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WORKSHOPS/CONFERENCES CONDUCTED
Workshop on "Stem Cells for Vision", Oct 25-30, 2010
A one-week workshop to provide hands-on experience to young Scientists was organized by Dr.G.Venkataswamy Eye Research Institute on 25th October 2010, sponsored by ICMR and DRDO, New Delhi. This training course was unique in several respects. It is the first of its kind in India to teach a variety of modern laboratory techniques to show how stem cells could bring back vision to patients who are blind for several months to years. This is the only method to benefit these patients who became blind due to thermal or chemical injuries in one or both eyes.
Totally 10 research students/young scientists from Iladevi Cataract IOL Research Centre, Ahmedabad, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, Sri Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology and Kerala University, Thiruvananthapuram had the opportunity to learn methods of identifying and growing patient’s stem cells under specific culture conditions. The course was organized by Scientists at the research institute in collaboration with the Cornea Clinic of Aravind Eye Hospital.
In addition to Aravind faculty, the experts from LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, Sri Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, Invitrogen Bioservices India, Bangalore gave invited lectures during the morning session. All the basic techniques and culture methods for ex-vivo expansion of corneal/buccal epithelial stem cells for human application were carried out in the afternoon laboratory session using human cadaver globes. The students had hands-on experience in these techniques.
The workshop was conducted as a part of the programme of October Summit, in honour of the Founder Chairman of Aravind Eye Care System. The workshop was organised by Dr.C.Gowripriya, scientist.
Seminar on Proteomics – Principles, Methods and Applications, April 15-16, 2011
On behalf of Proteomic Society of India, two days seminar on “Proteomics – Principles, Methods and Applications’ was organized in Aravind Medical Research Foundation, Madurai, India, on April 15-16, 2011. The conference brought together over forty five participants including young and prominent scientists, students, technicians and company representatives, across the country to share their experiences, to learn from one another and to debate the future development of proteomics research.
In addition to Aravind faculty, this seminar had twelve eminent speakers from Institutions such as Sankara Nethralaya- Chennai, Indian Institute of Science- Bangalore, SAHA institute of nuclear physics-Kolkata, Indian Institute of Chromatography and Mass spectrometry – Chennai. It is the first PSI regional meeting conducted in Madurai. The plenary sessions covered a wide range of on proteomics methodologies, advances in mass spectrometry, proteomics applications, disease diagnostics and bioinformatics. Further discussion was related to the translation of biomarker findings for clinical application.
Feedback from the conference was very positive – participants greatly enjoyed the chance to meet like-minded people from so many places, the opportunity to network and disseminate knowledge, and the chance to explore ideas.
The conference was organized by Dr.N.V.Prajna (Aravind Medical Research Foundation, Madurai) and Dr.K.Dharmalingam (Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai) and supported by Tamil Nadu Council for Science and Technology and MS based companies (GE Health Care, Bruker Daltonics and Pal Life Sciences- India).
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