KOCHI: His interest in finding alternative use for medicines prescribed for a particular disease has taken him to the British parliament. Mohapradeep Mohan, who hails from Kollam, will be presenting a poster based on his research on March 13 as part of the ‘STEM for Britain 2017 competition’ at the House of Commons.
Mohan, who works at the Division of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Dundee, United Kingdom as a British Heart Foundation Research Fellow, is doing research in cardiovascular medicine. He is also a final year doctorate student in cardiovascular medicine.
“The overall aim of ‘STEM for Britain’ is to encourage, support and promote the country’s early-staged and early-career research scientist, engineers, technologists and mathematicians,” said Mohan.
The competition is organised by the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee of the British Parliament. STEM for BRITAIN Awards are made on the basis of the very best research work and results by an early-stage or early-career researcher together with their ability to communicate their work to a lay audience.
Mohan, son of late Dr B Mohanan Pillai and Latha Mohan, has been in UK for last 12 years.
He has been shortlisted from hundreds of applicants. Those adjudged the best will be given the gold, silver and bronze awards. The awardees will receive £3,000, £2,000 and £1,000 respectively.
Mohan, who has been actively involved in patient-oriented medical research for over 7 years, said, “I have published my works in reputed journals.”
“The work I am presenting in the parliament will be of interest to people in India. My research was on repurposing a medicine called Metformin to treat heart diseases. Repurposing simply means using medicines that have been prescribed for one disease to treat another. I found that metformin which is used to treat diabetes, protects the heart as well. A part of this study has been published in one of the top cardiology research journals for which we have been awarded the best manuscript award 2016. It made headlines,” he said.
Metformin is the first line of treatment for diabetes. Unfortunately not many people in India get this drug.