MKU prof to receive TN scientist award in biological sciences
According to a statement, Varalakshmi's primary research interests focus on exploring algal metabolites for therapeutic and bioenergy applications. For the past decade, her major research thrust at MKU was on 'Unveiling bioactive metabolites of underexplored algae and their associated bacteria from the coastal regions of South India', particularly investigating their potential against non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
While current treatments for NCDs largely rely on bioactive molecules derived from terrestrial plants, marine sources remain largely untapped. This has driven her search for multimodal-acting compounds from marine macroalgae, especially brown algae, which are rich in complex bioactive metabolites such as phlorotannins with strong pharmacological potential. So far, Varalakshmi characterised more than 10 novel compounds from marine algae with therapeutic potential against diabetes, obesity, epilepsy, and cervical cancer.
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Time of India
29-06-2025
- Time of India
Revealed: Faces of Keeladi men; 3D recon by UK lab and researchers brings 2,500-year-old skulls from Tamil Nadu into shape
FIRST LOOK: These faces are predominantly south Indian with a touch of West Eurasian and Austro-Asiatic characteristics A rchaeological excavations and carbon dating point to one of the oldest civilizations thriving at Keeladi, 12km southeast of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, in 6th century BCE. Now, they've put faces to at least two men who walked this earth some 2,500 years ago. South Indian with traces of ancestral West Eurasian (Iranian) hunter-gatherers and ancestral Austro-Asiatic people — that's how researchers at Madurai Kamaraj University describe the facial features reconstructed on two skulls with help from Liverpool John Moores University in the UK. The skulls were found at Kondagai, a burial site around 800m from the main excavation site. Further DNA studies are needed to pinpoint the ancestry based on genetics, they say. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai 'We used a computer-assisted 3D facial reconstruction system to rebuild the facial musculature and estimate facial features following anatomical and anthropometrical standards,' said Professor Caroline Wilkinson, director of Face Lab, Liverpool John Moores University, UK. The lower halves of the faces were more guesstimate; reconstruction of the upper halves was more accurate. 'As the lower jaws of the skulls were missing, we used orthodontic standards to estimate the shapes of the mandibles from cranial measurements and planes,' said Prof Wilkinson. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 境界のないゲームを発見する BuzzDaily Winners Undo Researchers used forensic guidelines for facial reconstruction created from the study of clinical images of living people. After obtaining CT scanned images of the skulls from Kondagai, they estimated the tissue depth at various points of the skulls following published data of modern south Indians. 'It is 80% science and 20% art' They used digital sculpting to recreate muscle, fat and skin while the placement and size of facial features (eyes, nose and mouth) were estimated based on the skulls' characteristics and anatomical relationships. Using a photographic database, researchers assigned colours and textures for the skin, hair and eyes. 'It is 80% science and 20% art,' said professor G Kumaresan, department of genetics, Madurai Kamaraj University, which scanned and sent images of the skulls to Liverpool. He said the reconstructed faces, along with DNA data, will help trace the ancestry of Tamils who lived in the Sangam age. Keeladi has been at the centre of a tussle between the Union and state govts over its antiquity. Last month, the Archaeological Survey of India asked its archaeologist K Amarnath Ramakrishna, who unearthed the Sangam age brick structure at Keeladi in 2015-16 and dated the site to 8th century BCE, to revise his report quoting unnamed experts who said it could be no older than the 3rd century BCE. The Tamil Nadu state archaeology department, which took over the excavation from ASI in 2018 after the courts intervened, has since obtained 29 radiocarbon dates between 6th century BCE and 2nd century CE at Keeladi. Researchers from Madurai Kamaraj University are analysing DNA from the Kondagai urns in collaboration with the department of genetics at Harvard University in the US. 'Work is in progress to obtain a large number of DNA markers and compare them with global reference populations to understand the routes of migration and admixture of the ancient inhabitants of Kondagai and Keeladi,' Kumaresan said. After studying the contents of the burial urns excavated from Kondagai, researchers estimated that most of the skeletal remains were of people aged around 50 years. 'There are many criteria such as dental wear patterns, expression of sutural lines, presence of arthritic lesions and general size of the bone that can tell us about age,' said anthropologist Veena Mushrif Tripathy from Deccan College in Pune. She studied the bone remains at Kondagai and Kodumanal. 'The stature estimation is feasible for only 11 skeleton remains at Kondagai. Though it is insufficient to measure the height of the entire Kondagai population, the average height of males was 170.82cm (5ft 7') while females was 157.74 cm (5ft 2'), which is comparable to Kodumanal where stature estimation was conducted on five skeletal remains,' she added. Researchers identify the sex of the skeleton remains based on pelvic bone and skull morphology. 'Though reconstructing faces is common throughout the world, in South India, we have attempted it for the first time at Keeladi,' said archaeologist K Rajan, advisor to the Tamil Nadu department of archaeology.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Time of India
Saiyed family buried together on 9th day of tragedy
Ahmedabad: Hundreds from the Khanpur neighbourhood in the walled city joined the Saiyed family on Saturday afternoon to bid a final farewell to four of its members. They parted with the family on June 12 on their journey to England, promising to meet again for another festival celebration. The Saiyed family came to India from England and was returning with their daughter after celebrating the festival of Eid-ul-Adha with family members. All four — Inayat Ali Saiyed, his wife Nafeesabanu, daughter Taskin, and son Vaqi Ali — became victims of a tragic plane crash a couple of hours after family members in Ahmedabad went to the airport for a sendoff. The Saiyed family, consisting of six brothers who live together in one building in the Khanpur area, waited for nine days before all of them were identified after the DNA match, allowing them to bury their dear ones. Inayat's eldest brother, Badesaab Saiyed, said that three bodies were identified two days ago, but Nafeesabanu's DNA matched on Saturday. "It was a feeling of our family members that we should bury all four members together, and therefore we waited for two more days," he said after returning from the burial at the Musa Suhag graveyard. Inayat and his wife lived in Wembley for 19 years. Their son, Vaqi, shifted to England a few years ago after completing his schooling. Taskin joined her parents in the UK to begin a new chapter in her life. She completed her MBBS from the NHL Medical College in Ahmedabad. Her uncle said that she cleared the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) exam conducted by the General Medical Council and became eligible to practice medicine in England. "She planned to pursue her postgraduation in the UK only. But she was supposed to join a hospital as a doctor there after 15 days. That is why she joined her parents," he said.
Hindustan Times
20-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Delhi: JNU's MSc Biotech programme gets flexible exit, entry options
The School of Biotechnology (SBT) at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is introducing multiple level entry and exit options for their MSc Biotechnology programme from the academic session 2025-26, the first round of admissions of which is ongoing. This comes as an effort to align the programme with the framework of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. JNU. (PTI) Under the new framework, students who complete one year of the two-year master's course will be awarded with a Postgraduate Diploma in Biotechnology and students who complete two years will get a postgraduate degree, the dean of SBT, Balaji (goes by first name), said on Friday. 'Students will not be applying separately for the diploma. Instead, those who complete the first year of the program can choose to exit after the second semester with the diploma, provided they meet all academic requirements and inform the department in advance,' Balaji told HT on Friday. He added, 'In addition to this, a new one-year (Research) program is now being offered as a lateral entry option. This flexible program is open to students who have either completed the first year of an in Biotechnology at another institute or finished a four-year undergraduate degree with a research component.' However, Balaji clarified that the admission to this programme depends on seat availability from the regular two-year course. 'We have a total of 30 seats available in the MSc programme as of now. So if 24 seats have been filled in the first year and we have seven seats left, then those seats will be offered in lateral entry in the second year,' he clarified. The second year will focus less on theory and more on research, as students will engage in full-time, year-long research project, working closely with faculty on contemporary problems in biotechnology and allied areas. 'To foster critical thinking and discussion, the program includes a vibrant Journal Club, where students analyze recent scientific papers and engage in peer debate, an experience that builds scientific literacy, public speaking, and analytical skills,' Balaji said. Registration for the first round of admission to SBT is scheduled to end on June 26.
