The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Centre of research on diabetes to be set up

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 14, 2007
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Centre of research on diabetes to be set up

Special Correspondent

Madras Diabetes Research Foundation ties up with Emory University

CHENNAI: A collaborative venture between Madras Diabetes Research Foundation and Emory University, Atlanta, U.S. has led to the establishment of a global centre of research on diabetes here, V. Mohan, president of the foundation, said on Monday.

The centre will satisfy the need to intensify population-based epidemiological studies on diabetes among Asians and other multi-ethnic groups, he said.

The collaboration would lead to solutions to reducing the burden of diabetes in India and the rest of the world. From Emory University, K.M. Venkat Narayan, Hubert Chair of Global Health and Professor of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, will head the project.

Selection for funding

As for the process of selection for funding ($1 million for the first three years) by the university, Dr. Mohan said five Indian centres which had applied to the Emory Global Health Institute for funding were short-listed. They had to compete with 25 global applications for the four funding projects.

Only four projects, including the foundation’s proposal, were selected.

New facility

The new facility of the foundation at Siruseri will house the Centre. Besides the dedicated faculty, all researchers of the Centre will pitch in, if need be, Rema Mohan, vice-president of the foundation and a principal investigator on the project, said.

The venture, she said, would also strengthen data management at the foundation, help to develop quality assurance and analysis of data and assist in transfer of cutting-edge laboratory techniques.

Sharing an epidemic

Speaking to reporters on Monday, James Curran, Dean, Rollins School of Public Health, said India and the U.S. shared many things in common: besides the scientific and research capabilities, they also shared an epidemic. The best way to understand the epidemic better was to study its pattern in both countries where it manifested differently. Nations were not as speedy to respond to a non-communicable disease as they were to an infectious disease, he said.

But it was important to understand what the policy should be and how scientific information should be disseminated.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail