Pigmentary disorder
Studies to understand the problem of pigmentary disorders are expected to get a major shot in the arm with Wellcome Trust/DBT India Alliance conferring an Intermediate Fellowship Award on Dr. Rajender K. Motiani, Assistant Professor at Faridabad-based Regional Centre for Biotechnology. The award consists of a grant of Rs 3.60 crore for a period of five years.
What are pigmentary disorders? Their effects?
- Physiological pigmentation is a critical defense mechanism by which skin is protected against harmful UV radiation. Inefficient pigmentation predisposes to skin cancers, which are one of the leading causes of cancer-associated deaths worldwide.
- Further, pigmentary disorders (both hypo and hyper pigmentary) are considered a social stigma and therefore they impart long-term psychological trauma and tremendously hamper mental well-being of patients.
Significance of the grant?
- The current therapeutic strategies are not efficient in alleviating pigmentary disorders.
- The research project to be taken up under the award would seek to identify novel targetable molecular players that critically regulate the pigmentation process.
- Further, the researchers would try to repurpose commercially available drugs for the treatment of pigmentary disorders.
- In the long run, this project is expected to have a two-pronged benefit for society – protection from UV-induced skin cancers and potential treatment options for pigmentary disorders.
Source: PIB
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