A bio-informatics postgraduate  of Rohtak’s Maharishi Dayanand University and a Ph D scholar at the Complex Systems, Big Data and Informatics Initiative of New Zealand’s vintage Lincoln University (LU, estb.1878) in Christchurch, Pooja Pawar is making an impact within scientific communities with her breakthrough research in developing vaccines for drug-resistant tuberculosis (aka TB). New Zealand’s not-for-profit OSPRI that works in collaboration with the government to manage its TB eradication programme for bovines — known to be the largest transmitters of TB to humans — is showing keen interest in her research work. 

Pooja’s speedier approach of using computational algorithms (bio-informatics), promises to sharply reduce time-consuming and arduous laboratory testing of vaccines prior to usage. Thus far, she has identified 155 rapidly mutating TB bacteria, some of which have become resistant to BCG, the only anti-TB vaccine discovered over nine decades ago by French bacteriologist Camille Guerin.

“The low efficacy of BCG and re-emergence of the disease in adults and growth in the number of drug-resistant strains have generated an urgent requirement for a powerful and more effective vaccine. My research has the potential to accelerate development of an effective vaccine comprising more strains of TB immunity bacteria over and above what BCG currently offers. I owe gratitude to my supervisors, professors Sandhya Samarasinghe and Don Kulasiri, who helped me design a novel approach to identify potential vaccine agents for more potent immune response,” acknowledges Pooja. 

Scheduled to submit her Ph D thesis by end-2019, this dedicated research scholar is intent upon post-doctoral studies. “My research is crucial, driven by the motivation to save humanity from this life threatening disease, and a fellowship offer from a reputed research institution in India would be more than welcome. According to World Health Organisation statistics, India has the maximum reported cases and deaths due to TB,” says Pooja.

Wind in your sails!

Dipta Joshi (Mumbai)