ioscientist Nilesh Sharma had no idea his successful research on the pollution of soil and water from phosphorus in chicken waste would lead to a medical breakthrough.
The research found a potential treatment for the Herpes Simplex Virus or HSV.
The university agreed to collaborate with the project and filed a provisional patent in January with the United States Patent Office.
The filing comes two years after Sharma began isolating plant product and testing it on the human pathogen HSV.
During the 2003 Christmas break, Sharma went to visit a friend at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
He brought the plant product with him and the two scientists ran tests at UIC’s sophisticated facility at night.
“Initial results were very positive during the first week of testing, so we started taking it very seriously,” Sharma said.
They found that the plant product immobilized the virus.
“It stops entry into cells and once they are there, they are inert,” he said. “They cannot spread.”
Sharma would not disclose the exact plant they are working with.
Upon returning to Western, Sharma told fellow bioscientist Shivendra Sahi, who took interest in the project.
Sahi and Sharma decided to share the responsibilities with UIC by extracting the plant product at Western and then sending the samples to UIC for testing.
Sharma said Sahi, who is currently on sabbatical in India, has been instrumental in getting some funds for the project, as well as hiring a specialist, Mohd Israr.
Israr had been working on an anti-malarial drug before Sahi called him to see if he was interested. Now Israr spends up to 10 hours a day in the developmental biology lab.
“My future here in the U.S. is totally based on this project,” Israr said.
Sharma said they are hopeful that there are closely-related strains of viruses, including HIV, that they can test.
But the current focus is on finding a product that has less side effects and is more effective than the ointments currently available for treating HSV.
Sharma said more intensive research is needed, but that takes money.
“Funding is a big problem, but to get funding we need a patent,” he said.
Biology department head Richard Bowker has been encouraging them along the way.
“I hope this signals just the beginning in a major area of expertise in the biology department,” he said.
Bowker also said projects like this are an opportunity for graduate and undergraduate students to experience hands-on training using modern techniques.
Sharma, Sahi, Israr and their colleagues at UIC have until January 2006 to present the evidence that will secure their patent and provide new possibilities for their research and testing.
Reach Laura Clark at news@wkuherald.com.
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