PGI Pediatrician Gets Prestigious International Research Award

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Chandigarh 11^th June:-  Dr Prateek Bhatia, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatric Medicine, PGI has been awarded the prestigious Ihsan Dogramaci research award 2015 by the International Pediatric Association Foundation. His research proposal on the topic "Establishing phenotypic and genotypic screening model to identify children with iron refractory iron deficient anemia (IRIDA)" was considered the best amongst 26 other proposals received from 17 countries worldwide. The proposal has been sanctioned a grant of 20,000 USD and he has been invited to present his research findings next year at the 28^th International Pediatric Congress to be held at Vancouver, Canada. The project is entitled "Establishing phenotypic and genotypic screening model to identify children with iron refractory iron deficiency anemia (IRIDA)". The aim of project is to establish a structured investigational approach to screen and identify children presenting with typical hematological profile suggestive of iron deficiency anemia, but who fail to respond to oral iron therapy. This would involve getting biochemical tests to rule out absorptive causes like celiac disease and other causes of microcytic anemia like thalassemia trait and anemia of chronic disease and then working up these cases further for certain specific biomarkers like Hepcidin protein levels in blood and genetic tests to identify any mutation in membrane protein expressed on liver cells (TMPRSS6). This membrane protein is one of the important proteins regulating iron homeostasis in body. Any mutations or genetic defects in this protein lead to unresponsiveness to oral iron supplementation and hence persistent microcytic anemia in children. Eventually, children with these defects have to be treated long term with parenteral iron doses to improve their anemia.