Research Matters

Across many countries in the world, people from an economically backward background struggle to get adequate medical care. As a part of its Sustainability and development goals for 2015 the United Nations has declared ensuring “healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”. This target of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) aims to ensure accessibility to quality health care services by the year 2030. With 13 years to go, an international team of scientists explores how this goal can be achieved in five South Asian countries. 

Flooding in urban areas in a major threat to life and property. While there is a focus on immediate relief to the victims after the flood, long term effects of the flood need to be explored in more depth. In a recent study, an international team of scientists explores the aftermath of the floods in Chennai in 2015 with regards to the potability of groundwater. The team shows that even five months after the floods the groundwater is still unsafe for human consumption due to heavy metal and microbial contamination. 

Eyes are one of the most complex organs found in animals. Through evolution the eyes of animals have evolved to suit some needs better than others. Some animals can see the world in 3D, while some others can see in the dark. Animals living in places where the light doesn’t reach like caves, can’t use their eye and hence have primitive eyes. Researchers from Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, study the pit eye seen in the flatworm Planaria to understand how the organism senses the environment around it.

Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore have described a new species of plant in Coastal Karnataka. Here the team describes the morphological features that helped them identify the plants as a separate species. They find that Reissantia sessiliflora is endemic to the region and highlight the threats faced by the plant along with the actions the public can take for its conservation.

The Indian National Academy of Engineering, a consortium of distinguished engineers in the country, has announced the winners of the annual Young Engineer Award 2017. With 3 awards, IISc grabbed the highest number of awards this year followed by ISRO and six IITs winning one each. The award is given as a recognition to engineering and scientific contributions in the country, with individuals selected from government, academia and industry. 

Cancer is a difficult disease, both for patients and doctors. One of the many side effects of cancer therapies is secondary infections that are caused by a weakened immune system. Current strategies for treating bacterial infections in cancer patients have many drawbacks. Addressing these issues scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi show that administering antimicrobial medicines with gold nanoparticles increases their efficacy by upto 40%.