Updates from GKF

The Gauri Kaul Foundation has set up a new research division aimed at enhancing healthcare services in Kashmir. This initiative led to the founding of the Gauri Research Centre (GRC), one of the first dedicated research facilities in the region. The establishment of GRC marks a significant step in focusing on local health issues and finding tailored solutions to improve the well-being of the community.

The GRC aims to tackle some of the most pressing health challenges in Kashmir through rigorous scientific research and the development of innovative healthcare strategies. By bringing together local and international experts in medicine, the centre is dedicated to advancing medical practice and ensuring that the latest research and treatment methods are accessible to the people in the region.

The organisation offers expert guidance and specialises in research on heart diseases, focusing on developing and improving quality treatments. With two dedicated trial centres, the Gauri Heart Centre in Srinagar and the Prasad Joo Khan Heart Centre in Pulwama, GRC is pioneering advanced medical research in Pulwama.

GRC has an Institutional Ethics Committee composed of leading experts in their fields. Registered with Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), GoI, the ethics committee ensures that our research is conducted ethically and transparently. Under the leadership of Prof Upendra Kaul, GRC has made significant progress in securing two major projects with more in the pipeline.

One of these projects, called SUPPORT, is in collaboration with Saint John’s Medical College, Bangalore. It aims to assess the impact of various interventions, like improving therapeutic lifestyle changes, medication adherence, and behaviour modifications, on non-communicable diseases. This one-year, pan-India project has selected Pulwama as one of its study sites and is targeting socioeconomically or geographically disadvantaged groups. So far, 80 patients have been introduced to this project, with 17 actively participating.

Our health workers are not only involved in implementing the project’s protocols but also educate the community about lifestyle changes and intervention strategies. This project not only contributes to research but also plays a vital role in promoting healthier lifestyles and reducing risk factors for heart disease among vulnerable populations.

Our second project, POSEIDON, is in partnership with the pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. This global, cross-sectional study focuses on the prevalence of systemic inflammation in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and heart failure. It aims to assess the prevalence of inflammation in around 384 patients at the Kashmir trial centre, Gauri Heart Centre, Srinagar, in collaboration with Ujala Cygnus Hospital, Nowgam.