Assamese scientist's milestone in TB treatment
Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI,
Jan 31 – In a significant breakthrough in the field of Tuberculosis
treatment, a team of researchers, under the guidance of Dr Bikul Das, an
Assamese scientist at Stanford University, California, has found out
the bone marrow stem cells, where the dormant TB Bacteria hide in human
body, causing recurrence of the disease, despite proper treatment. The
research conducted on the people of Idu-Mishmi community of Arunachal
Pradesh with the help of RIWATCH, a socio-cultural NGO of Arunachal
found out that TB Bacteria escapes the body’s immune system and drug
treatment because it hijacks a stem cell type known as Mesenchymal stem
cells (MSCs) and hide in CD 271+ stem cells, the form of
undifferentiated stem cells. In a video conferencing with the
media here, Dr Das shared about his findings. “The study is to find out
why TB bacteria escape drug treatment, causing recurrence of the
disease. Earlier, nobody studied about the link of stem cells and TB
bacteria. Since the infected MSCs reside in the bone marrow niche, drug
and immune cells cannot reach the niche, making it very difficult to
eradicate TB from human host,” he said. “Though the research work
is in its initial stage, we are looking forward to expand the scope of
the study in future,” he said revealing his future plan to set-up
medicinal plant gardens in tribal areas of the region to promote both
entrepreneurship and healthcare in Northeast. The study has been
duly acknowledged in a research paper published in a reputed journal
Science Translation Medicine on January 30, 2013. The paper has been
co-authored by Vijay Swami, director of RIWATCH, Dr Ista Pulu, a doctor
belonging to Idu Mishmi community associated with RIWATCH and Dr
Deepjyoti Kalita, a doctor from GMCH, who participated in the research
work at Roing. “TB is a huge problem in North East India with
high incidence in Arunachal Pradesh. The research will help our efforts
to develop better therapy to target the dormant TB bacteria,” said Dr
Ista Pulu. A local NGO founded by Dr Das, the Kavikrishna
Foundation provided the funding for the research materials. Dr Das hails
from Sualkuchi in Assam and has been engaged in dong research work on
stem cells in Stanford University of USA .
(The Assam Tribune ,01.02.2013)
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সমাজৰ কাৰণে ভাল কাম কৰাজনৰ পৰিচয় ৰাইজৰ আগত দাঙি ধৰিব লাগে আৰু ভাল খবৰবোৰ যিমান
পাৰি ৰাইজৰ মাজত বিলাব লাগে।
---- বুলজিৎ বুঢ়াগোহাঁই
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