Assam: AIIMS Guwahati Hosts CME on ‘DNA to Immunity’

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Department of Biochemistry at AIIMS Guwahati organized a Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme titled “DNA to Immunity: Two Pillars of Health and Disease” on Friday. The event marked a triple celebration: DNA Day, International Immunology Day, and the successful completion of four years of the department’s establishment.

The programme was inaugurated by Prof. Ashok Puranik, Executive Director of AIIMS Guwahati. In his keynote address, he emphasized the fundamental role of DNA and the immune system in understanding both health and disease. He highlighted how genomics and immunology are rapidly advancing frontiers in medical research and clinical practice, shaping the future of modern healthcare.

Prof. Roonmoni Deka, Dean (Research), spoke on the increasing significance of these disciplines in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. She expressed hope that the discussions and insights from the CME would inspire meaningful advancements in clinical applications.

The scientific sessions featured prominent experts, including Prof. Rahul Purwar, Dr Vinod Scaria, and Prof. Ashis Mukherjee. They delivered lectures on critical topics such as India’s first indigenous CAR-T cell therapy (NexCAR19), personalized genomics in precision medicine, and regional innovations in snakebite antivenom development.

The development of NexCAR19 was presented as a groundbreaking achievement in cancer immunotherapy, resulting from a collaborative effort between IIT Bombay, Tata Memorial Centre, and ImmunoACT. Dr Vinod Scaria from CSIR-IGIB spoke about the potential of affordable genetic testing and the discovery of novel gene variants related to disease. Prof. Ashis Mukherjee stressed the need for region-specific antivenoms, noting the inadequacies of existing polyvalent antivenoms in neutralizing venoms from different geographical regions.

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