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Microbiological Research in India
Microorganisms have acquired a notorious reputation since time immemorial for their role in causing diseases. Although the disease causing microorganisms represent a very small fraction of the total microbial diversity on Earth, most of which are helpful, they have gained far more importance due to the fact that the diseases caused by them result in more deaths than any other natural or man-made phenomenon and they are directly concerned with the health of the human population. But these “wonder bugs” are more helpful than they are harmful. They are the “housekeepers” of this planet; recycling elements in nature, degrading dead and decaying organic matter and producing an array of useful products, like antibiotics, flavoring agents, fertilizers, bio-control agents, organic acids etc. Therefore, research in Microbiology is based on two aspects – to harness the immense potential of the microorganisms in developing products that make human lives on this planet comfortable and to study the ways in which microorganisms cause disease in our bodies or in the bodies of animals of our interest or in plants and how best to prevent and / or cure them. Microbiology research in India is also based on these two fundamental features. On the one hand, researchers are busy using microbes to get them to produce novel products and on the other, scientists are busy studying the pattern in which pathogenic organisms cause disease and searching for newer, safer and cheaper therapeutic strategies to combat the harmful organisms. Researchers are looking at microbes to produce intermediates through “green” routes for the ultimate production of drugs like penicillin. This is essentially a bio-chemical process and a “green” route refers to a higher degree of dependence on the biological aspect rather than the chemical one. They are also screening for novel pharma -related products from microbes. Tuberculosis is a major disease in India. The most important problem that physicians are facing in the treatment of Tuberculosis infections is the development of drug resistance in the causative organism (a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis). Although tuberculosis is treated using a combination drug therapy these days, the rate at which the organism is acquiring multiple drug resistance is alarming and there is a crying need to develop more effective treatment regimes. Scientists in India are currently trying to understand the processes by which this organism acquires drug resistance and they are identifying novel drug targets for Mycobacteria by using products of the human immune system. They are also screening for new products that can treat the disease. Other diseases which are prevalent in India and cause major health concerns are malaria, cholera and HIV infections. Scientists are developing novel prevention and treatment strategies to combat these diseases. Bacteria are the scavengers of nature and they are capable of degrading anything that is organic, whether natural or synthetic. They are extensively studied and used for waste management of organic pollutants coming out of many industries (explosives, dyes, paper and pulp, etc.) leading to the environmental and health risks associated with this pollution. Scientists have developed a genetically modified strain of Pseudomonas putida which degrades and converts into innocuous products, many harmful wastes. Agriculture is the lifeline of our nation and agricultural research has always been the priority. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research, one of the largest agricultural research organizations in the world, is currently engaged in developing varieties of crop plants which can resist abiotic stresses like high salt concentration in soil, low moisture content in soil, fluctuating temperatures, etc. To develop such resistant varieties, the researchers of the Council are looking at bacteria, which are capable of growing naturally in such conditions and understanding the mechanisms, which help bacteria to survive in the most extreme of conditions. Researchers are also looking to duplicate similar metabolism in plants to help them resist such stresses. These are the major areas in which research in Microbiology in India is advancing. Scientists are in various phases of their work with many research groups claiming varied amount of success. The research that goes on in Indian Institutes is acknowledged and appreciated by the global fraternity and the present scenario looks very healthy and augurs well for the scientific future of the country. Chillibreeze's disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article.
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