IIT Hyderabad Researchers Find Antarctic Fungi That Could Help In Treating Leukemia

• Main Authors: Doriya, K, Devarai, Santhosh Kumar, Ashok, A
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: NDTV India 2019
• Subjects: IITH in News; Antarctic; Indian; Antarc*; National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research
• Online Access: http://raiith.iith.ac.in/4828/

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad researchers working with scientists from National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, have isolated Antarctic fungi that contain L-Asparaginase, an enzyme-based chemotherapeutic agent used to treat Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. The isolation of L-asparaginase containing fungi from extreme environments could lead to development of new chemotherapeutic treatment methods that have fewer side effects than the existing methods, said a statement from the Institute.