PU,PGI join hands to find cure to kidney ailment

It is learnt that only two varsities – PU and Manipal University- have dedicated stem cell departments. The former Vice-Chancellor of PU,Prof R C Sobti,had managed to establish this department in 2008 under the emerging areas of science and technology.

The department coordinator,Dr Sanjeev Puri,is working on the said research in collaboration with Prof Vivekanand Jha of the Nephrology Department,PGIMER.

Talking to Chandigarh Newsline,Puri said,“We are working on stem cells to find out how to cure this deadly PKD. This disease leads to death as the prevalence of multiple cysts makes the cellular structure of the kidneys vanish. If a person gets PKD at the last stage,only cysts are left and no kidneys,hence the function of kidneys of excreting the waste material start getting secreted into the body”.

Puri said that the research is at very nascent stage. “Whatever we are doing,we are applying on animals. It is very hard to speak about the time span in which we will complete the work,” he explained.

The department so far has got over Rs 30 lakhs fund to carry out the research work.

Moreover,another faculty member of the department Dr Seemha Rai is ready with the project to initiate research on identifying cancer cells.