Category Archives: Science & Technology

Dr. Hina Khan: Designing And Synthesizing Organic Molecules

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INDIA / U.S.A :

Dr. Hina Khan

This is the eighth part of the series called `Scientist Says’, where we bring for our readers significant research works of young scientists in various fields.

Dr. Hina Khan started her research journey in year 2014 with Prof. Tushar K. Chakraborty research group, Department of Organic Chemistry, IISc Bangalore. After completing her PhD in July 2019, she worked as a Research Associate in the same lab for a year. In September 2020, she joined a Biocon-group company as a Research Investigator where she worked in collaboration between Bristol Myers Squibb and Syngene International. Currently, she is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pittsburgh, United States. She shares her significant research work with Rashida Bakait of India Tomorrow. Here are the excerpts of the interview.

Q. Please briefly explain your research.

Ans. Chemistry is frequently described as the central science and chemical synthesis lies at the heart of the subject. Synthetic organic chemistry underpins several areas of chemistry, including drug discovery, chemical biology, materials science, and engineering. However, the practice of total synthesis of natural products has a rich history of achievements and benefits to science and society that ranges from replicating the molecules of nature in the laboratory to the preparation and production of pharmaceuticals, developing new synthetic strategies and methods, and also synthesizing designed molecules for biology and medicine.

In contributing to the everlasting field of “the art of making molecules”, my research work mainly focuses on the discovery of new organic transformations which are of significant interest to the fields of medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutical development and also uncovering the practical application of Titanocene (III)monochloride in the synthesis of architecturally challenging and biologically important natural products and their inspired synthons.

Q. When did you start and complete your research?

Ans. I started my learning to be a researcher in Aug 2014 with Prof. Tushar K. Chakraborty at IISc, Bangalore, submitted my doctoral thesis in July 2019, and defended the thesis in March 2020. Later in the year 2020, I joined Biocon-group company as a research investigator and worked till April 2021. Currently, I am working as a postdoctoral fellow in University of Pittsburgh, United States.

Q. What was the objective of your research?

Ans. With the ever increasing demand of developing new, efficient, and cheaper methods to construct biologically relevant molecular frameworks, my research aims on the design and developing new synthetic strategies for concise entry to important functionalized bioactive synthetic scaffolds/target.

Q. What were the findings of your research?

Ans. The research findings revolves around two main areas:

I : In developing a synthetic methodology which is flexible and provide single potential route for the diastereoselective construction of diversely substituted 1,3-X,N-heterocyclic variants as valuable scaffolds for natural products and pharmaceuticals, in a diversity-oriented approach. The methodology is amenable for a broad range of substrates based on a metal-free approach.

II. In exploring the synthetic utility of Titanocene(III)monochloride-promoted radical cyclization protocol on to the findings:

a) We have developed a concise and unified approach to gain access to handful iridoid monoterpenes that exhibit wide range of pharmacological activity.

b) We have portrayed a synthetic route to a bicyclic lactone containing a bridgehead hydroxy group, a structure that is present in many natural products of biological and medicinal relevance.

c) Furthermore, an efficient route for the construction of pyrrolo/piperidino[1,2-a]indole derivatives have been developed.

During my research endeavour I have also been involved in the synthesis of sugar amino acid (δ-SAA) based linear lipopeptides (Almiramide analogues) that were screened for their biological activities, viz. antileishmanial and anticancer and the extension of this work is currently active.

Q. What was the conclusion of your research?

Ans. Driven by the ever-increasing demands for small functionalized bioactive scaffolds and the need of broadening the toolbox of unexplored chemical space, our designed strategy provides a flexible route to construct the unique five/six membered 1,3-heterocycles by exploring the synthetic utility of α-phenyl-β-enamino ester following a Mitsunobu-Michael reaction sequence. Next, taking advantage of Cp2Ti(III)Cl-mediated reductive epoxide opening-cyclization, we have developed an expedient and the most concise and unified approach till date in the total synthesis of iridoid monoterpenes in an enantiomerically divergent manner starting from (+)-β-citronellene. Further expansion of the strategy was made to fix hydroxylated bridgehead chiral centre, in the fused/bridged bicyclic lactone, a structure that is present in many natural products of biological and medicinal relevance. Furthermore, as part of our ongoing research interest, we have successfully extended yet another practical application of Ti(III)-mediated epoxide opening-cyclization protocol to devise a simplified route to a pyrrolo/piperido[1,2-a]indole framework, featuring many useful functionalities on the saturated ring, which is ideally suited for further manipulation.

Q. What kind of challenges did you face?

Ans. A doctorate is a long project so your motivation will dip and peak along the way. In multi-step synthesis, designing a synthetic route to the target molecule, optimizing every step of the synthetic plan with the best possible outcome, revising the plan, if needed and starting all-over again is really a burnout process. I would say you can learn more from your failures than successes. They are often catalysts for positive change in the long term. And remember one thing that you are training to be a researcher.

Q. Any scholarships or awards for research?

Ans. For my Ph.D. and Research Associateship (Aug 2014 – Jul 2020), I have received funding from Indian Institute of Science. I have received award for my research work in Indian Peptide symposium, in 2017. Currently, for my postdoctoral program I am receiving scholarship from University of Pittsburgh, United states.

Q. How do you think your research would be beneficial to the industry or society?

Ans. Organic synthesis, the art and science of constructing substances, natural or designed, in the laboratory to replicate the molecules of living creatures, and create other molecules like them, is a remarkable development in human history. Organic synthesis in general, have led to an impressive host of benefits to society, including useful products ranging from pharmaceuticals, dyes, cosmetics and agricultural chemicals to diagnostics and high-technology materials used in computers, mobile phones and spaceships. My research on designing and developing synthetic route to construct heterocycles, terpenoids, alkaloids will provide a new synthetic approach and scope to replicate some of the most intriguing molecules of living nature in the laboratory and apply the developed synthetic strategies to construct variations of them to facilitate biology and medicine.

Q. Any new research you are working on now.

Ans. My current research at University of Pittsburgh, as Post-doctoral fellow is to rationally design and synthesize more efficacious 2-Pralidoxime analogs (2-PAM) which is the only therapeutic countermeasure that is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for treating Organophosphorus nerve agents (OPNA) poisoning. However, 2-PAM is not centrally active due to its hydrophilicity and resulting poor blood−brain barrier permeability; hence, these deficiencies warrants the need for antidotes with the development of more hydrophobic analogs.

Q. How do you think your research can be carried forward?

Ans. Taken together, the simplicity and efficiency of the designed strategies can further be adopted to obtain other enticing heterocyclic variants, highly functionalized iridoids/cyclo-pentanoid natural product, also having bridgehead hydroxyl group in a bicyclic lactone, [a]-annulated indole frameworks, which are beneficial to the science of organic synthesis for further innovative applications.

Q. Please give few tips and suggestions to the budding scientists.

Ans. Research is a never-ending journey of learning something new, honing your problem-solving skills and challenging yourself in new ways. I would advise the young scientists to stay curious and stay determined. Science is not easy, become comfortable with failure because a major component of the scientific process is trial and error. Failure is okay! Failing provides some of the biggest learning opportunities and finding new scientific discoveries.

It is not about perfection but curiosity and perseverance. Keep exploring, keep experimenting, keep learning, keep improving. Avoid burnout and look after your mental health to make you more productive in the long run.

Remember to take five-minutes brain break by walking away for a moment, rest that brain and then resume.

source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Education> Featured / by Rashida Bakait, India Tomorrow / May 19th, 2021

J&K professor earns rare honor, becomes one of the youngest Indians to figure on Stanford University’s top scientists’ list

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Dhangri Village (Rajouri District), JAMMU & KASHMIR :

Dr. Shakeel Ahmed

Srinagar :

Life has come full circle for a 31-year-old scientist from the border district of Rajouri, who has become one of the youngest Indians to figure on Stanford University’s list of top 2 percent scientists in the world.

Dr. Shakeel Ahmed, Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemistry in Government Degree College, Mendhar, has published research papers on green nanomaterials and biopolymers for various applications including biomedical, packaging, and water treatment.

He has penned more than 15 books on polymers, nanomaterials, and green materials. The database of the independent study has been published in one of the highly-rated journals, `PLOS Biology’. He is a member of American Chemical Society and Royal Society of Chemistry.

“It is a moment of gratification to be on the list. It will inspire the young generation of Jammu and Kashmir to work for furthering science especially from Pir Panjal region”, Dr. Shakeel said.

It was a hard-earned success for a 31-year-old scientist who lost his father when he was just a year old.

“I was just one year old when my father passed away. At that time there was no breadwinner in my family. I had suffered a lot during my childhood and sometimes it was difficult for me to continue my studies. I am first generation learner in my family”, he said.

Principal of GDC, Mendhar, Dileep K. Raina said it is a matter of great pride that Dr Shakeel has featured on the prestigious list. “It is a matter of great pride for Government Degree College Mendhar that Dr. Shakeel Ahmed of the Department of Chemistry (GDCM) has been named among the top 2% scientists of the world in the field of polymer chemistry,” said the college in a statement.

Stanford University recently released a list of 1,59,683 top 2 percent of most-cited scientists in various disciplines. It includes 1,500 Indians and most of them are from IITs, IISc, and other top institutions.

Hailing from Dhangri village, Dr. Shakeel completed his B.Sc from Government PG College, Rajouri. He completed M.Sc in 2012 from Dr. Saiqa Ikram Department of Chemistry, Jamia Milia Islamia. In 2016, he completed his Ph.D. from Jamia Milia Islamia.

For the last three and a half years, he is serving as an assistant professor in GDC, Mendhar in Poonch district. He has authored numerous books that are available on Amazon and other platforms.

Some of the books include `Green and Sustainable Materials: Processing and Characterization’, `Alginates:  Applications in the Biomedical and Food Industries and `Marine Polysaccharides: Advances and Multifaceted Applications’.

source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Education / by Ishfaq-Ul-Hasan , India Tomorrow / Srinagar – November 10th, 2020

Techie turns saviour, sets up helpline for Covid patients

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As many as six graduates have volunteered to work with the MHV, attending calls and assisting the needy.

Vijayapura (Bijapur), KARNATAKA :

For representational purposes

Vijayapura :

A 33-year-old techie from Vijayapura has set up a 24X7 helpline to assist Covid-19 patients in finding beds, oxygen cylinders and medicines. Zahoor Kazi, who works as a software engineer at a private firm in Bengaluru, started ‘Mercy Helpline Vijayapura’ (MHV) on May 14 in collaboration with doctors, activists and other software engineers.

As many as 10 doctors, settled abroad (the USA, the UK and the Middle East) and in the state, have agreed to provide free tele-consultation to the patients, mainly for those in home isolation.As many as six graduates have volunteered to work with the MHV, attending calls and assisting the needy. The team has set up a helpline number — 7848025025.

The MHV works round-the-clock and, on an average, receives 30 calls each day from Vijayapura, Bagalkot and Belagavi. It also collaborates with at least five NGOs that help people by supporting them financially in paying hospital bills, supplying grocery kits, cremating unclaimed bodies of Covid victims and other help related to Covid and black fungus.

Speaking to TNIE, Zahroor Kazi, said, “Our main objective is to help the needy in such tough times. We are working in coordination with district officials. We are also creating awareness on Covid-19.” The MHV has so far helped at least 15 patients in getting oxygen beds and about 10 people in getting ventilators. Also, 10 patients have availed the free tele-consultation services.

“Most people who call us are from urban areas. We want to reach out to those in villages too as they have limited knowledge of the disease. Now, frequency of calls to MHV has reduced owing to a dip in cases,” Kazi added.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Mahesh M Goudar / Express News Service / May 29th, 2021 

Hyderabad NGO to Set Up Four Oxygen Generation Plants

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Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

The first plant is expected to be up and running in Hyderabad next month,” Prof Amirullah Khan, coordinator of Sahayata Trust informed. — IANS

The NGO is also receiving 400 high quality oxygen concentrators from different charities in the United Kingdom and the United States which is described as the world’s largest donation of oxygen concentrators.

Hyderabad :

Sahayata Trust, a Hyderabad-based NGO, plans to set up four medical oxygen generation plants to cater to the requirements of hospitals treating Covid patients.

Each plant will have a capacity of 4,500 litres per day and will come up at a cost of Rs 1 crore each. Two plants will come up in Hyderabad and one in Gujarat. The NGO is yet to decide on the location for the fourth plant.

“The first plant is expected to be up and running in Hyderabad next month,” Prof Amirullah Khan, coordinator of Sahayata Trust, told IANS on Monday.

The development economist said the NGO would be importing the plants. He said these plants would meet the requirements of various hospitals treating Covid or other critically ill patients.

He pointed out that the NGO is also receiving 400 high quality oxygen concentrators from different charities in the United Kingdom and the United States. He described it as the world’s largest donation of oxygen concentrators.

The devices will be allocated on a per-need basis to different NGOs across Hyderabad, Lucknow, Allahabad, Delhi, Ranchi, Bhopal and other cities. — IANS

The first consignment comprising 170 devices arrived in Hyderabad from the UK by a special flight of Qatar Airways on Friday. The second consignment of 270 concentrators is scheduled to arrive next week.

Sahayata Trust has started distributing concentrators to different healthcare organisations in Telangana and other states. “The relief effort will add oxygen to the efforts of NGOs scrambling to procure oxygen to save as many lives as they can,” said Sahayata Trust CEO Syed Aneesuddin.

The devices will be allocated on a per-need basis to different NGOs across Hyderabad, Lucknow, Allahabad, Delhi, Ranchi, Bhopal and other cities. The organisation included Access Foundation, Safa Baitul Maal and SDIF.

Different NGOS across international borders have joined hands for the noble cause at a time when several lives are being lost across India due to shortage of oxygen cylinders and oxygen concentrators during the second wave of Covid-19.

Donation of concentrators is a meticulously coordinated relief effort by UK-based charities managed by the Indian diaspora including Maahir Charity, Deccan Medical College Alumni Association, and Medical Aid in coordination with the US-based Indian Muslim Relief & Charities (IMRC), the parent body of Sahayata Trust.

Syed Aneesuddin thanked Hyderabad Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi who played an important role in helping the consignment reach India within a short span of time.

“These are high quality oxygen concentrators with dual outflow of oxygen enabling two patients to use the same machine at a time. We are training people to use the device using the device manuals received from England. This is a daunting task to coordinate the allocation as well as train and equip the personnel to handle the device in a very short time, especially since every passing minute increases danger of loss of life for people struggling to find oxygen support,” said Amirullah Khan.

India needs about one lakh oxygen concentrators. “The government has been able to import only 1000 from the USA, which means there is a deficit of 99%. In such savaging times, the import of 400 units is a small but significant effort in saving more lives”, said former civil servant Prof Amirullah Khan.

He thanked the state and central governments for waiving the import duty on the equipment. He also thanked Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar for taking up the matter on an urgent basis and Commissioner Commercial Taxes Neetu Prasad who went out of the way working late at night to grant ‘real-time approval’. Due to her personal interest in expediting the process, the consignment was ready for pickup within three hours after arrival. — IANS

source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Editor’s Pick> India / by IANS / May 24th, 2021

Nagpur Covid Hospital Run by Jamaat Lauded for Doing Excellent Job

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Nagpur, MAHARASHTRA :

Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis visited the Dedicated Covid Health Center and commended the people associated with it.

The successful experience has encouraged the organisers to plan a full-fledged hospital after the pandemic is over.

New Delhi :

A Dedicated Covid Health Center being run by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind in Maharashtra’s Nagpur city for the last 50 days has treated up to 500 patients, say the organisers of the Centre. The 78-bed Centre or hospital is today a boon not only for the people of the city but the entire Vidarbha region as well as neighbouring Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh as Nagpur shares borders with the two states and serves as regional hub of medical services.

When this hospital was launched on April 1, Maharashtra was reeling under the second wave of coronavirus pandemic. Nagpur was the worst-hit in the state. Every day 8,000 new positive cases were being reported here while the health services had totally collapsed. The hospital came as a big relief as it started offering free service with dedicated staff and volunteers.

The hospital is run from a building owned by the NMC. “The building was lying unused. The NMC wanted to launch a Covid hospital but they were unable to do it. We offered our services, to which they agreed. So it’s a joint venture of the Jamaat as well as NMC. MSF, or Medical Service Society, an NGO run by the Jamaat, is the third partner,” Dr. Anwar Siddiqui told Clarion India over the phone from Nagpur. Siddiqui is in-charge of the hospital and heads the Jamaat-e-Islami in Nagpur.

The hospital was launched on April 1.

The Jamaat is bearing all the cost of running the hospital. The NMC has provided just three doctors. Rest of the 14 doctors and a host of nurses and other staff have been arranged by the Jamaat. According to Siddiqui, four doctors, including himself, are giving free service while the rest of the doctors and workers have been hired.

The hospital has been receiving mostly chronic cases. It’s notable that during the last 50 days just eight patients have died here. Rest of the patients have been discharged after treatment. “Our recovery rate is best among all the Covid centres of NMC. The Commissioner of Nagpur appreciated us saying that even after observing Ramzan fast you people are giving your services so diligently,” Siddiqui said.

The commissioner is not alone in acknowledging the dedication of people running the facility. Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis was among a host of dignitaries who visited the hospital and commended the people associated with it. He said in a tweet, “Today our society needs such people and organisations who understand the pain and grief of people and who try to overcome their problems. We are glad to know that the Jamaat has come forward for this work and is trying to help out during this huge pandemic”.

Other notable dignitaries who have visited the hospital are state’s health minister Rajesh Tope, state unit president of Congress Party Nana Patole, Mayor of NMC Dayashankar Tiwari and local MLA.

The 78-bed Centre or hospital is today a boon not only for the people of the city but the entire Vidarbha region as well as neighbouring Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh.

Initiatives like this are a sending positive message about the Muslim community which of late has been at the receiving end given the communally surcharged atmosphere created by vested interests. National media, especially Hindi newspapers and TV channels, have given good coverage to the hospital.

Siddiqui said the hospital has drawn the attention of one and all. “A number of individuals and voluntary organisations run by non-Muslims are coming to us with donations and items like face masks, sanitisers and oxygen cylinders.”

The management committee of Nagpur’s Jama Masjid has declared that the weekly Friday collections at the mosque will be sent to the hospital as long as this facility continues.

The hospital has been launched with three months’ planning. That means it will run until the end of June. Siddiqui said his team is ready to extend it for three more months if need arises. Health experts are warning that a third wave of Covid is imminent. However, right now new cases are coming down. For the last five to six days, the hospital is receiving less number of patients. “For the first 45 days all the 78 beds were fully occupied. Now our occupancy is between 60 and 65,” he said.

While hospitals and clinics elsewhere faced shortage of oxygen cylinders, the Jamaat faced no such crisis. “We had bought 100 cylinders soon after the first wave. We were already refilling and supplying them to needy patients. Therefore, supply of oxygen to our hospital has never been an issue” he said.

The experience of running this temporary facility has made the organisers realize the need to have a regular hospital. “Once the Covid pandemic is over we will start working on a full-fledged hospital. Our community especially needs it direly,” Siddiqui said.

source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Big Story / by Shaheen Nazar, Clarion India / May 21st, 2021

JMI PhD Student Receives Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Abstract Award

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NEW DELHI :

Firdoos Ahmad Gogry is among a few applicants around the world to receive this prestigious award.

JMI PhD Student Receives Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Abstract Award
JMI student Firdoos Ahmad Gogry

A research scholar of the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has received the ‘Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Abstract Award for Scientists’ – Firdoos Ahmad Gogry, will be able to attend the World Microbe Forum 2021 for his contribution. He is among a few applicants around the world to receive this prestigious award claims Jamia.

Enrolled in Ph.D under the supervision of Prof. Qazi Mohd Rizwanul Haq, Microbiology Research Lab, Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Natural Science, JMI, Firdoos received the award for his abstract entitled “Occurrence of high-risk mcr-1, blaNDM and OXA genes in bacterial isolates from Delhi, India”, JMI said.

On the other hand, JMI started its admission process from May 17 onwards. The varsity has released an e-prospectus for the academic session 2021-2022 for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. It contains information about admission to various courses like BTech, BArch, diploma, advanced diploma and postgraduate diploma and can be downloaded from the university’s official website. The last date for candidates to fill the application form is up to June 30. The last date for submitting class 12 marks for admissions to undergraduate courses is September 30.

Besides, the varsity has introduced eight new courses this year including master of design in the faculty of architecture, BA (Hons) French and Francophone Studies, BA (Hons) Spanish and Latin American Studies, MSc Environmental Science and Management, MA Mass Media (Hindi), PG Diploma in Translation Studies, PG Diploma in English-Hindi Translation, MBA in Healthcare and Hospital Management. It will also start four new departments from the coming session – the department of design and innovation, the department of hospital management and hospice Studies, the department of foreign languages, and the department of environmental sciences.

source: http://www.news18.com / News 18 / Home> Education> Career / May 22nd, 2021

Faith inspires Muslim veterinarian’s compassion for animals

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BIHAR / Chicago, U.S.A :

“If you try to understand what Islam is and what Islam teaches, it’s just the opposite of what you hear in the media,” said Dr. Zia Usman, owner of Rogers Park Animal Hospital in Chicago.

Dr. Zia Usman is a rarity within the U.S. veterinary profession.

Not only does the Indian-born and -trained veterinarian own a companion animal practice on Chicago’s North Side, Dr. Usman is also a Muslim. 

Such a combination is unusual among first-generation immigrants who are followers of Islam, according to Dr. Usman’s colleague, Riaz H. Siddiqi, a professor at Truman College in Chicago and president of the Muslim VMA.

The association believes approximately 500 Muslim veterinarians are in the United States. Dr. Siddiqi thinks most of them are employed in academia, research, industry, or government, where they are likely to be inspectors in slaughterhouses. Few Muslim veterinarians in the United States work with pets, he said, but this is more a matter of economics, not any Islamic taboo.

“Many of us who come here, we have families, and we’re in a hurry to find a job quickly, and we don’t have the time or money to go through the certification process,” Dr. Siddiqi explained.

Growing up in India, Dr. Usman was expected to become a physician like his father, yet his “heart was inclined toward animals,” he said, so he enrolled at the Ranchi College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry in Bihar.

Two years after graduating in 1970, Dr. Usman immigrated to America. His first job was as a laboratory animal technician at the University of Illinois Biological Resources Laboratory in Chicago.

In time, Dr. Usman passed the AVMA Educational Commission on Foreign Veterinary Graduates certification program, became assistant director of laboratory animal resources at Northwestern University College of Medicine, and got his veterinary license. In 1992, he left laboratory animal medicine to open a private practice in Chicago, allowing him to work with pets and educate the public about Islam.

The Muslim community is well-established in Chicago, but Sept. 11 raised its visibility and put Islam in a negative light. “Now people know more about Muslims and Islam, and, unfortunately, they’re not knowing in the proper way,” Dr. Usman said. The media portrays Muslims as terrorists when “it’s just the opposite,” he said.

Muslims understand why Islam is one of the world’s fastest-growing religions, according to Dr. Usman. Islam, he said, is a peaceful religion that details man’s obligations to animals, especially the slaughter of food animals. Muslims are admonished not to slaughter an animal in front of other animals, for instance, and to end an animal’s life quickly and with as little pain as possible. There are even instructions on how a Muslim is to hunt humanely. “Every step of the way, we have religious guidance,” Dr. Siddiqi noted.

A common misconception is that Muslims shun dogs as unclean animals. Neither Dr. Usman nor Dr. Siddiqi is an Islamic scholar, but they say their faith does not prohibit Muslims from dog ownership. In fact, Dr. Usman owned a German Shepherd Dog as a teenager. “That was my baby,” he recalled. “I would take care of him and cook for him.”

Dr. Usman cited a popular account in the Hadith—a collection of narratives based on the words and deeds of the prophet Muhammad and, in addition to the Quran, one of Islam’s primary sources for instruction. According to the story, a man took pity on a thirsty dog by giving it water from a shoe. “Allah approved of his deed and made him to enter Paradise,” the story goes.

When Dr. Usman came to America, he didn’t know what to expect. So in 1999 he helped found the Muslim VMA to give Muslim veterinarians coming to the United States information he didn’t have. In addition to providing career advice, the association helps Muslims find halal food, that is, sources providing food that complies with Islamic dietary laws. The Muslim VMA wants to eventually start its own halal certification program.

Dr. Siddiqi said the association is planning to hold a meeting in Chicago of Muslim veterinarians and is hoping to network with human physicians to strengthen efforts at preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases.

source: http://www.avma.org / AVMA / Home>> JAVMA News / February 10th, 2010 / by R Scott Nolen / February 01st, 2010

Aligarh Muslim University senior professor dies of Covid

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Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH :

The incident takes the number of serving and retired faculty members who have died because of Covid or Covid-like symptoms to at least 39.

Professor Mohammad Nasiruddin, 55, from the department of pharmacology died on Sunday / File picture

A senior professor of Aligarh Muslim University has succumbed to the coronavirus disease at the varsity’s Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, according to officials, taking the number of serving and retired faculty members who have died because of Covid or Covid-like symptoms to at least 39. 

Professor Mohammad Nasiruddin, 55, from the department of pharmacology died on Sunday.

Professor Shahid Ali Siddiqui, principal of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, said Nasiruddin had tested positive for Covid-19 and had been admitted to the hospital two weeks ago.

Students of the AMU have submitted a memorandum to vice-chancellor Tariq Mansoor urging him to set up separate vaccination centres on campus for university staff and students.

At least 18 serving and 21 retired AMU faculty members have died of Covid or Covid-like symptoms.

On Sunday evening, AMU students took out a candle march in memory of the serving and retired faculty members.

AMU proctor professor Wasim Khan told reporters on Sunday “according to available information, none of the AMU teachers who lost their lives to Covid-19 had been vaccinated”. He said the authorities would consider the students’ demand for separate vaccination centres for them and university staff. 

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph Online / Home> India / by PTI, Aligarh / May 18th, 2021

Shahid Jameel quits as head of virus genome sequencing group

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Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH / NEW DELHI :

Virologist Shahid Jameel. File   | Photo Credit: Eswarraj R

The eminent virologist did not give any reasons for his departure

Shahid Jameel, eminent virologist and head of the advisory group to the Indian SARS-COV-2 Genomics Consortia (Insacog), resigned from his post on Friday.

Dr. Jameel confirmed to The Hindu that he’d quit but did not give any reasons for his departure.

Multiple scientists who are part of Insacog — a group of 10 laboratories across the country, tasked with tracking evolving variants of the coronavirus — told The Hindu that Dr. Jameel’s decision appeared to be sudden as he hadn’t communicated reasons for his resignation to consortium members but one of them cited “government pressure” as a potential reason.

Dr. Jameel, who is Director, Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University has been critical of aspects of the government’s handling of the pandemic.

On May 13, in an invited opinion piece for the New York Times, Dr. Jameel summarised India’s response to the multiple waves and the uneven vaccination rollout and concluded by saying “scientists were facing stubborn resistance to evidence-based policy-making. On April 30, over 800 Indian scientists appealed to the Prime Minister, demanding access to the data that could help them further study, predict and curb this virus. Decision-making based on data is yet another casualty, as the pandemic in India has spun out of control. The human cost we are enduring will leave a permanent scar.”

The Insacog, setup in December, faced initial challenges with funds and equipment but since March has considerably accelerated sequencing samples from all over the country for variants. It has been tracking international variants of concern as well as discovered the so called ‘Indian variant ‘ (B.1.617) that is believed to be instrumental in India’s devastating second wave.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National / by Jacob Kohsy / New Delhi – May 16th, 2021

Volunteers from around the world rally to help tackle COVID-19 in Karnataka

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, COVID 19 - Community of Soldiers, FREE : Food, FREE : Healthcare / Assistance, Karnataka (under research project), Science & Technology, Useful / HEALTHCARE, , , , , ,

KARNATAKA :

People wait outside an oxygen production unit at Peenya Industrial Area in Bengaluru, after many hospitals ran out of oxygen and beds with ventilators. File photo for representation.   | Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute 1992 batch doctors liaise with volunteer groups to offer services

Doctors living across the world — all alumni of the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) from the 1992 batch — have now banded together with a coalition of volunteer groups to offer end-to-end COVID-19 management for patients in Karnataka, particularly in Bengaluru.

While the Karnataka COVID-19 Volunteers Team (KCVT), with over 500 members, has set up a helpline (080-47166115) which counsels patients, refers them to doctors for tele-consultation, helps in home management and to find hospital beds, Mercy Mission is operating two COVID-19 care centres and has a tie-up with the HBS Hospital in Shivajinagar for critical care. While the helpline and tele-consultation with doctors is available for patients across the State, other on ground facilities are in the city.

“There are over 50 doctors, most of them from BMCRI 1992 batch, and many living in the U.S. and the U.K., who are offering free tele-consultation for COVID-19 patients. I have been doing this for a week now. Most cases are manageable at home. What patients need is guidance and some confidence,” said Umesh Nareppa, a senior cardiac surgeon at Vikram Hospital in the city, and an BMCRI 1992 batch alumnus.

Fund raising

The doctors abroad have also raised funds to the tune of around ₹2 crore and sent 250 oxygen concentrators to the city for patients who need them during home isolation.

Another BMCRI alumnus, H.V. Vasu, who is coordinating the KCVT, said the helpline also has over 100 trained counsellors and will follow patients through the entire course of the infection, advising them with course of treatment, diet, tele-consultation with doctors and try to organise oxygen, hospital beds, if need be. “We have helped book more than 200 beds in the last few days, all through diligent follow-up with the civic body,” he said.

Meanwhile, the KCVT and BMC-92 have partnered with Mercy Mission, another network of NGOs is also running helplines organising oxygen, beds, food and even cremating COVID-19 patients, and for hospital infrastructure. “We have a tie-up with Al Ameen Hospital and HBS Hospital, both in Shivajinagar. While we refer mild to moderate patients to Al Ameen Hospital, we are partnering with HBS for critical care. Mercy Mission is also looking at partnering with CSI hospital, also in the same area, for which talks are in initial stages. Meanwhile, Mercy Mission has partnered with a hospital in Hassan,” said Ali Shariff, who is coordinating these efforts. Patients who need hospital care are being referred to these hospitals.

Mercy Mission is also looking to reactivate the over 40 on ground triaging centres it operated last year in the city’s slums, with focus on vaccination this time. “There is vaccine hesitancy in the slums and we need to send in motivators who have earlier worked in these slums to get people to take the jab. Vaccine coverage is inequitable and low in these pockets. Once we are assured of vaccine supply, we will begin these centres, where we will also take up triaging for COVID-19 cases,” said Mr. Shariff.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by K.V. Aditya Bharadwaj / Bengaluru – May 16th, 2021