Media Release
Udupi, Jan 22: Dr Manali Hazarika from department of ophthalmology Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal, has been awarded a prestigious SPARC grant of Rs 41,13,233 under the ministry of human resource development’s Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC). KMC Manipal is the only medical college in India to receive this grant in the domain of ‘Healthcare: Emergent Areas of Impact – Infectious Diseases’.
Dr Manali Hazarika is the principal investigator of the project titled ‘Evaluation of the Bacterial Ocular Surface Microbiome in Neonates’. This is the first study of its kind in India. The research is being conducted in collaboration with Dr Mark Willcox and Dr Jerome Ozkan from the University of New South Wales, Australia, along with co-PIs Dr Sulatha Bhandary, Dr Leslie Lewis, and Dr Kiran Chawla from KMC Manipal.
As part of the SPARC initiative, KMC’s ophthalmology and microbiology departments, along with other MAHE institutions, hosted Dr Jerome Ozkan from January 13–17, 2025. During his visit, an international workshop on metagenomics, titled ‘Exploring the Hidden World of Microbial Diversity’, was organized, featuring hands-on training and expert didactic sessions. Dr Ozkan is world renowned for his work in analysis of DNA sequence analysis and bioinformatics of the ocular surface.
The workshop brought together students and researchers from southern India and was inaugurated by Dr Satish Rao, director of research, MAHE, and Dr Padmaraj Hegde, dean of KMC Manipal. They highlighted the significance of metagenomics in advancing microbial research and the impact of SPARC grants in fostering international collaboration, enhancing national research capabilities, and improving MAHE’s global standing. Dr Pdmaraj Hegde congratulated Dr Hazarika, emphasizing that the collaboration aims to advance ophthalmic research by combining expertise from pediatrics, microbiology, and ophthalmology to explore new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches with significant implications for health, disease prevention, and treatment.
Dr Sharath Rao, pro vice-chancellor (Health Sciences), MAHE, commended the achievement as a testament to KMC Manipal’s excellence in research and interdisciplinary collaboration. MAHE vice chancellor, Dr M D Venkatesh, emphasized the university’s commitment to ground-breaking research and global partnerships.
Dr Yogish Kamath, head of department of ophthalmology, Dr Vandana, professor and head of microbiology, Dr Sulatha Bhandary and Dr Bharat Raj Guru, professors and co-coordinators for centre of ocular nanoscience were present at the event. Dr Bharat Prasad and Dr Budheshwar Dehury from Manipal School of Life Sciences were the resource persons for the hands-on training offered at the workshop.
This landmark project underscores KMC Manipal’s leadership in innovative healthcare research, addressing critical challenges and advancing diagnostic and therapeutic solutions.