Shillong, Mar 20: Students of the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) have achieved international recognition for their research efforts. Their work has been published in well-respected scientific journals, particularly in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, marking a significant boost to higher education and research in the region.
Under the guidance of Professor Devendra K. Biswal, students have successfully contributed to studies that reveal critical gaps in public awareness of vector-borne diseases in India, which include dengue, chikungunya, lymphatic filariasis and kala-azar. The study, featured in a Q1-ranked journal, utilises social media analytics to enhance public health strategies and communication.
The findings are expected to contribute to improved public health communication and policy strategies, NEHU said in a statement.
These studies are based on MSc zoology dissertations led by students James, Aiboklang Nongrum and Wanpher Khongsit. Their studies span critical areas such as digital epidemiology, vaccine development, and drug discovery, demonstrating how modern computational tools and artificial intelligence are transforming biological research.
Additionally, a research article in ‘Frontiers in Genetics’ explores a novel computational approach to designing a vaccine against the parasitic disease fasciolopsiasis, while a third study in Silico Research in Biomedicine identifies a promising drug candidate for schistosomiasis using advanced molecular modelling techniques.
