Litika Vermani brings laurels to Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: Dr Litika Vermani, research fellow, has brought laurels to Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre here by her hard work and achievements. A young girl with inquisitive mind and quest of 'exploration of the unexplored' realm of her research work from Jammu joined Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in 2016. As she told The Sentinel, "After obtaining Master Degree in Human Genetics, she has been focussed on research and looking for an institution where she can accomplish and achieve what she has been striving for."

Litika Vermani got the opportunity and right ambience for her work here. She has been working as a scientist in the research division of the hospital. The core area of research in the laboratory involves assessing the response to treatment and prognostic marker in solid by looking for expression of various genes by using technologies such as next generation sequencing, expression profiling through real time PCR, DNA, microarray, immunohistochemistry. The research also covers the role of micro biome in solid tumours, explained Dr Vermani.

Dr Vermani said, "I am also taking care of the cancer genetics clinic at the hospital where we screen and counsel the patients with young age cancers with family history of cancers. In the laboratory, we are also performing the genetic testing through NGS (Next Generation Sequencing) for these individuals.

"The great moment of honour came to her when she got the rare opportunity of UNESCO data base training programme organised jointly by Global Variome and the UNESCO. She is one among the 16 other participants from different developing countries. She applied for the course in January 2021. The training course is on curation of human gene/disease databases. The course is for 6 months with focus on the human gene/disease databases. The course will be taught by Prof Dr. Johan den Dunnen, Professor of Medical Genomics in the Leden University Medical Centre, Dr Litika Vermani pointed out. This will be on line training programme.

He along with his group built the LOVD (Leiden Open Variation Database) platform and initiated the LOVD database. Prof Dr. Johan den Dunnen is the key driving force in establishing the HGVS (High Vaginal Swab) nomenclature which is the world standard to record variants in DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) RNA (Ribonucleic acid) and protein sequences. "The emphasis will be on Leiden Open Variation Database. The course will end with a scientific publication on the database from each participant and participation in a scientific conference overseas and certification and an opportunity to curate the human genomics database," an elated Dr Vermani said.

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