Mangaluru: Aiming to contribute a breakthrough in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) treatment, Mangaluru girl Salwa has successfully completed her Ph.D. in a unique area of pharmaceutical research focused on developing lipid nano-carriers for oral delivery of an anti-Alzheimer’s drug. Her research offers promising advancements in the treatment of AD, a condition affecting millions globally and growing in prevalence.

Guided by Dr. Lalit Kumar, former Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutics, and co-guided by Dr. C Mallikarjuna Rao, Professor of Pharmacology, both from the Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Salwa’s work addresses the urgent need for more effective drug delivery mechanisms to treat Alzheimer’s beyond temporary relief.

Alzheimer’s, a progressive neurodegenerative disease, has been challenging to treat due to limited therapeutic options, especially those capable of effectively reaching the brain. Her research seeks to improve brain-targeted drug delivery using lipid nano-carriers, potentially offering a scalable, industry-ready solution that could change the approach toward treating Alzheimer’s disease and provide real improvements in quality of life for patients.

The young researcher has a strong academic background, having qualified for the Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) with an All India Rank (AIR) of 724, which earned her a fellowship for postgraduate studies. She was awarded a prestigious National Doctoral Fellowship (NDF) from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and received intramural research funding from Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) for her Ph.D. research.

Throughout her doctoral journey, Salwa received multiple honors, including travel grants from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the University of Toronto, and the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO). She was also a recipient of the PRAISE award for two consecutive years (2022 and 2023), alongside numerous research publications and patents.

Her parents, the late Abdul Samad and Sahira Banu, and her siblings have been an enduring inspiration throughout her academic and research journey. The young researcher’s future plans include furthering her work to explore how her developed nano-carrier system could support neuronal regeneration, potentially advancing Alzheimer’s treatment options for millions worldwide.

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Mysuru (Karnataka), Nov 13: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said there was a demand for four per cent reservation for Muslims in government tenders, but no decision has been taken yet on it.

Prominent Muslim leaders, including Karnataka Minister for Municipal Administration and Hajj, Rahim Khan, Congress MLAs and MLCs wrote to the chief minister on August 24 demanding to consider giving four per cent reservation to socially and economically backward Muslims in government contracts. The chief minister wrote on the petition on August 31 that the file should be put up, sources said.

"There was a demand for four per cent reservation, but we have not taken any decision yet," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.

When asked about the BJP raking up this issue, he said, "The BJP wants to communalise everything. Their job is to create a rift between Hindus and Muslims. Did they ever wish peace in society?"

BJP state president B Y Vijayendra termed the purported move unhealthy.

"In a bid to woo the Muslim community, the @INCKarnataka government is going to give reservation in contracts as well, which will damage the health of a harmonious society," he said in a post on ‘X’.

He said it had become inevitable to protest against such stances of the Congress government.

Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar alleged in his post on social media 'X' saying what seemed like "shameless appeasement politics" to be a "cover for Congress corruption machine".