Newsletter of Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (DU)

February 2020

srubridges@gmail.com2Feb. ’20

From the Editor’s Desk

Glimpses

Congratulations

Bridges Committee

Patron:

Shri. V. R. VenkataachalamChancellor

Advisory Board:

Prof. P. V. VijayaraghavanVice-Chancellor

Prof. K.V. SomasundaramProfessor of Eminence &Advisor (Academic)

Prof. S. RangaswamiProfessor of Eminence inMedical Education

Editor-in-Chief:

Dr. Sheela Ravinder S.

Editor:

Dr. Hemalatha C. R.

Co-Editor:

Prof. Antony Leo Aseer P.

Editorial Board:

Dr. Abhinand P. A.

Dr. Ganesh V.

Dr. Nithya Jagdish

Prof. Prakash Boominathan

Prof. Sandhya Sundaram

Secretarial Assistance:

Ms. Stella Augustus

Ms. Geetha R.

Photography:

Mr. Anand Kumar A.

Art & Design:

Mr. Arunagiri S.

Printing:

Mr. Velayudam S.

Beloved Readers,

Let us stay connected…

The month of February emphasizes the importance of love in our lives, to get rid of hatred and

embrace each other for a better world.

The conclave on 'Emerging Frontiers in Healthcare & Research' brought together research and

academia on one platform to facilitate interactions among various stakeholders so that better

linkages are built for health education and meeting the healthcare demands of people.

Rapid reviews and continuing medical education programs held regularly by the various

departments are very vital for healthcare providers. Besides aiding knowledge transfer, they

provide a great opportunity to network with experts in the field, refine skills and gain a broader

knowledge for professional growth.

Tamil section divulges that mother's love has a profound and long-lasting impact in developing

children and shaping their consciences. A mother's love is unconditional & establishes a firm

foundation of emotional intimacy in a child's life. Let us not need a commemorative occasion

to thank her, but utilise every single opportunity to show her our gratitude & appreciate her

love and care.

Sheela Ravinder S. Editor-in-Chief

Bridges

Cover Photo Courtesy:

Ms. G. LavanyaLab TechnicianDept. of Physiology

Prof. S. Arumugam, Director of CSS received the award for the 'Best University for

Promotion of Sports in India' by Sportstar ACES 2020, on behalf of SRIHER (DU).

Dr. J. Sathish KumarProf. & Head

Dept. of Plastic Surgery

Dr. Priyadarshee PradhanProf. & Head

Dept. of Forensic Medicine

Dr. D. C. MathangiProf. & Head

Dept. of Mind Body Medicine and Lifestyle Sciences

srubridges@gmail.com3Feb. ’20

Bridges

S R I H E R ( D U ) i n collaboration with the Hull University Teaching Hospitals (NHS Trust), Hull York Medical School and University of Hull, UK organized the

o n th th'Emerging Frontiers in Healthcare & Research' on 27 & 28 Feb. as

part of the MoU existing between the institutions. A 20 member delegation from Hull institutions participated as resource persons. This conclave was organized under eight verticals: Simulation, Research Methodology Grant Writing & Publication, Geriatrics & Mental Health, Nephrology, Infectious Diseases, Endocrinology, Microfluidics and Sport Sciences. The conclave was inaugurated by Dr. T. Ramasami, Former Secretary, Dept. of Science & Technology, Govt. of India. A proceedings of the conclave was released. 506 delegates across the country participated.

Indo-U K C o n c l a v e

Dept. of Public Health

Dentistry conducted the

from th th18 to 20 Feb. Dr. Vamsi

Krishna Reddy, Hon. General Secretary, Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry & Dr. M. Senthil, Secretary,

Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry - Tamil Nadu Chapter were the Guests of Honor. The event included lectures and a quiz program. 49 delegates from 11 dental colleges across the country attended.

th6 National Rapid Review Course - PILOT 2020

A b o o k t i t l e d

authored by Prof. Ciddi Veeresham, Principal, Faculty

thof Pharmacy was released in the '24 Annual Convention and National Conference of the Society of Pharmacognosy – 2020' held at VJ's College of Pharmacy, Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh

st ndon 21 and 22 Feb.

Phytochemicals for D i a b e t i c C o m p l i c a t i o n s

D e p t . o f H u m a n Genetics organized the

with the theme, 'Advancing Healthcare t h r o u g h G e n o m i c s

th th(ACTG-2020)' from 13 to 15 Feb. Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary/Commissioner, Revenue Administration, Disaster Management and Mitigation, Govt. of Tamil Nadu was the chief guest. 176 national and international delegates attended.

th45 Annual Meet of Indian Society of Human Genetics

The o f S r i

Ramachandra College of thNursing was held on 18

Feb. 2020. The chief guest was Dr. Latha Venkatesan, Principal, Apo l l o Co l l e g e o f

Nursing, Chennai. 103 B. Sc. (Basic) Nursing students (I yr.) dedicated themselves to the nursing profession.

th27 Lamp Lighting C e r e m o n y

Happenings

Dept. of Periodontology,

Fa c u l t y o f D e n t a l

Sciences conducted the

from th th12 to 15 Feb. 28

speakers across the

country delivered lectures. 133 postgraduates from 35 dental

colleges across India attended.

t h1 2 R a p i d Re v i e w

Revision Course

Dept. of Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing conducted a value added course -

for the IV year B. Sc. Nursing, II year B. Sc. Nursing (Post Basic) and II year M. Sc. (N)

st thstudents from 1 to 5 Feb. Students were trained in soft skills, hospital quality indicators, infection control, patient safety, medication safety, fall prevention and professional ethics.

Career Development Course

Faculty of Allied Health

Sciences commemorated the

with the theme, 'Channelizing

Youth Power for Nation thBuilding' on 15 Feb. The

celebrations had multiple

contests for the students to instill the spirit of nationalism and

power of youth in making a change. Mr. S. Ram Kumar, Director,

Pragya Consultancy, Chennai was the chief guest.

The events included:

· Photography (Theme – My country My responsibility)

· Poster making (Addiction)

· Slogan writing (patriotism)

· Debate

National Youth Day 2020

srubridges@gmail.com4Feb. ’20

Dept. of ENT conducted

the

with the

t h e m e , ' T o w a r d s

Excellence in Education,

Research and Patient th thCare' from 7 to 9 Feb. The event included invited lectures,

cadaveric hands-on endoscopic sinus surgery, temporal bone

dissection training and mock OSCE examination. 90 delegates

across the country attended.

th4 All India Sri

Ramachandra CME

ASCENT 2020

Dept. of Pharmacology thorganized the 4 Annual

S r i R a m a c h a n d r a Pharmacology Insight a n d R a p i d Re v i e w Course -

th ndfrom 30 Jan. to 2 Feb. The events included interactive lectures, symposiums, panel discussions and small group sessions. An online essay competition, quiz and scientific poster & oral presentations were also organized. 96 postgraduates across the country attended.

ASPIRE 2020

Dept. of Prosthodontics

and Crown & Bridge,

Faculty of Dental Sciences

conducted the

th stfrom 30 Jan. to 1 Feb. The

program included lectures

delivered by 27 speakers

from various dental institutions across the country and two debates.

133 postgraduates benefited.

th8 Rapid

Review Revision Program

Dept. of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine conducted t h e a n n u a l C M E ,

th th(RACE) from 24 to 26

Jan. 950 delegates from all over the country attended.

The events included:th

· The '13 Prof. Vijaylakshmi Kamat Memorial Oration' by Prof. Pankaj Kundra, Dean - Academic, Dept. of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, JIPMER, Pudhucherry

· Basic & clinical lectures

· Case discussions

· Scientific paper presentations

· Quiz competition

· Workshops

Ramachandra Anesthesia Continuing Education

T he Eng l i sh

Literary Club of

SRIHER (DU)

conducted its

stfor the I year students of all undergraduate courses on 31 Jan. and

rd3 Feb. 80 students participated in the poetry and short story writing

competitions while 145 students participated in other competitions

including Spell bee, Pictionary, Shipwreck and Alter the end. The

winners were appreciated with certificates.

A n n u a l

Compet i t ions

Faculty of Dental Sciences

c o n d u c t e d t h e

- art

using dental materials on rd23 Jan. with the theme,

'Nation's Pride: Republic

I n d i a ' s P l a t i n u m

C e l e b r a t i o n s ' f o r

undergraduate students

(preclinical & clinical categories), interns and faculty members &

staff. 26 teams comprising of 104 participants enrolled. The best

teams in student categories were given cash prizes and the best

faculty team received a cash prize and a book sponsored by

Prof. K. V. Somasundaram, Professor of Eminence & Advisor

Academics.

Dent(ART)ist 2.0

Bridges

As part of the

, the Dept. of Conservative Dentistry a n d E n d o d o n t i c s organized a program on Comprehensive Dental

thPhotography on 25 Jan. The program included a lecture by Dr. Vishal Kabre, an eminent expert in the field of Dental Photography, demonstration and a hands-on session. 68 delegates benefited.

th25 Anniversary Celebrationsof the Faculty of Dental Sciences

Dept. of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences observed the National Speech

thand Hearing Awareness Week from 9 to th13 Dec. by organizing a speech and

hearing disorders awareness screening camp covering 1799 patients and public who visited ENT, Head & Neck Surgery, Neurology, Pediatric Medicine and General Medicine. Handouts on speech, language and hearing problems were

distributed at the information desk and necessary advice and referrals for further diagnostic evaluations were provided on screening.

srubridges@gmail.com5Feb. ’20

Bridges

Happiness is…A bond.....

Date Event21.02.'20 Rapid Review Program titled, 'Clinical Excellence in Prosthodontics' for the postgraduates conductedto by The Indian Prosthodontic Society in association with the Tamil Nadu & Puducherry branch at23.02.'20 Chettinad Dental College and Research Institute, Kelambakkam

· Dr. Kasim Mohamed, Head, Prof. N. Shanmuganathan, Dr. M. Uma Maheswari, Assoc. Prof. and Dr. P. Prathibha, Reader conducted a clinical, laboratory demonstration and hands-on session on'Arrangement of Teeth in Balanced Occlusion'

22.02.'20 CDE on 'Oral Detect - Training and Calibration for Early Detection of Oral Cancer' in commemoration of the National Oral Pathologists Day by Prof. Rosnah Binti Zain, Dean, Faculty of Dental Sciences, MAHSA University, Malaysia & Advisor, Oral Cancer Research and Coordinating Center (OCRCC) - University of Malaya (UM) and Dr. Anand Ramanathan , OCRCC, UM, MalaysiaInternational Conference on Multiple Disabilities at ACS Medical College, Chennai· Ms. J .S. Shalini, III yr., BOT - Best paper presentation· Mr. Aaditya T. M., III yr., BOT - Best poster presentation· Ms. M. Mithra, Ms. E. Mona & Mr. R. Balaji, III yr., BOT - First place in Quiz competition · Mr. Anders Paul Spencer, I yr. - Special Appreciation in Short Film · Mr. Raghuram P., Head received the 'Excellence Award for Empowerment of Persons with

Disabilities' in Occupational Therapy Profession20.02.'20 CDE on 'Emerging Trends in Implantology'

Dr. Arif Salman Abdul Shakore, Asst. Prof., School of Dentistry, West Virginia University, USA delivered a lecture on 'Digital Implantology' and gave a live demonstration on 'Digital Treatment Planning for Implants’

21.02.'20 & 22.02.'20

Department/FacultyProsthodontics and Crown & Bridge

Oral Pathology & Microbiology

Occupational Therapy

Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge

F a c u l t y o f N u r s i n g o r g a n i z e d a N a t i o n a l Workshop on the t h e m e ,

th on 7 thand 8 Jan. 50 delegates from 12 institutions across India

participated.

S imu la t ion in N u r s i n g

Education

Dept. of Pathology

o r g a n i z e d t h e

from th th5 to 8 Feb. The event

i n c l u d e d l e c t u r e s and a pre-conference workshop which was attended by 100 delegates including postgraduates and faculty members across India.

t h4 International Pediatric and Perinatal Pathology Conference - 2020

thThe 5 Annual Hospital Administrators Conclave –

was organized by SRMC and Faculty of Management, SRIHER (DU)

thon 11 Jan. to understand healthcare administration and collaborate with healthcare professionals. The event was

inaugurated by Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary/ Commissioner, Revenue Administration, Disaster Management and Mitigation, Govt. of Tamil Nadu.

HACON 2020

N u r s i n g Education Unit, F a c u l t y o f N u r s i n g o r g a n i z e d a

th on 6 & th8 Jan. 39 faculty

members attended.

F a c u l t y D e v e l o p m e n t

Program

SRIHER (DU) organized the with the theme, 'Pharma Vision 2030: Healthcare System – Role of

th ndRegulators' from 20 to 22 Dec. Dr. C. Sylendra Babu, Additional Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu was the chief guest. The conference was hosted by the All India Drugs Control Officers' Confederation (AIDCOC). Around 10,000 delegates in the field of pharmaceutical experts, regulators, academicians and pharmacy students across the country attended. The activities included:

·

·

·

·

·

·

·

·

·

st71 Indian Pharmaceutical Congress

Hands-on training in animal experimentation and toxicology

Panel discussion

Symposium

Association/Alumni Meetings

e-Poster and oral presentations

Plenary lecture sessions

Pharma exhibitions

Cultural events

Career counseling and placement enclave

srubridges@gmail.comFeb. ’20

Bridges

Happiness is…A bond.....

6

Event Team/Name PositionrdCricket Mr. Arun Paul Raj P., II yr., MPT 3 place

Mr. Karan M., Intern, BPTMr. Siddarth S., Intern, BPTMr. Vikrant G. B., IV yr., BPTMr. Darani Daran T., IV yr., BPT Mr. Vengatesan T., IV yr., BPTMr. Souresh G., IV yr., BPTMr. Gowthaman S., III yr., BPTMr. Rengaraj S., III yr., BPTMr. Rajkumar S., III yr., BPTMr. Karthick P., III yr., BPTMr. Ramalingam S., II yr., BPTMr. Gideon Kirubakaran A., II yr., BPTMr. Agneeshwar P., I yr., BPTMr. Logendra R., I yr., BPTMr. Vinothkumar S., I yr., BPT

ndBadminton Mr. Siddarth S., Intern, BPT 2 placeMr. Royston Fernando M., III yr., BPTMr. Aaqil M. S., I yr., BPT

rd100 m Running Ms. Kavenaya R. C., II yr., BPT 3 place

rdShot-put Ms. Atchya Meena A. R., II yr., BPT 3 place

rd4x100 m Relay Ms. B. Sneha, III yr., BPT 3 place Ms. Subashini R., III yr., BPTMs. Srinadhi N., III yr., BPTMs. Kavenaya R. C., II yr., BPT

Event Team/Name

Team Kumite Ms. Alifa Sulthana K., II yr., B. Sc. BMS Category Ms. Charulatha G., I yr., BPT

Ms. Hinduja P., I yr., BBA

20.02.'20 Guest lecture on 'Three Box Balance Strategy for Innovation' by Prof. Vijay Govindarajan, Coxe Distinguished Professor of Strategy and Innovation, Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College, USA

18.02.'20 CME on 'Bifunctional Curcuminoids: Teaching Old Drugs New Tricks' by Prof. P. Kuppusamy, Professor of Radiology & Professor of Medicine, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, USA

st41 Annual Conference of Indian Association of Sports Medicine, SMS Medical College, Jaipur· Ms. Parichitha, II yr., M. Sc. - First prize for paper presentation

th07.02.'20 IAPEN Clinical Nutrition Congress and 7 Annual International Conference organized by Depts.to of Surgical Gastroenterology and Dietetics in collaboration with IAPEN, Puducherry Regional09.02.'20 Center

nd· Ms. Gayathri K., Ph.D Scholar – 2 prize for Best Poster award

29.01.'20 Leprosy Symposium on 'By the PGs & for the PGs' th29.01.'20 CDE on 'The Key to NEET' for interns to commemorate the ongoing 25 year celebrations of the

& Faculty of Dental Sciences30.01.'20 · Pre-assessment mock online test – Top five out of 81 interns were awarded scholarship

· A lecture on 'How to prepare and appear for NEET?' was delivered by Dr. S K. Jagdish, Reader, Dept. of Prosthodontics, Chettinad Dental College and Hospital, Kelambakkam

08.02.'20 & 09.02.'20

Faculty of Management

Biotechnology

Clinical Nutrition

Clinical Nutrition

DermatologySri Ramachandra Alumni Association - Dental Chapter

Global NewsBotswana: Ancestral Homeland of All Humans Alive Today

A group of researchers claim modern-day Botswana as the ancestral homeland of all humans alive today: In a new study published in the journal Nature, scientists analyzed mitochondrial DNA – genetic code which is only passed down the female line – from more than 1,200 people across myriad populations in Africa.

By examining which genes were preserved in people's DNA over time, the anthropologists determined that anatomically modern humans emerged in what was once a lush wetland in Botswana, south of the Zambezi River. Though scientists agree that modern humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) arose in Africa around 200,000 years ago, they have remained uncertain about exactly where on the continent that evolutionary milestone occurred. Anthropologist Vanessa Hayes, the senior author of the study, suggested "everyone walking around today" could trace their mitochondrial DNA back to this "human homeland."

To trace the geographic origin of our ancestors, Hayes and her colleagues examined mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from people living in southern Africa, such as the Khoisan. mtDNA, which is passed down the maternal line, is often used to trace human ancestry because it isn't mixed with paternal DNA. That means it changes less over time and leaves a clearer link to distant relatives. When it comes to mtDNA, all modern humans share a group of genes called the L macro-haplogroup. This L-branch is split into two subgroups: L1-6 and L0. The latter can be found in Southern African people, and that's what Hayes' team analysed. Eva Chan, a coauthor of the study, said this was the "by far the largest L0 study to date."

By pulling on that genetic string, the researchers were able to figure out that every person alive today descended from a woman who lived in modern-day Botswana about 200,000 years ago. The region this ancestor came from, called the Makgadikgadi-Okavango paleo-wetland, was near the modern Okavango Delta and peppered with lakes and greenery.

The team's analysis, which also included reconstructions of what the area's climate was like at time, revealed that Homo sapiens sapiens lived in this homeland for about 70,000 years. Then, as the climate changed, our ancestors dispersed in two waves: First, a group spread northeast 130,000 years ago, then others left in a second migration to the southwest 110,000 years ago.

According to Hayes, these migrating groups likely followed herds of animals out of the region. This timeline runs counter to the one some scientists have created based on fossil evidence, however. The oldest-ever specimens of anatomically modern humans – skulls and other fossils dating back 195,000 years – were found in Ethiopia, which led many anthropologists to think of eastern Africa (rather than southern Africa, as the new study suggests) as the birthplace of our modern ancestors. The new genetic analysis also offers credence to the idea that all modern humans evolved in one place in Africa before migrating to current-day Europe, Asia, and Australia – what's known as the 'Out of Africa' hypothesis – rather than evolving separately in multiple places around the world at the same time.

But the anthropologist Ryan Raaum, who researches African population genetics at Lehman College, thinks the new study has a significant flaw. According to Raaum, the researchers didn't go back far back enough on the genetic timeline. Though Hayes' research pinpointed where the L0 haplogroup originated, he said, the mitochondrial DNA of most people in the world can be traced back to the L1-6 subgroup of the L-branch, not L0. So to find a 'single origin' for our species, Raaum said, researchers should find a genetic predecessor who lived before the genetic split between L0 and L1-6 occurred.

But whether or not Botswana was the cradle of life for everyone alive today, the new research certainly suggests that this part of Africa was an oasis for our ancestors – a significant addition to our understanding of human evolution. "People want to know where they came from," Hayes said.

Source: E.K.F. Chan et al. Human origins in a southern African palaeo-wetland and first migrations. Nature. Published online October 28, 2019. doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1714-1.

srubridges@gmail.comFeb. ’20

Bridges

7

Finishing a marathon is a life-changing milestone for many. The same goes for the microbes in their guts. In a new study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers analyzed how the bacteria present in the digestive tracts of 15 participants in the 2015 Boston marathon changed after the run, and how this might give some athletes a competitive advantage.

The researchers -- most of them based in Boston -- saw the annual event as the perfect opportunity to study the microbiome of endurance athletes. “Marathons are big on exercise,” said molecular biologist Jonathan Scheiman, first author of the study. “There was a lot of interest in participating in this study.” To carry out the research, scientists collected daily samples of solid waste from the participants one week before the marathon and one week after. “For two weeks, I drove around in a Zipcar, seven hours a day, collecting stool,” said Scheiman, then a postdoc at Harvard University.

Using a powerful DNA sequencing technique, they were able to single out a specific group of bacteria, of the genus Veillonella, that was more abundant in the athlete's gut after the 26.2-mile marathon but not in 10 non-runners. After looking more into the nature of these critters, Scheiman and the team learned that Veillonella bacteria use lactate as their main food source. During exercise, lactate is produced by the muscles and released into the bloodstream. It's also responsible for the feeling of muscle burn. “We have a bug that responds to exercise and its natural function is to eat a metabolite that is associated with fatigue,” said Scheiman. “That was a big light bulb moment.”

To confirm their findings, they looked at stool samples from 87 additional athletes -- both rowers who were training for the Olympic trials and ultramarathoners, who run as much as 100 miles at a time. They found that the abundance of Veillonella bacteria in these athletes also increased after exercise. They also found that the gut bacteria in post-exercise samples showed increased expression of the genes necessary to break down lactate into propionate, a short-chain fatty acid.

“It's novel work,” said kinesiologist Jeffrey A. Woods from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who was not involved in the new study. “It's one of the first [studies] that looks at a single bout of exercise and its effect on the microbiome.” The researchers next wondered if the Veillonella bacteria influenced running performance, so they isolated one strain, V. atypica, from one of the marathon runners and implanted it in the guts of mice. Animals with the critter ran 13 percent longer in a treadmill than control mice implanted with another type of bacteria, L. bulgaricus, that does not use lactate as food. Woods notes, however, that the test the researchers used is not representative of a marathon in humans.

Scheiman and some of the study's co-authors founded a company called Fitbiomics that seeks to do more research on elite athletes and their microbiome. They have recruited Olympic champions and plan to profile the champions' microbiomes and isolate more beneficial bacteria. “The goal of a lot of this research is to translate it into real world applications that could actually benefit people,” Scheiman said. He wouldn't want to confine the research to super athletes. “What if we can harness that, translate that and provide it for everyone else, to help them and promote health for the masses?” he said. “I think that's really the exciting part about this.”

Sources: Scheiman, J. et al. (2019) 'Meta-omics analysis of elite athletes identifies a performance-enhancing microbe that functions via lactate metabolism', Nature Medicine, 25(7), pp. 1104–1109. doi: 10.1038/s41591-019-0485-4.

Believe it or NotRunning a Marathon Changes Your Gut Microbes

Sri Ramachandra Hospital conducted a multi-specialty free medical thcamp on 24 Feb. on the occasion of the former Chief Minister

ndDr. J. Jayalalitha's 72 birthday. The camp was held at AIADMK Headquarters, Chennai. Doctors from the depts. of General Medicine, Orthopedics, Ophthalmology, Dermatology and paramedical staff participated in the camp. Dr. N. Jambu, Medical Superintendent, SRH participated in the camp. ECG for 52 patients and CBG for 110 patients were done free of cost. The camp was graced by the Honourable Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and other senior officials of Tamil Nadu. 352 patients benefited.

An eye screening camp was held for people at the NSS adopted village, Karunakarachery

thon 11 Feb. 41 NSS volunteers participated and 97 people benefited.

A 'plastic-free village' program

was held at Vayalanallur on st31 Jan. 53 NSS volunteers

participated.Prof. Jyotsna Murthy

Dept. of Plastic Surgery &Coordinator - Smile Train Project

Reach Out

Our deepest condolences...

8Feb. ’20 For internal circulation only

Bridges

Desolate

Vista

Prof. T. Vijaya Sagar, Head, Dept. of Anatomy

Ms. Chetna A., II yr., MASLP

Colors Alumni Corner

Ms. S. SaranyaAsst. Law Officer, Legal Section

T h e A l u m n i Meet 2020 o f t h e Dept . of H u m a n G e n e t i c s h e l d o n

th12 Feb. commemorated 20 years of educating and training students in the field of human genetics. It was a reunion of alumni, students, faculty and staff members. Dr. Vikram Jayanth, Team Lead at the Center for Urban Health Solutions, Toronto who was the former HoD of Human Genetics gave the keynote address. This was followed by a session on 'Celebrating our Mentors' dedicated to honouring Dr. Sridevi Hegde, Dr. P. Venkatesan, Dr. Kalpana Balakrishnan and Ms. Bhavani, all of whom shaped the department in the early years. More than 100 alumni attended.

The Alumni Association of the Nursing Chapter of SRIHER (DU)

thorganized the 17 Alumni Reunion & rdSeminar held on 23 Dec. 2019 with

the theme, 'Dynamic Workforce Solutions'. The newsletter of the alumni association was released. 120 alumni participated.

thThe 108 Bridges Monthly Book Review was held on 05.02.2020

Book : Siddhartha

Author : Hermann Hesse

Reviewed by : Dr. A. Soumya, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Oral Pathology & Microbiology, Faculty of Dental Sciences

Forthcoming Bridges Monthly Book Review

Mar.' 2020 : Good Vibes, Good Life by Mr. Vex King ndReviewer : Ms. Gnana Mithra M., 2 yr., BASLP