The Vaishwik Bharatiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) Summit of international scientists of Indian origin was a nearly month-long initiative of the prime minister of India, and sought to create a broader ecosystem of knowledge and innovation in the country through global interactions. Chirag Desai, MD, professor of Surgery, was invited to give an expert opinion and proposal for the development of Cell Transplant Programs.
The VAIBHAV Summit took place virtually from Oct. 3-31st and included deliberations held under a structured framework of 80 subjects including health and medical sciences. The goal was to create a framework for systematic and objective driven collaboration between international academia with Indian roots and current Indian residents to pave the way for the country’s advancement in academics and scientific research.
Chirag Desai, MD, professor of Surgery and Surgical Director of UNC’s Liver Transplant and Autologous Islet Cell Transplant Program, discussed the mechanism to lay the foundation for developing a cell isolation facility for a clinical program, how to help with standard operating procedure guideline development, establishing a clinical program, and also discussed the potential of research collaboration in the field.
Desai is an expert in the field of islet cell transplant. He initiated and developed the Chronic Pancreatitis and Autologous Islet Cell Transplant program at the UNC Health Medical Center in Chapel Hill in 2017, and prior to moving to UNC he created a similar program at the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. He is also involved in clinical and translational science in the field of islet cell transplant. He has numerous publications in this field and was also recently invited to give an update in the field of total pancreatectomy and islet cell transplant during the 14th World Congress of the International Hepato Pancreato Biliary Association happening in late November.