Neurosurgery Research Cell Inaugurated at Andhra Medical College

The primary aim of this venture is to propagate clinical research work within the institute. The unit was inaugurated on Saturday, 2^nd October 2021, by the Principal, Dr PV Sudhakar, after which Dr. Sudhakar went ahead to address the gathering.

In his address, Prof Sudhakar reiterated the necessity of clinical research in the teaching institutes. "In addition to the existing clinical and research projects, Andhra Medical College is striving hard to establish a stem cell research unit. This will benefit many patients with different clinical problems like spinal cord injuries. The research unit has been established with an aim to do clinical research in the neurosurgery department, which should ultimately be translated into better patient care," said Dr Sudhakar.

Andhra Medical College is in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, and affiliated to NTR University of Health Sciences. It is the oldest medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh, and the sixth oldest in India.

The venture aims at improving the prospects of research work within the institute faculty with the intention of propagating clinical research, paper publication and improving academic prospects.

Professor and head of the department of neurosurgery, Dr Satya Vara Prasad, said that naming the research unit after Dr Gangadharam is very apt in view of his contributions in the field of tuberculosis.

Dr Gangadharam did extensive work on atypical mycobacterium and has more than 250 publications, Dr MV Vijayasekhar, who is also a neurosurgeon, told Times of India. He thanked Dr Jogi Pattisapu and Annapurna Pattisapu for their liberal contributions to the department of neurosurgery.

With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of clinical research has been highlighted and re-emphasised within the medical fraternity and the addition of this research unit is intended to make strides within the field of neurosurgery and research.