Basic Science Research

TLMTI’s Stanley Browne Laboratory (SBL), where basic science research is conducted, has a reputation for excellence in research and in training of graduate and postgraduate students.

Some of the projects in progress are: host response to M.leprae, understanding the mechanism of exaggerated host response (reactions), transmission of disease pattern both in the community and households, emergence of drug resistant M.leprae, type of M.leprae strains spreading the infection in the community through DNA fingerprinting, and establishment of an early diagnostic test.

Numerous research opportunities are available at SBL. Major areas of research include microbiology, molecular biology, immunology and cell biology. SBL has two programmes for graduate and postgraduate students – a two-month summer training programme and a six-month internship training programme.

• In the summer training programme, students engage in laboratory experiments using a variety of biomedical techniques and instruments. They hone their laboratory skills, collect data, make inferences based on their results, and become familiar with the nature of scientific inquiry. This programme is ideal for students who are interested in pursuing a career in biomedical/life science.
• Internship training programme focuses on molecular biology and immunological techniques as it applies to new basic scientific and medical advances. The programme helps students stimulate thinking and discussion. This is done while evaluating basic and clinically oriented cellular and molecular research with application to leprosy. Students write a research summary with methodology and results with proper discussion.