AIG Hospitals Launches Asia’s First Endocrine Research Facility

 Hyderabad: AIG Hospitals on Wednesday launched Asia's inaugural research facility focusing on the endocrine function of the pancreas. “Named the Asian Centre for Endocrine Pancreas Research (AC-EPR), the centre aims to understand and develop personalised treatment solutions for diabetes management,” AIG said in a statement.

Supported by a research grant from the department of biotechnology (DBT), the government of India, and the Wellcome Trust, the AC-EPR will collaborate with four globally reputed organisations: Emory Global Diabetes Research Centre (USA), Vanderbilt Diabetes Center (USA), St. John’s Research Institute (India), and the University of Hyderabad (India).

The inauguration ceremony held at its Gachibowli branch, witnessed the presence of esteemed personalities from the medical research field, including Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, chairman of AIG Hospitals, G.V. Prasad, co-chairman and MD of DRL, and Dr V. Mohan, founder-chairman of Dr Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre, among others.

Dr Reddy emphasised the urgent need to address the diabetes epidemic in India, with over 10 crore diagnosed cases. He highlighted the significance of establishing a dedicated research facility to explore diabetes intricacies from an Indian perspective. Dr M. Sasikala, principal investigator for the project, outlined the interdisciplinary approach involving experts in endocrinology, molecular biology, epidemiology, and other fields.

The AC-EPR aims to study insulin deficiency mechanisms in the Indian population and establish a BioBank for islet cell storage to aid future research. Dr Reddy spoke about the potential of personalised medicine through the identification of metabolic markers for glycemia progression, promising a revolutionary approach to diabetes treatment in India.