| Sajha.com Archives | |
| Username | Post |
| Himali_yatri | Posted
on 02-Jun-04 09:58 AM
After my first unsuccessful attempt to meet Nepalese freinds in US, I am coming US for second time again. Probably because I missed sniffing strong smell of New York underground, listening RAP songs of African American freinds on my tiring bus trip from Baltimore to New York(for a moment I thought America is country of black and white are minority because I didn't see any white in the bus), paying 15% tips on top of my restaurent bill, my freinds being ripped off middle of TIMES SQUARE by a Cuban girl who claims herlself as Queen of Cuba. Above all I missed American breakfast- the portion is almost double of british Launch or dinner. I also missed swearing words from a beautiful Nepali sister '' MORO CHINESE KATI KICH KICH GARNU PAREKO'' when I complain about food in restaurent where she was working as waitress(she thought I didn't understand Nepali). Of course the main purpose of my travel is presenting my work in PURINES 2004 meeting in north Carolina,Chapel Hill, June 6-9, but I will be glad to meet other Nepalese, specially with those who are interested in biomedical science research in two side of atlantic(I mean Europe and America) or discussing possibilties of building foundation of basic science research in our country by getting funding from western countries and organising like WELLCOME TRUST, EUROEPAN UNION...........Freinds from other backgrounds are also welcomed to join despite of my limited knowledge on fields other than the one I am working.Regarding my academic background, I am medical gradute who left hospital practise and currently pursuing research career in physiology of receptor and ion channels in bone marrow cells in University of Cambridge. After my conference, I will be in New York from 10-13 of June. If any Nepalese freinds are interested to meet for drink one of these days, I will be glad to be there. With best regards Himali Yatri. |
| rauniyar | Posted
on 02-Jun-04 08:41 PM
Yatri ji from Europe: aa tapai lai Connecticut ma nimta cha hai. It is not far away from NY. Just like an hour train ride from Grand Central. Wel-come to USA again hai. Uhi Rajeev, CT, Amrika |
| Himal NY | Posted
on 02-Jun-04 09:16 PM
Yatri ji, I am working in Biomedical sciences too and will be delighted to meet you here in New York either June 10 or 11. Seems like you have a great idea. Please let me know if you are interested. Hope you will have a very productive Purines 2004 meeting. Himal NY |
| Himali_yatri | Posted
on 03-Jun-04 04:09 AM
Rauniyarji Thanks for your kind invitation.If time allows, I won't mind making an hour trip to connecticut and meet you. It will be great to see you and talk about ASCOL life. Himalji 11 June will be best for me to meet you in New York.If you could kindly let me know your contact number, I can contact you as soon as I am in New York. Thanks both of you, for your kind response. Best regards Himali_yatri |
| mack | Posted
on 03-Jun-04 01:01 PM
I am doing post grad. in biomedical science also. Yes, I was also having some thought about having a research facility in the Nepal but its quite imposible for a foreign institute to secure us gov. grants and private fundings are out of question. One possibilty might be haviong an affiliation with an institute in the us and compete for grants through that institute. |
| Himali_yatri | Posted
on 03-Jun-04 07:29 PM
There are possibilties of getting international funding without being affiliated to any Foreign Universities.One of best example is welcome trust funding. It has not been established in Nepal yet but scientists from our neighbour country India is geting it and I don't see any reason why Nepalese are not eligible for it.I guess all we have to show is we are capable of using the funding in productive way. When I talked about it with one of chair of welcome trust few months back and asked whether any scientist from Nepal has ever applied for it, the answer was no. Of course its long way to get there to convince these people but its not impossible. Another possibilities could be Gates Foundation which is putting lots of effort to improve health and hygiene of third world. When I asked Mr. William Gates, Chairman of this foundation, whether they will consider any application for supporting basic science research in third world country, he said they haven't allocated any funding for it but genuine application can be considered. There are many more funding available,specially if we could put together research proposal on Tropical research including malaria, schistosomiasis.............................All we need is a group of molecular biologist, synthetic chemist and physiologist. There is also possibilities of getting from European Union although one might have to go through lots of beaurocracy for EU funding. I am pretty sure there should be possibilities of getting funding from NIH or any other charity organisation based on US as well. |
| Kalekrishna | Posted
on 03-Jun-04 07:45 PM
La, sathi haru not from the same part of the world as you all, but Nepali interested in setting up research in biomedical field back home ko list ma parchu ma pane. La testo kehi garne bhaeye ma pani ready chu afno level bata contribute garna. By the way, anyone in Belgium during September second week, can meet and chat over a cup of coffee or a bottle of beer what ever is convienent. KK |
| mack | Posted
on 03-Jun-04 08:09 PM
I was talking about US gov. fundings, international fundings are quite negligible compared to that. also I am not talking in terms of $ 100 or 200K grants but in the scale of millions. |
| Himali_yatri | Posted
on 04-Jun-04 06:26 AM
I don't have that much knowledge of US government funding. But Welcome trust senior research fellowship gives about half million pounds to establish lab in third world country.Of course funding in scale of millions will be great.Thats why it will be great to meet up some of us and discuss about different possibilities. |
| ugly duckling | Posted
on 04-Jun-04 07:06 AM
Although my field is geared toward using nanotechnology is the advancement of biomedical engineering, particularly diagnosis, I would be interested in establishing science research in Nepal. Unfortunately, I am currently located at mid western part of the county and will not be able to meet with you. However, I would love to get updates from your visits with other Nepalis. |
| Himal NY | Posted
on 04-Jun-04 07:43 PM
Hi Yatri ji, Great . Let us do that. I will email you my contact information soon. I will also have a Nepali post doc from our school, who is also interested in meeting. Glad to know that several Nepalis are doing biomedical sciences and interested in doing something back home, Nepal. Keep in touch, Himal |
| GangaaKarki | Posted
on 04-Jun-04 11:31 PM
Dear all, As Yatriji has put it , sincerely ; it is a very nobel cause . I also happen to be in the biomedical research community; and understand well that our country needs a research facility in the areas of basic medical science research. Discussions are underway in the america nepal medical foundation as well since they are the leading healthcare voices among us who have the kind of vision, policies and strategy we need in order to get started in this field. Nepal government should undertake this initiative first of all; we can work as a lobbying interest group at the best.I acknowledge very well what you guys have thought as one the most remarkable thing to happen in the bio-scientic arena of Nepal. Universities in Nepal like TUTH, KU, BPKIHS and the working scientists there can of immense support in this regard as well. I had talked to a medical engineer ( american ) last year , he was also working in this area to promote basic scientific research in Nepal and they are going to start a master's degree program in collaboration of TUTH and IOE in the medical imaging sector. Best thing for us to do at the moment would be to find an avenue where we can collectively show our pledge as a group or association and forge an alliance with other people already in the field who can be of assistance in gaining administrative, financial ,technical sectors. Let's keep this rolling at this moment;albeit in this sajha. |
| rootsNwings | Posted
on 05-Jun-04 08:47 AM
An update on Biomedical Research and Need to Promote Bioethics in Research in Nepal As a silent observer here in Nepal I happened to come across this very interesting thread (at least for me) and I thought that I should write a few developments here in Nepal. In the last posting Gangaa Karki has noted that "we can work as a lobbying interest group at the best" which I agree if you are trying to assist the Nepali academicians and researchers from overseas. Of course, the best way to assist biomedical research here in Nepal is to come to Nepal and do research. With this said, I would first like to provide you with a background on Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) which has been given the legal rights to promote and monitor research and promote bioethics in research in Nepal. Besides publishing a non-peer reviewed journal and providing some training on research management and other topics, it also overseas the function of Nepal's apex Ethical Review Board (ERB). Both the Chairman and Member Secretary are nominated by HMG and therefore, there is no guarantee that these decision makers have research backgrounds. As far as I am aware all the people that have held the respective positions are clinicians with very little, if any, exposure to clinical or social research in health. In terms of biomedical research here in Nepal, not a whole lot has been done thus far. What little has been done has been undertaken by fly by researchers from the west who often come to Nepal in working holiday packages. Until recently, there is ample evidence that Nepali collaborators are disproportionately less likely to be Co-Investigators and Co-Authors. However, recently some work has been going on in this area where BPKIHS, Dharan has been conducting a Phase IV trial on a drug for Kalazaar. There are several other examples but I wanted to highlight the case of this Phase IV trial as all researchers involved are Nepalis who have received training and financial support from multiple agencies such as WHO, TDR, EC, USAID's EHP, etc. Thus, the culture where development of technically and financially sound research proposal, identifying the proper funding organization(s) and receiving ethical clearance of muliple ERCs/IRBs has found its way into the Nepali academic and research community. However, there has been a lot of work done to develop bioethics and research ethics guidelines here in Nepal. To begin with, NHRC developed the apex ERC a few years back that meets the CIOMS guidelines and has already received the NIH Waivers. However, NHRC collects one percent of total research grants/funds as "ERC Fees" and therefore this practice deters many young academicians and researchers from applying for ethical clearance as they have to cough up one percent of the fees even before they submit their research proposals to funding agencies. As you are well aware that many prospective donor and funding agencies require ethical clearance from NIH recognized ERCs or IRBs or if they happen to be outside of the US, those with NIH waivers. There is also a severe need of subject experts to review not only technically and financially sound technicians but also to review the ethical soundness of these research proposals. In the past a lot of bioethics in research related workshops were conducted in Nepal due to the fact that NHRC was able to compete successfully and receive a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. I believe that the website for NHRC is www.nhrc.org.np and the Ethical Guidelines for Nepal can be found on that site. WHO Nepal has supported a five day long "Workshop on Ethical Issues in Health and Social Research in Nepal" which was conducted in the summer of 2003 at BPKIHS where participants were invited from several Nepali institutions. Professor Richard Cash, Director, Program in Ethical Issues in International Health Research at the Harvard School of Public Health and his team conducted the workshop and gave a series of talks at BPKIHS, IoM, NHRC, KU and KUMS and also to the alumni from Harvard/MIT/Tufts presently here in Nepal. In addition, WHO Nepal has supported IoM, NAMS (former Bir Hospital) and BPKIHS, Dharan and their respective hospitals to develop their own IRBs that meet CIOMS guidelines and receive HIH Waivers. Although there is a lot more to write, I think that I will stop here and listen to what you all have to say. But before I end this posting, I would draw to your attention that in the Nepali context where the proportion of vulnerable population is so large, any biomedical research can only be promoted if we meet certain criteria such as promotion of "understood consent" and not just "informed consent." Furthermore, the issues regarding researchers' responsibility towards the individual, community and society; scientific misconduct and benefit sharing must be addressed. At the end of the day, the best research proposals do not guarantee that data/information/tissues, etc. are obtained ethically. As in other sectors of the society, there are no policemen policing the researcher. So proper guidelines on bioethics in research must be developed and promoted prior to promoting biomedical research in resource poor settings like Nepal. |
| mack | Posted
on 05-Jun-04 02:21 PM
Having a proper guideline is important but I think proper education on bioethics is essential for compliance. A semester long course in Bioethics is mandatory for all graduate students in the US if they plan on competing for federal gov. research grant in the future as a principle investigator. In other words there is no choice but to take this course if you want to make it in biomedical research. So the point is proper education in bioethics is very important and like in the us and many other countries, in Nepal also budding researchers should be well informed on this issue before they go on to become a principle investigator. |
| himali_yatri | Posted
on 05-Jun-04 04:08 PM
Dear Freinds I am very glad to receive so much good responses from all of you.i must thank all of you. I just arrived here in North Carolina, Chapel hill.Its very hot and dry.Going out for dinner.I will get back to all of you with proper response tongiht. Himali _NY"! I have just replied your mail.Thanks for your contact detail. Thank you all. Best regards Himali_yatri |
| nepalki_chori | Posted
on 06-Jun-04 05:44 AM
So nice to read this thread. Glad to know that there is a community in sajha researching in biomedical sciences. And, I really admire the great ideas of having some biomedical research institutes in nepal. Its really time to go for it !! |
| mack | Posted
on 06-Jun-04 08:06 PM
I am looking to recruit Nepali students who already have at least masters(from Nepal) in Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics or anything related to Biology or chemistry, and interested in pursuing post graduate study in the US. So if you have any friends or acquaintance, interested in above please let them know about this opportunity. |
| NKC | Posted
on 06-Jun-04 08:14 PM
Dear Friends, It is a matter of immense pleasure to find that many of you are interested to work for the mother Nepal. I am a synthetic chemist and currently working in the area of small molecule drug discovery in a pharmaceutical industry. I am also interested to join the team. Let us do something for Nepal. Why don't we start right here, at least by building contact network between us. Himali _Yatri ji and Himal Ji, I wish I could meet you but unfortunately, I am living very far from New York. Looking forward to see a dream comes true. NKC |
| Himal NY | Posted
on 06-Jun-04 09:37 PM
Dear All, Again, it is good to know that so many people are interested and/or doing work in Biomedical Sciences and want to do something back home, Nepal. As suggested by NKC ji, I guess it is important first to know more Nepali working in this area and to start networking. This will help us not only to develop the idea of doing something in Nepal but also to get educational/ professional help and so forth. (I did get (am still getting) help and guidance from a lot of Nepali working in Biomedical field. Some of you might be very happy to know about Dr. Uttam L RajBhandary, a professor at MIT and very well respected in Biomedical field for his research.) First, let us start as a virtual community through an email group. We can go from there for next level. Almost two years back, with the help from Hemendra Ji (I hope you do not mind mentioning your name), we (few graduate students from New York, Boston and Baltimore) had a discussion about this. It did not go that far but I still have a list of about 15-20 people (mostly in US). Seems like, it is right time now to bring back this issue again. If you are interested, let us do something. I will also talk to Yatri Ji more about it when I meet him here. Please let me know if you are interested in this (and let other people know). If you want, I can also start a new thread in Sajha just to get more attention from all people. NKC ji, if you are ever coming to New York City, I will be happy to meet you. Just to let you know, I have a friend doing Ph D in Organic Chemistry. Wishing all the bests, Himal |
| mack | Posted
on 07-Jun-04 08:30 AM
I think it would be a good idea to establish an organization to bring together Nepali researchers and students in biomedical field, who are in the US or abroad. In fact a website would be a good thing to begin with. Later on we can try having annual meetings where people can give talks or do poster presentations related to their research, a retreat sort of thing. This will give us an opportunity to know each other as well as find out what everyone is up to in terms of their research. And most importantly, gives an opportunity to discuss about fund raising and such to promote biomedical research in Nepal. |
| nO_wAy | Posted
on 07-Jun-04 08:50 AM
Oaaaaai! Rauniyar...! ji...? Malai pani nimta denu na CT ma. Ma ta kasto aapat ma parke ko cu ba\han de khe....! :( I hope u will reply..? Pe@se |
| NKC | Posted
on 11-Jun-04 08:40 AM
I think it is a good idea to make an organization of Nepalese scientists/researchers. I think it will help a lot to share informations among us. Himali yatri and Himal_NY ji, please update us the outcoming of your meeting in New York. |
| _____ | Posted
on 11-Jun-04 12:52 PM
Dear friends, I am reading this thread since last two weeks. The idea of establishing a research center in nepal is very interesting and may take shape if we are really interested in it. I am a synthetic organic chemist. I have published more than 12 papers in reputated international journals including few papers on synthesis of cytotoxic amino acids. At present I am involved in synthesis naturally occuring photosensitive compounds some of wchich may be used in laser treatment (theoritically). I am also capable of leading a team of synthetic organic chemists for the synthesis of new compounds. At present I am working in Europe. Please keep on updating the the progress |
| pravenj | Posted
on 11-Jun-04 01:03 PM
I have been following this discussion all along and I got quite interested in it. If you all ever need a high performance computing person, with experience in working with distributed applications and visualization supporting bio-medical research please do contact me. I am about to finish my grad school in Comp Sci and am currently working for a research facility, which provides and supports HPC for biomedical community at my univ. |