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  India   All India  19 Dec 2019  IISc research may help prevent viral ailments

IISc research may help prevent viral ailments

THE ASIAN AGE.
Published : Dec 19, 2019, 4:27 am IST
Updated : Dec 19, 2019, 4:27 am IST

Prof. Dixit said his team plans to take the research forward by building advanced and customized models for different viral infections.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore. (File photo)
 Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore. (File photo)

Bengaluru: Just why are viral infections curable in some people, turn chronic in others,  and even prove fatal for certain others?

Researchers at Indian Institute of Science (IISc), who probed infections in man, chimpanzees and mice, have published new insights into illness caused by viruses, and their findings could help in prevention of chronic ailments, and use of drugs with best results. Unlike the original school of thought about the outcome being determined by complex interplay of many factors, this team has discovered that infections depend on interactions of just two key entities – cells which the viruses infect and immune cells that kill these infected cells.

“By accurately describing the interactions between these two entities, we show how all the major outcomes of viral infections are realised.  We developed a mathematical model of viral infections based on the essential interactions, and showed how and when different outcomes are realized,” says Prof. Narendra M Dixit, Department of Chemical Engineering, IISc.

He, however, said such models might not work with all viruses. “For instance, HIV can hide in some infected cells in a way that immune cells cannot recognize it.  In other studies in our group, we are examining ways of deploying drugs that can bring HIV out of its hiding. We are also considering immunization strategies that can improve our bodies’ ability to produce powerful antibodies, an arm of our immune response distinct from but complementary to the cells that kill infected cells.  Together, these strategies may help combat difficult infections like HIV,” he added.

Prof. Dixit said his team plans to take the research forward by building advanced and customized models for different viral infections. “Clinical trials would be considered subsequently,” he added.  

Meanwhile, scientists of the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem) and Unilever, who joined forces to develop innovative strategies to deal with antimicrobial resistance, have discovered that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are natural antibiotics produced by skin cells to combat bacteria, are best suited for treating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Apart from their role as natural antibiotics, AMPs are also known to be involved in wound healing in the skin. This fact spurred Dr. Amitabha Majumdar (Unilever R&D) to hypothesize that the same machinery used to release AMPs during wound healing could be harnessed to control AMP release from skin cells for treating or preventing infections. To test this, Dr. Majumdar teamed up with Dr. Colin Jamora of the Joint IFOM-inStem Research Laboratory at inStem’s Centre for Inflammation and Tissue Homeostasis, whose group works extensively on the mechanisms of wound healing in skin.
 
“This fruitful collaboration illustrates how partnerships between academic institutions and industry benefits consumers and the society”, said Dr Jamora and Dr Majumdar.

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