“Passion to spot the trouble”

The department of Biochemistry of VMCH & RI handles three core areas – teaching, hospital laboratory services, and research. To support these practices there are convenient classrooms to accommodate sufficient students for different types of learning. There is a separate research lab with adequate infrastructure and equipment for postgraduate students, Ph.D. scholars, and faculties. Department provides nesting for IVD equipment validation and Research collaborations.

Clinical biochemistry laboratory in VMCH & RI, is a part central hospital Laboratory Services, is situated on the first floor of the hospital building, where service is provided 24hours a day. It is armed with state of the art equipment and handles more than 3500 tests per day. It provides an extensive range of testing services for the hospital services and also provides testing for research. The laboratory provides testing in routine Biochemistry investigations, special investigations like hormones, drugs and metabolites. Faculties are posted round the clock to monitor the quality control, validate and release the reports. The laboratory also participates in the external quality control program. The lab provides in-house lab investigations services as well as at the community level.

Thrust areas for research in the department are obesity, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders, therapeutic drug monitoring, chronic renal failure, and medical education.

Department of the biochemistry of VMCH & RI department strives hard to produce well informed, innovative, inquisitive, intuitive, ethical, socially committed, self-disciplined, hardworking health care providers with adequate knowledge of all medical sciences in biochemistry which is the study of the fundamental chemical that makeup of the human body in the health and earliest chemical changes at the micro and macro level in diseases which precede all other types of manifestations. Also to inculcate and instill scientific wisdom and research acumen in the young minds on the needs of the patient and the public. To promote an evidence-based holistic approach to health care

Objectives:

• To create a learning environment to impart knowledge of biochemistry to medical students at UG & PG level.
• To provide ample scope and opportunity for the student of biochemistry to develop an understanding of the subject at both basic and applied level.
• To integrate the knowledge of biochemistry with appropriate skills to develop the student’s professionalism.
• To develop infrastructure for the facilitation of interdisciplinary and collaborative research in biochemistry both independent and their disciplinary in health care
• To provide laboratory support services to clinical departments for patient care and conducting research.
• To deliver an accessible state of the art laboratory health services to all in need of health care with compassion.
• To promote and facilitate industry-academia research development projects.
• To educate students to be innovators to help the people in need of health services and to spread the knowledge of biochemistry in public and professional interest.

Courses Offered :

• MD – Biochemistry, MBBS, BSc – AHS, BSc – Nursing, DMLT, MSc –MLT.
• UG LAB, PG LAB, RESEARCH LABORATORY EQUIPMENT FACILITIES

Facilities and equipment :

Facility Available for following Special Procedures:-

• Electrophoretic analysis
• Developing protocol for rare assay parameters
• Spectrophotometric analysis of heavy metals, drugs, and other rare parameters
• All ELISA parameters.
• Tissue extract analysis

Equipments:

• PCR
• Electrophoresis system
• Gel Documentation system
• UV-VIS Spectrophotometer
• Autoanalyser
• CLIA analyzer
• Dry chemistry Analyser
• Coagulation Analyser
• Semi-autoanalyser
• ELISA reader
• Flame photometer
• Homogenizer
• Fluorescent Immunoassay reader

ACADEMIC RESEARCH:

COMPLETED

• Development of software for serum protein electrophoresis.Collaborative project with Dr. Perumalraja, HOD, Dept. of Information Technology (Velammal College of Engineering Technology, Madurai)
• Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women. (With O & G Dept.)
• Effect of analgesics from different groups on renal functions of healthy male albino rats.
• Ladanendhal Heart study: A population-based cross-sectional study of prevalence and risk factors for metabolic syndrome in a rural setting. With Cardiology Department
• ICMR STS- 2019 Project: Metabolic biomarkers of prognosis-An insight into clinical, hemodynamic and biochemical markers in intensive care patients.

Approve

• ICMR STS- 2019 Project: Capillary and venous blood glucose estimation: Role of iterating self- monitoring blood glucose technique.
• Effect of Right, Left and Alternate nostril breathing on oxidative status, Vascular reactivity and Abdominal fat in young healthy adults. (With Physiology Dept.)
• Apolipoprotein B/ Apolipoprotein A1 ratio in normolipidemic, non- diabetic & nonhypertensive subject as a marker of plasma atherogenicity.

Ongoing

• Prevalence of multiple myeloma in a tertiary care hospital: a 5-year study.
• Evaluation of association of serum Vitamin D and MDA in non-obese diabetic patients with and without diabetic retinopathy
• A study on thyroid function in geriatric age – clinical and Biochemical Approach.
• Relationship between obesity and renal impairment in non-diabetic and non-hypertensive subjects.
• Procalcitonin as an early surrogate marker of bacterial sepsis.
• Tacrolimus concentration by dose ratio: a tool to guide tacrolimus concentration after transplantation.

MEMBERSHIP IN COMMITTEES

Dr. P.K. Mohanty

Vice Principal of VMCH & RIRI, Member of Academic Council, Member of Board of Studies for Biochemistry, Chief Central Laboratory services, Authorised Ph.D./ MD Guide, Institutional Scientific Committee, Member Medical Education Unit.

Dr. K.Suganthy

Member Medical Education Unit, Curriculum Committee Member of First-year MBBS, Lab Co-ordinator –Patient services of Central Laboratory, Institutional Ethical committee, Editorial committee of Velnews Newsletter

Dr. M.Jeyakumar

Biochemistry Lab Co-ordinator for NABH

All faculties are a member of Indian Association of Medical Biochemist of India

CME /CONFERENCES /WORKSHOPS –

• NABL Internal Audit and Laboratory quality management (ISO 15189 & 2012 .NABL 112) Training was conducted by MELAP(Medical Education & Learning Point) on Feb 17-20th, 2016.
• CME on Bone health Os salus on June 7th, 2019
• Brainiac ABP 2019, An undergraduate quiz for first MBBS students June 7th, 2019

FACULTY LIST

• Dr. P.K.Mohanty- MD (Biochemistry)Professor and Head
• Dr.K.Suganthy- MD (Biochemistry) Professor
• Dr. M.Jeyakumar- MD (Biochemistry)Assistant Professor
• Dr. A. Hariharan- MD (Biochemistry)Assistant Professor
• Dr. Mamatha T Shenoy- MD (Biochemistry) Assistant Professor
• Dr. B.Vaidhegi- MD (Biochemistry) Tutor
• Mrs.A.Kavitha- MSc (Biochemistry) Tutor
• MEDICAL EDUCATION TRAINING

Teachers/Facultytraining:

Most of our faculties have attended the workshops & training programs for :

Faculty Development in Medical education Research Methodology