Translational research at LVPEI - Allahadini Mishra Zebra-fish Research Facility

Ocular Tuberculosis or TB of the eye occurs when the bacteria 'M. tuberculosis' infects the eyes. The most common manifestation of Ocular TB is Uveitis, but a direct causal association is hard to prove. In the absence of clear guidelines for its diagnosis, the disease often remains undiagnosed and untreated, leading to vision loss. In 2017, Dr Soumyava Basu, Head, Uveitis Services, LVPEI, Bhubaneswar, drove from concept to establishment the Allahadini Zebra-fish Research Facility to study Ocular TB in an animal model. The zebra-fish model seemed most appropriate for this research as the fish embryos are transparent, and when injected with TB bacteria tagged with coloured protein, its interaction with the host eye-cells can be seen live through the microscope. Research findings from this facility have started yielding rich dividends, helping us better understand Ocular TB and its management. Clinician-Scientist Dr Aparna Rao too is using the zebra-fish model to understand the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Our grateful thanks to noted industrialist Mr Jayabardhan Mishra for providing the initial funding to establish the zebra-fish laboratory. In gratitude, the facility is named after his mother, who was also a happy patient at LVPEI, Bhubaneswar.

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