Research activities
THRUST RESEARCH AREAS
In view of the interdisciplinary nature of the school, two workshops were held in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to develop a state-of-the-art effective curriculum for the Master's programme in Medical Science and Technology and decide the goals of the school. Eminent doctors from educational field, leading medical hospitals and from Government sector took part in the deliberations of these workshops. It was recognized in these workshops that research should be initiated in the following areas in particular:
- Biomedical instrumentation
- Biomaterials, Tissue engineering and medical implants
- Biomechanics, Biomedical simulation
- Genetic engineering
- Immunotechnology
- BioMEMS and biosensors
- Bioinformatics
- Telemedicine
- Medical image processing
- Biophysics
- Nutritional science and technology
FACILITIES
Medical Biotechnology Laboratory
Equipped with the state-of-the-art instruments, this lab has the facilities for research in cell and molecular biology, and recombinant DNA technology. Some of the existing facilities are:
Cell culture facilities
Advanced Research Microscopes
High Speed Refrigerated Centrifuges and microcrentrifuges
UV-VIS and FTIR SpectrophotometerPCR System
Fluorescence ELISA reader
Gel electrophoresis Apparatus
Southern blotting apparatus
DNA cross linker and Hybridizer
Magnetic Cell SorterHigh Performance Liquid Chromatography
Lyophilizer
Refrigerators, Freezers, and Ultra low temperature freezersLiquid nitrogen storage facility
Dark room facility with photographic equipment
Silicon Graphics and Sun based high performance computing systems
Hematology autoanalyzer, Centrifugal Evaporator, Peristaltic pump, etc
Telemedicine and Medical Informatics:
This lab has facilities for tele-consultation and videoconferencing through high speed links. A telemedicine server is being maintained in the lab for storing and transfer of patient information. The equipments include:
Polycom Video Conferencing Unit with High-speed ISDN and VSAT link-up: Established network in Kharagpur, and with West Bank Hospital, West Bengal
A portable Videoconferencing unit for Telemedicine
Biomedical Instrumentation Lab:
ECG and EEG Recording Systems with test probes
PC based SpirometerUltra Sound Scanner
Fetal Monitor
Digital SphygmomanometerHearing Aid
Pulse Oxymeter and Blood Gas Analyzer8-channel Polywrite
Electronic Blood Glucosimeter
Special Oscilloscope for human body parameter measurement
Biomaterials and Biomechanics Lab:
Universal Testing Machine
Minimat tester for stress- strain measurement
Microhardness tester
Mechanical stability tester for latex
Biologically clean fumehood & cupboard
Environmental chamber (solar radiation capability)
Twin Screw mixer and Extruder
Knee joint simulator
Surface tension and contact angle measuring device
High temperature vacuum autoclave
Sample preparation system a) Slow speed diamond b) Polishing
Potentiostat and Galvanostat for corrosion measurementNCS Profilometer
Fungilab Viscosity meter
Ball milling, Latex dipping apparatusBrabender mixer
IR SpectrophotometerAtomic Absorption Spectrometer
Optical microscope with image processor
Thermostatic bath
Balance, pH meter
Furnace, Refrigerator
Differential Scanning Calorimeter & Thermo-Gravimetric Analyzer
High temperature hydraulic press
Shared Facilities at Central Research Facility (CRF):
MALDI-ToF Mass Spectrometry
Automated DNA Sequencer
Real Time PCR Machine
2D Gel Electrophoresis
FACS
ONGOING RESEARCH
The research and development activity of School of Medical Science and Technology are divided in four thrust areas: Medical Biotechnology, Telemedicine, Biomedical Instrumentation and Biomechanics and Biomaterials.
1. In the field of Medical Biotechnology, enzymes of sperm cells from proven infertile human subjects have been evaluated using biochemical techniques. An understanding of the functional activity of the sperms is expected to help in solving problems of male factor infertility as well as in developing future male contraceptive agents.
Research in the various fields of Biotechnology is already being carried out in the departments of Biotechnology and Agriculture & Food Engineering and in IIT-BREF-Biotech Research Centre.
The institute has state-of-the-art well equipped laboratories of Cell and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Downstream Processing, Fermentation Technology, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Cryobiology, Plant Biotechnology, Plant Tissue Culture and Ergonomics.
Research is being carried out in the areas of cloning, expression of eukaryotic, prokaryotic and viral proteins, monoclonal antibody production, immunodiagnostics, and drug related secondary metabolite production.
The Biotechnology group is working on cloning and molecular markers, cloning of E. histolytica genes and knocking them out, whole blood based C reactive protein and anti-cancer alkaloids from plants.
Work is in progress in the field of Bioinformatics, in the areas of molecular dynamics of biomembranes, effect of alcohol and computer simulations of membranes, structure-function link in biological systems and structure of prion protein isoforms (3-D structure).The Chemistry department of the institute is engaged in synthetic studies of a number of drugs and in biochemical research, especially for anti-cancer (DNA cleaving agents), antibacterial (beta-lactamase inhibitors) and antiviral drugs.
2. In-patient medical data is being collected from the Institute Hospital (BCRTH) to prepare a database of diseases (along with its ICD-10 classification) prevalent here in the field of Telemedicine. The database is being linked with other sites (e.g., SMST) to deliver multimedia resources and to provide electronic fora for facilitating communications across widely scattered research / teaching sites.The Computer science and Engineering Department has already established a Telemedicine link with two leading hospitals in Kolkata. Telemedicine database for chronic infective diseases like leprosy and slow video transmission using POTS are being developed.
3. The present ongoing research activity related to Biomedical Instrumentation is the predictive monitoring of cardiovascular risk factors using non-invasive and cost-effective techniques.A low cost Doppler Ultrasonography System has been developed at the CAD Lab. of Dept. of E & ECE, and it is in the process of being refined further. A few more chipsets (DXT, DWT, CDWT & ADC) have been designed and implemented on FPGA for signal processing, image compression and telemedicine purposes. Work on hearing aids and automated glucose analyzer is also in progress. The Work is in progress in the fields of 3-D image analysis, tomography, image visualization and data compression with fractals and wavelets.
4. The Biomaterials and Biomechanics laboratory is in the process of being set up. Several sophisticated equipments for this laboratory have been procured this year.The Biomaterials group is working on acetabular cuff development with composites, fast setting in-situ polyurethane composites for orthopedic applications, dendrimers with reduced bacterial infection, polymeric biosensors having in-built dendrimers , fluorescent moiety and new polymer development like toughened epoxy, composites like carbon or Kevlar reinforced HDPE, UHMWPE having greater biocompatibility, soft rubber and latex for biomedical applications and the development of Plasma Sprayed Hydroxyapatite Coated Metallic substrates for orthopedic implants.
The Biomechanics group is working on simulation of knee and hip joints, walk simulator and parametric modeling of musculo-skeletal system (human gait and spine movements), and numerical modeling of blood flow in artery bypass grafts.
Ongoing Sponsored Research projects:
1. Upgrading a telemedicine package and connecting to databases built in IIT Kgp, NIMST and local health centers
Principal Investigator : Dr. S.N. Sarbadhikari (Sponsor: Institute Scheme for Innovative Res. & Devp.)
2. Understanding the fertilizing ability of mammalian sperm cells; A study of the membrane system integrity
Principal Investigator : Dr. (Ms.) Koel Chaudhury (Sponsor: Institute Scheme for Innovative Res. & Devp.)
Research Projects of Final Year MMST Students:The first batch of MMST students have completed their final year research projects, in various fields and in various parts of the world, in the best of the labs. A brief summary about each of their work can be viewed on clicking on the project headings in the right column: