Modern Cancer Lab Launched At LUMHS To Conduct Research, Develop Drugs For Treatment

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Modern Cancer Lab launched at LUMHS to conduct research, develop drugs for treatment

Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Thursday launched Cancer Research Laboratory at Medical Research Centre, Jamshoro for conducting thorough research, study and explore environmental factors causing cancer

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Oct, 2021 ) :Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) Thursday launched Cancer Research Laboratory at Medical Research Centre, Jamshoro for conducting thorough research, study and explore environmental factors causing cancer.

This was announced by the LUMHS Vice Chancellor Dr Bikha Ram Devrajani while addressing a press conference here at Hyderabad press club.

Accompanied by senior doctors including Dr Binafsha Manzoor Sayed and others, Prof Bikha Ram said this Research Laboratory was first of its kind in Pakistan where not only tumours will be examined but patient related factors to be studied and environmental factors causing cancer to be explored.

He said this Laboratory was part of 6 development projects worth Rs1,582 million approved by the Higher education Commission (HEC).

Dr Bikha Ram said during last four years, the number of PhD scholars in LUMHS had increased from eight to 28 and this will reach to 40 in coming months when several other scholars will return back after completing their degrees from abroad.

According to various studies started more than a decade ago, results showed that cancers in Pakistan are not only at rise but they are biologically different from rest of the world, Dr Bikha Ram said, adding that there was utmost important to investigate all these cancers from all aspects.

He further said according to World Health Organization, cancer predictions predictions presented in Globocan-2020, most of the cancers in Pakistan will be doubled by 2040, that would become major health issue of the country.

Given our economical situation, current health system, we will not be able to bear such huge burden, Dr Bikha Ram said and maintained that keeping in view of this situation, such initiative (setting up of Cancer Research Lab) was need of the hour.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Binafsha Sayed said since 2008, data base of 22,000 cancer patients were collected and their tumour blocked are archived at the department of pathology for conducting further research.

She said this research laboratory is well equipped with capacity to look at tumour biology, tumour and patients genetics and serology.

Dr Binafsha said Laboratory is planned to further extend the development of new drugs for cancer treatment.

Dr Bikha Ram informed that Dr Ali Muhammad Waryah, a qualified and experienced genetician is also part of the cancer research team who is specialized to investigate the genetic aspects of the cancers and patients.

He said Dr Shariq Anwar Abid, a foreign qualified and well experienced scientist, is heading the experimental therapeutics and cell culture section of the laboratory.

During press conference, a video clip of the different sections of cancer research laboratory was also presented before media persons and the media was also urged to create awareness among general public regarding threats of cancer diseases.

Dr Bikha Ram said patients specially breast and oral cancer carriers always coming to the doctors after wasting time when their disease entering into the last stage.