Major feat by Meghalaya varsity with 5 patents in pharmacy science

The role of pharmaceutical science in drug discovery and design with its contribution to healthcare is phenomenal. In this regard the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) has been working in this direction since its inception and is engaged in research and innovation apart from its regular teaching-learning schedule. Till date, USTM has achieved publication of five patents and one more patent was granted by the competent authorities at the national and international level.

"The scientists who have worked for these innovative projects include Dr. Pallab Kalita, Principal, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences USTM, Dr. Sudarshana Borah Khanikor, Aditya Bora, Gaurav Kumar Bhargav, Kamallochan Barman and Bhanita Das, all assistant professors at USTM, Dr. Mohibul Hoque, principal, Allama TR College of Pharmacy apart from other team members belonging to a few other institutions," a statement from the university said.

A patent is an intellectual property that gives its owner the legal right to exclude others from making, using or selling an invention for a limited period of time in exchange for publishing an enabling disclosure of the invention.

Speaking in this regard, Dr. Pallab Kalita said, "These are collaborative works where the patentees of USTM have addressed the various issues and incorporated their innovative designs and processes to help the general public or scientific societies to overcome those challenging issues". Elaborating the benefits of such innovation, he stated that it would benefit the general public, health professionals, industrial workers, researchers and students globally. "It is related to the field of designing and implementing a framework based on artificial intelligence, locating the presence of cancerous cells through non-invasive techniques, designing and implementing a framework based on blood sampling device that can be used for different haematological analytical work," Kalita said.

The title of the patent granted is, "Device for blood sample analysis", while the five patents published include: "Non-invasive targeted delivery of drug molecules for breast cancer using carbon nanotubes and AI (artificial intelligence)"; "A novel formulation for preventing skin from terrible consequences of sanitisers"; "Experimental investigation of the effect of pitch augmentation in fluro polymer spiral tube in the tube heat exchanger and optimisation of flow parameter for minimum fouling"; "Formulation of organic components control of infection for diabetic patients" and "Medical virtual reality device".