” qode_css_animation=””]

[vc_empty_space]

To address and better manage the disease, Medgenome – India’s premier genomics based research and diagnostics company has launched “ONCOTRACK” which is a liquid biopsy based non-invasive screening test that is set to transform the way physicians in India can identify genetic alterations, interpret, assess and treat various forms of cancer. The test screens the samples by analyzing cell-free DNA that is isolated from the patients’ blood. Using high end sequencing technology, the screening process identifies specific gene mutations that are linked with Melanoma, Lung and Colon cancers. The test facilitates detection of mutation where there is difficulty of obtaining biopsy or in the event of a damaged biopsy material and nonavailability of tissue biopsy.

Oncotrack is a proven molecular tool after histopathology diagnosis and detecting molecular changes at baseline and at the time of relapse in lung and colon cancer for deciding the right treatment. The test has been validated in a scientific study, in academic collaboration with Tata Memorial Hospital.

Want to write for InnoHEALTH? send us your article at magazine@innovatiocuris.com

[vc_separator type=”normal”]

Connect with InnovatioCuris on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnovatioCuris
Twitter: https://twitter.com/innovatiocuris
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7043791
Stay update about IC by visiting: www.innovatiocuris.com

Connect with InnoHEALTH 2017 on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/innohealth2017
Twitter: https://twitter.com/innhealth2017
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7043791
Stay update about the conference by visiting: www.innohealth.in

The post ONCOTRACK appeared first on InnoHEALTH magazine.