Indo-German Metabolic Meet (IGMM) 2017

The first Indo-German Metabolic Meet, held on the 23rd and 24th of September, 2017, had in store a vast array of lectures and workshops on Metabolic Medicine. The conference saw a confluence of geneticists, biochemists and clinicians for a discourse on pediatric diseases caused as a result of metabolic defects.

DAY ONE

The conference kicked off with the inauguration ceremony at TMA Pai Hall-2. The dignitaries present were Dr. Anibh Das, Dr. Partha Dabke, Dr. C Mallikarjuna, Dr. Poornima Baliga and Dr. Varashree. They stressed on the need for greater knowledge of genetic and metabolic diseases amongst practicing clinicians.

The first day of the conference saw Dr. Anibh Das and Dr. Pragna Rao discuss the necessity of laboratory testing, from the viewpoints of a clinician and a biochemist, respectively. They recounted how early diagnosis substantially elevates the prognosis in metabolic diseases.

Subsequently, a host of workshops were held. The workshops were geared to ready the participants against metabolic disorders such as Phenylketonuria, Galactosemia, various storage disorders and mitochondrial defects.

 

The next talk of the day, delivered by Dr. M Kaur, focused on the need for advancing diagnostic procedures and testing for Inborn Errors of Metabolism.

Dr. A Jalan took the stage and eloquently discussed various cases of metabolic epileptic encephalopathy he had diagnosed and seen in his clinical practice. The last two talks of the day dealt with mitochondrial disorders- their manifestations and case report discussions.

After a rather long but stimulating first day, the delegates let loose on the dance floor of TMA Pai Hall to the tunes of DJ Umesh. Various professors, speakers, and even the Dean matched a step or two with the student delegates, highlighting the grand success of the Gala Night.

DAY TWO

The second day of the conference began with KMC neonatologist, Dr. Lewis talking about the critically ill newborn. His talk was made livelier with the various case vignettes he shared.

Dr. Anju Shukla, from the Department of Medical Genetics, explained the technicalities and benefits of Whole Exome Sequencing in diagnosing IEM. The day continued with two consecutive lectures by Dr. Anibh Das on Hepatorenal Tyrosinemia and Lysosomal Storage Disorders. He explained the biochemical defects that occur in these diseases, the clinical symptoms, and the treatment modalities.

 

Dr. S Bijarnia, a geneticist from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, explained Urea Cycle Defects to the audience, elucidating the various disorders with flowcharts, their causes and how best to treat them.

The final talk of the day was on Neurometabolic Disorders. Dr. Shrikiran A talked of the cases he dealt with and the various experiences he gathered from the same.

The conference also had a poster presentation competition on the second day of the conference. Eager undergraduates presented academic posters side-by-side along with their senior postgraduates.

The conference concluded with a panel discussion and a closing ceremony.

Dr. Pragna Rao, the KMC Dean, handed over the prizes and certificates to the winners of the Poster Competition and presented mementos to the speakers.

As the conference came to an end, its imminent success brought with it the hope of an even bigger conference next year.

 

Reetobaan Datta, for MTTN

 

 

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