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Multidisciplinary Research Unit

मुख्य पृष्ठ/ Research / Multidisciplinary Research Unit

Establishment of Multidisciplinary Research Unit (MRU) in some medical colleges in India is an attempt by Department of Health Research (DHR), Government of India to uplift the research activities in these Medical Colleges. Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) is in the process of establishing a ‘Multidisciplinary Research Unit (MRU)’ with the help of grant-in-aid from the Department of Health Research (DHR), Government of India, which was sanctioned after an MOU was signed by Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi that it will maintain the MRU at MAMC even after the period of grant-in-aid by DHR is over.

Its facility is open to everybody working for science under the conglomeration of MAMC that includes MAMC, Lok Nayak Hospital, GIPMER, GNEC and MAIDS. Renovation of an area on third floor of administrative block (above Dean’s office) to convert it into an MRU lab is going on and is expected to be completed by December, 2019. It will be a state of art facility for basic, clinical and diagnostic molecular research.

Management: Dean, MAMC is the overall administrative head of MRU. A committee with following members under the chairmanship of Dean looks after its functioning:

  1. Dr. B. C. Koner, Director Professor of Department of Biochemistry
  2. Dr. Seema Kapoor, Director Professor of Department of Paediatrics
  3. Dr. Vikash Manchanda, Director Professor of Department of Microbiology
  4. Dr. Binita Goswami, Professor of Department of Biochemistry and
  5. Dr. Shramana Mandal, Director Professor of Department of Pathology.


Dr. B. C. Koner, Director Professor of Department of Biochemistry, MAMC, New Delhi is made the honorary Nodal officer and Dr. Binita Goswami, Professor Department of Biochemistry, MAMC, New Delhi is Co-Nodal officer of this MRU. Dr. Vijay Kumar Singh & Dr. Subash Chandra Sonkar scientists ans Dr. Manisha Yadav as Research Scientist -I are appointed for this center. Two technicians  is Mr. Keshav Singh & Ms. Jaya Verma and a data entry operator is Mr. Sanyam Raheja.

Activities: Research being the primary focus, it will provide some intramural fund for carrying out research projects conceived by the faculty members of MAMC, GIPMER and GNEC. Those projects will be carried out in MRU lab. For evaluation, selecting and monitoring of such research proposals, a local research committee (LRC) of MRU is formed with following members:

  • Dr. Kalpana Luthra, Professor of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi ------- Chairperson.
  • Dr. Aparna Agarwal, Director Professor of Medicine, Lady Harding Medical College, New Delhi ------- Co-Chairperson.
  • Dr. T.K. Roy, Director Professor of PSM, Lady Harding Medical College, New Delhi ------- Member.
  • Dr. Ashoo Grover, Scientist E, Indian Council of Medical Research New Delhi ------- ICMR Representative and Member.
  • Nominee of Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi-(yet to be nominated, request sent) ------- Member.
  • Dr. Seema Kapoor, Director Professor of Paediatrics, MAMC, New Delhi ------- Internal Member.
  • Dr. Binita Goswami, Professor Department of Biochemistry, MAMC, New Delhi ------- Co-Nodal officer and internal member.
  • Dr. B. C. Koner, Director Professor of Department of Biochemistry, MAMC, New Delhi ------- Nodal officer and member secretary.

In response to an advertisement, 13 research projects were obtained this year (2019) from the faculty members for intramural funding by MRU. The Local Research Meeting (LRC) was held on 05/11/2019. The following projects were recommended by LRC to be executed in the yr 2019-2020, which should be completed by 31 st December, 2020:

  • Adrenocortical suppression in children with nephrotic syndrome treated with corticosteroids. (PI: Dr. Mukta Mantan, Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Maulana Azad Medical College & associated LN Hospital New Delhi)
  • Expression of KMT2A/MLL gene translocations in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia by fluorescence in situ hybridisation and its correlation with flow cytometry and polymerase chain reaction. (PI: Dr. Sarika Singh, Professor, Department of Pathology, MAMC).
  • Comprehensive first trimester screening-additive predictive value of serum alpha-fetoprotein in already existing algorithm for first trimester screening of aneuploidies and combined screening for pre-eclampsia. (PI: Dr. Sangeeta Gupta, Director Professor, Department of Obs & Gynae, MAMC, Delhi).
  • Role of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and its relation with the serum levels of IL-6 and TGF-ß in Systemic Sclerosis. (PI: Dr. Bijaylaxmi Sahoo, Director Professor and Head, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology, Maulana Azad Medical College).
  • Role of sodium channel SCN1A gene mutations & GABA receptor gene alterations in Epilepsy & drug resistance-a study of North India (P.I.: Dr. Pradeep Dabla, Professor of Biochemistry, GIPMER)
  • Assessing utility of SCC antigen for predicting treatment response in esophageal cancer. (PI: Dr Anurita Srivastava, Department of Radiotherapy, MAMC and LNH).
  • To establish the diagnosis of Digeorge syndrome, William syndrome and 1p36 microdeletion syndromes in clinically suspected cases, by fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH). (PI: Dr Meenakshi Bothra, Assistant Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi).
  • To evaluate the protective effect of Azadirachta indica leaf extract on chemically induced colon cancer in rats. (PI: Dr. Vandana Roy, Department of Pharmacology, MAMC).
  • Effect of exposure to Bisphenol A and its analogue plasticizers on production of thyroid hormones in transformed thyroid cell line and on function of thyroid hormone in rat L6 myoblast derived myotubes. (PI: Dr. B. C. Koner, Department of Biochemistry, MAMC).
  • Effect of blood pesticides and gene-pesticide interaction on ovarian reserve in females with primary infertility. (PI: Dr. Binita Goswami, Department of Biochemistry, MAMC).
  • At present, MRU, MAMC is actively involved in COVID-19 diagnosis. Scientists of MRU are working in virology lab and instruments of MRU are being used in COVID diagnosis.

Faculty members and others who want to submit research projects for extramural funding are encouraged to use the facility of MRU. This will reduce the proposed budget and thus increase the probability of acceptance by the funding agency.

Facilities Available:

Instruments already purchased:

  1. Fully Automated Nucleic Acid Extraction System
  2. Multi-Mode Reader
  3. ELISA Reader
  4. Gradient Thermocycler (PCR)
  5. Thermocycler for qRT-PCR
  6. -80o C Refrigerator and -20 o C Refrigerator
  7. High Speed Centrifuge with Plate Centrifuge Facility
  8. Semi-dry blotter with verticle Mini-Electrophoresis system
  9. Gel Doc System
  10. Flowcytometer (3 laser, 10 colours)
  11. GC-MS,3.Nucleic Acid Sequencer by Sanger's Method
  12. Instruments for Cell Culture Facility

Instruments to be purchased this year:

  1. High Pressure Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC)
  2. Next Generation Sequencing System,
  3. Digital Water Bath
  4. Bio Safety Cabinet Class II A2,
  5. Vertical Autoclave
  6. Hot Air Oven
  7. Nano Spectrophotometer
  8. RT-PCR

Those who want to collaborate with MRU for their projects can send and email to the Nodal Officer or Co-Nodal Officer of MRU.

You can contact us at:

Email Address: mru[dot]mamc[at]gmail[dot]com

Phone Number: 011-23239271, Extn -419

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