India Launches a New Lab for HIV Research
On 13th August 2012, India opened a $12 million, government-backed laboratory whose mission is to create a new vaccine against HIV. The HIV Vaccine Translational Research Laboratory, which aims to recruit about 30 scientists, is embedded within the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, a $200 million facility under development on the outskirts of New Delhi. It will work in collaboration with the New York based-International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI); operating costs will be shared equally.
New Algorithms May Control Unwanted Transfusions
There has always been a debate if there is an overuse of blood products. The resulting overuse of blood is problematic, and may do worse, if given transfusions prematurely or unnecessarily.On the other hand, it has also been experienced that in patients who undergo major surgeries, specially cardiac surgery, severe perioperative bleeding is seen.
Scientists decode two new blood types!
We already have heard and experienced situations where rare blood groups like Bombay blood group have been a mystery to people in blood banking. Now, there are 2 more to add to this list: Langereis blood type and Junior blood type. Both positive and negative.
The molecular basis of these two blood types had remained a mystery until recently when scientists at University of Vermont where able to decode them and identified the two molecules as specialized transport proteins named ABCB6 and ABCG2. The last new blood group proteins to be discovered were nearly a decade ago.
Disaster Review On Independence Day
Is 15th August just another holiday where we enjoy ? Or is it a day where the nationalist feeling should reach a feverish pitch and we need to keep singing national songs all day only to forget those feelings the very next day? Plenty of debates have gone on as to what is the right way to celebrate the Independence Day.
Project Prayas : Event Log
Assam hit by another flood. Situation looks bad according to a few news reports. Sankalp volunteers have started off with initial situation analysis to understand the damage caused.
Previous relief activities taken up by Sankalp for Assam floods can be read at http://www.sankalpindia.net/drupal/project-prayas-relief-flood-affected-assam-0
Next update will be posted at 6PM.
Colleges Workshop @ Rani Chennamma University, Belgaum
The first workshop under the banner of “Role of Colleges In Taking Karnataka Towards 100% VBD” was conducted at Rani Chennamma University, Belgaum on 31st August 2012.