CIIMS joins national study on climate change & brain infections

Nagpur: The Central India Institute of Medical Sciences (CIIMS), Nagpur, was included as a participating centre in a national research project examining the link between climate change and serious brain infections.The study, titled CLIMB-INDIA (CLIMate change and Brain infections in INDIA), is being coordinated by Christian Medical College, Vellore, with support from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under its Centre for Advanced Research programme. The multi-centre project involves 11 medical and academic institutions from across the country.According to Dr Rajpal Singh Kashyap, director (research), CIIMS, and principal investigator at the Nagpur centre, the study aims to assess how rising temperatures, changing climate patterns, and air pollution may influence the occurrence of brain infections such as meningitis and encephalitis. The project plans to correlate hospital-based clinical data with environmental indicators, including weather trends and air quality, to better understand disease patterns and potential outbreak risks.CIIMS will function as a sentinel and clinical partner in the project. The institute will contribute patient data, undertake diagnostic evaluations, and analyse clinical findings alongside local environmental conditions. Nagpur's climatic profile, marked by high summer temperatures and distinct seasonal variations, is expected to provide relevant data for the study.Cases requiring advanced investigation will be supported by national reference laboratories at CMC Vellore. Researchers associated with the project say the findings are expected to aid public health planning and improve preparedness for climate-sensitive neurological infections.Other members of the CIIMS research team associated with the project include Dr Amit Nayak (co-principal investigator), Dr Rima Biswas, Komal Gurnani, and Vaidehi Motghare.