Madurai Kamraj University selected for research on brucellosis

Updated on: Wednesday, November 23, 2011

The Madurai Kamraj University is selected for a centrally-funded research project on study of brucellosis, an infectious disease that occurs from contact with infected animals.

The five-year research programme, which will commence in January 2012, has been approved by the Department of Biotechnology, a MKU official said. A sum of Rs six crore has been sanctioned for the purpose.
 
The University, specialising in genomics, will be involved in dry lab activity while veterinary institutions would take up clinical study, he said. The project will focus on cattle as well as "human health problem", Head of Genetics Department P Gunasekaran said, adding that two international scientists Barun De of Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, and Ramesh Vemulapalli of Purdue University in the US, will be assisting in the research.
 
Brucellosis, which is caused by Brucella bacteria, causes gastro-intestinal problems, osteoarthritis, endocarditis and neurological disorders in human beings. As of now there is no vaccine for the disease and diagnosing it is a complicated work, the official said.

Kamaraj university is one among the nine institutions across the country to have this honour.

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