Combined Force Seizes Taliban Leader

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Taliban leader and detained one additional suspected insurgent during an operation in the Nahr-E Saraj district of Afghanistan's Helmand province today, military officials reported. The leader was a Taliban-appointed deputy and head of the insurgent group's military commission in Badghis province, officials said. The captured leader arranged large-scale attacks, distributed weapons and collected taxes. He also represented both the Taliban and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan groups and was responsible for coordinating insurgent activities in Badghis and Faryab provinces. In Afghanistan operations yesterday: -- In the Bakwaw district of Farah province, a combined force detained three suspects and discovered a drug and weapons cache. The cache contained approximately 1,100 pounds of opium, 16 improvised explosive devices, several containers of explosive-making materials, $1.5 million in Pakistani currency and a motorcycle rigged with explosives to be used as a suicide vehicle-borne IED. The weapons were destroyed. In Feb. 1 Afghanistan operations: -- A combined force liberated a kidnapped Afghan citizen, detained several suspected insurgents and seized multiple small arms, ammunition and tactical vests in the Khoghjani district of Ghazni province. The rescued hostage received medical attention and was taken to a coalition hospital for further observation. No civilians were harmed and no shots were fired during the operation.

Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force

Dr. Neeta D Kang has been sanctioned funds

DBT grant for BCRIC to study the early onset of brain tumours

Ludhiana, February 3rd, 2012 (Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria)

Dr. Neeta D Kang, Head of Innovation at Betty Cowan Research and Innovation Center, Christian Medical College and Hospital, has been sanctioned funds by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT, Govt. of India) to study proteins involved in the early onset of brain tumours. As the Principal Investigator on the project, Dr. Kang said “We were granted funding in 2009 to study cancer stem cells and microRNAs in brain tumors by DBT. MicroRNAs are short non-coding nucleotides of 18 to 22 basepairs in length, which have been found to control many genes in the body. Their deregulation causes diseases. This new grant will help us investigate the early onset of brain tumors from “health cells”. We are hopeful that by studying select proteins that are involved in DNA replication and the levels to which these proteins are deregulated in cancer cells, we would be able to merge these data into our clinical bioinformatics database and develop a predictive model towards ‘personalized medicine’.”

Dr. Kang added, “Many times, in vitro and animal model studies do not translate well into clinical trials and fail. We are using patient samples which would give us “real-patient” information and results that are representing the molecular ‘make-up’ of the patients’ tumour.”

She is collaborating with Dr. Roma Isaacs, who is the Co-PI (Pathology, CMCH, Ludhiana), Dr. RK Gupta (Radiodiagnosis, Sanjay Gandhi PGI, Lucknow), Dr. Nuzhat Husain (Pathology, RMLIMS, Lucknow), Dr. Yashbir Dewan (Neurosurgery, Fortis Hospital, New Delhi) and Dr. Ramandeep Dang (Neurosurgery, Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Faridkot). Science is about working in a multidisciplinary collaborative effort. Dr. Kang is very grateful for her collaborators.