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mRNA vaccines - a modular platform for vaccine development at CCMB
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mRNA vaccines are modular. In principle, one can insert an mRNA to make a protein of a pathogen of concern in our cells. This can be used to train the recipient's immune system to evade the real pathogen, if it infects. CCMB now has a working platform to develop mRNA vaccines., starting with identifying a candidate for COVID-19 vaccine.
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What happens to our brain cells in low oxygen conditions?
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Hypoxia or low oxygen conditions are known to cause brain dysfunctions. What exactly happens to the brain cells in these conditions?
Recent work from Amitabha Chattopadhyay's lab have studied the effect of hypoxia on serotonin1A receptor, a molecule involved in flow of information among brain cells. They find reduced functions of the receptor under oxygen deficiency.
Serotonin receptors are housed on the membrane of neuronal cells. Their functions are related to the cholesterol content of the cell membrane. The study shows that low oxygen also affects cholesterol synthesis, which impacts the functions of serotonin receptor.
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Population-specific genetic risk score for diabetes
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Diabetes can be inherited, and its risk can be predicted - but only if we get population specific data from across the world. In the recent study, scientists in the DIAMANTE consortium, where GR Chandak from CCMB was one of the lead investigators from India, compared genomic DNA of 1.8 lakh people with Type 2 Diabetes against 11.6 lakh normal subjects from five ancestries – Europeans, East Asians, South Asians, Africans and Hispanics. The study found population-specific differences in genetic susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes. These results pave the way towards development of ancestry-specific genetic risk score for risk prediction in different populations and has immense implications for Indians, where every sixth individual is a potential diabetic.
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Population structures of Hoolock gibbons, the only apes of India
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Umapathy's lab at LaCONES-CCMB had shown that India has only one ape species - Western Hoolock gibbons. In this new study, they examine the population structure of these gibbons and their genetic diversity. They find that the gibbons form three distinct populations due to geographical barriers, largely due to the major rivers passing through its distribution region. The study also finds that all the three populations are currently genetically healthy. The scientists warn that habitat fragmentation in the region can threaten the genetic diversity in the gibbon populations, which they worry can affect their population's health.
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Drug repurposing for malaria treatment
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Plasmodium falciparum is the parasite that causes most fatal malaria in humans. It is becoming resistant to the existing anti-malarial drugs. Hence, we need new drugs to treat malaria. In this study, Puran Singh Sijwali's lab shows that bazedoxifene, a post-menopausal drug, already in clinical use, inhibits growth of Plasmodium falciparum. The scientists raise the possibility of using bazedoxifene with the current anti-malarial treatments.
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The unnoticed crawlies with stories of evolution in them
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In the forests of Western Ghats, our scientists go exploring many hidden life forms. These life forms go on to tell us many stories of earth's evolution. Bharti Dharapuram writes about their journeys to and work in these forests.
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Santosh Kuncha for the Best Thesis Award in Biosciences at the 6th AcSIR convocation ceremony.
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Annapoorna P K for the best poster award at HySci-2022.
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Pradeep Kumar for the best talk award at HySci-2022.
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Training in reproductive technologies for wildlife conservation
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LaCONES-CCMB conducted its first of the series of workshops to train wildlife professionals in Jammu and Kashmir to participate in and implement conservation programs successfully in the Union Territory. Organized at CSIR-IIIM, the workshop across 3 days, the workshop covered aspects of conservation breeding, reproductive physiology, wildlife endocrinology, bio-banking and assisted reproductive technologies, through lectures and hands-on activities.
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CCMB seeks applications from potential new faculty members
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CCMB is looking for scientists with expertise in computational biology, infectious disease biology, plant biology, ecology & evolution, and structural biology.
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Please send us your feedback at socialmedia[at]csirccmb[dot]org. Looking forward to them.
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