GNDU prof gets grant over Rs25 lakh from CSIR

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 6

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide and the number of new cases is expected to rise by about 70 per cent over the next two decades, said Dr Preet Mohinder Singh Bedi, Professor and Head, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University.

To find cure for cancer, the Director General of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, sanctioned a research grant of more than Rs25 lakh for three years to Dr Bedi.

He said cancer was the second leading cause of death globally and was responsible for 8.8 million deaths in 2015. Globally, nearly one in six deaths is caused due to cancer.

Approximately, 70 per cent of deaths from cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries. More than 90 per cent of high-income countries reported treatment services are available compared to less than 30 percent low-income countries.

Talking about the economic impact of cancer, he said it was highly significant and was increasing annually. Total annual economic cost of cancer in 2010 was estimated at approximately US dollar 1.16 trillion.

Only one in five low and middle income countries have the necessary data to drive cancer policy, he remarked.

The research project was approved after a stringent evaluation process by the CSIR. The objective of the project was to design, synthesis, and characterisation of anticancer agents. The outcome of the project work will provide cytotoxity profile of a series of logically fused functionalities.

Thus the designed molecules can be of great benefit especially for the treatment of cancer. Dr Bedi has contributed 80 publications to various reputed International and National journals.