Navigate Up
News Release Search
GO
UPMC/University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences

​UPMC Experts

Vishwajit Nimgaonkar

​

Pitt Researchers Awarded NIH Grants To Study Social, Ethical Implications Of Genetics Research In India

PITTSBURGH, November 5, 2002 — Two University of Pittsburgh researchers have received grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to initiate collaborations among scientists in India and the United States in the area of human genetics.

Daniel Weeks, Ph.D., professor of human genetics and associate professor of biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health; and Vishwajit Nimgaonkar, M.D., professor of psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine , were awarded separate grants from the Fogarty International Center (FIC) of the NIH. Drs. Weeks and Nimgaonkar lead two of the six research projects newly funded by the FIC to support international collaborations in human genetic sciences

Dr. Weeks and colleagues, in collaboration with The Chatterjee Group-Indian Statistical Institute Centre for Population Genomics in Calcutta, India, will focus their research-training project on genetic epidemiology and ethical conduct of human genetics research in India, with particular emphasis on statistical and computational genomics and molecular genomics. They will train researchers in India to develop large-scale genetic epidemiological studies in that country.

Dr. Nimgaonkar and his team will collaborate with scientists at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, to conduct research training in psychiatric genetic epidemiology and ethics. In addition to conventional didactic and practical training in the United States, the program will involve supervised field training in New Delhi. The long-term goal of the program is to better understand severe psychiatric disorders. The data resulting from this project will facilitate future genetic counseling and gene mapping efforts.

©  UPMC | Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Supplemental content provided by A.D.A.M. Health Solutions. All rights reserved.

For help in finding a doctor or health service that suits your needs, call the UPMC Referral Service at 412-647-UPMC (8762) or 1-800-533-UPMC (8762). Select option 1.

UPMC is an equal opportunity employer. UPMC policy prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, genetics, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected group status. Further, UPMC will continue to support and promote equal employment opportunity, human dignity, and racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity. This policy applies to admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in UPMC programs and activities. This commitment is made by UPMC in accordance with federal, state, and/or local laws and regulations.

Medical information made available on UPMC.com is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should not rely entirely on this information for your health care needs. Ask your own doctor or health care provider any specific medical questions that you have. Further, UPMC.com is not a tool to be used in the case of an emergency. If an emergency arises, you should seek appropriate emergency medical services.

For UPMC Mercy Patients: As a Catholic hospital, UPMC Mercy abides by the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, as determined by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. As such, UPMC Mercy neither endorses nor provides medical practices and/or procedures that contradict the moral teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

© UPMC
Pittsburgh, PA, USA UPMC.com