Jamia Millia professor gets DBT grant of Rs 8.05 crore for weight loss-linked cancer research

Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) professor Md Imtaiyaz Hassan has received a research grant of Rs 8.05 crore from the department of biotechnology (DBT), government of India, for a collaborative study on cancer cachexia in Indian patients with head and neck cancer (HNC).

Cancer cachexia is a serious and often overlooked condition that leads to extreme weight loss, muscle wasting, and fatigue, significantly affecting a patient’s quality of life. It is estimated to impact nearly 70% of people diagnosed with head and neck cancer.

The new project aims to take a closer look at what drives this condition and explore ways to detect and manage it better through advanced research techniques.

Jamia Millia Islamia to focus on cancer cachexia research

The study will use a mix of modern scientific approaches, including transcriptomics, metabolomics, microbiome analysis, DNA repair studies and neurobehavioural assessments. Researchers hope this will help identify key biological markers and lead to more targeted and personalised treatments.

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The team will also test their findings through lab-based studies using cell lines, animal models and patient-derived samples to ensure the results can be applied in real-world clinical settings.

Jamia Millia partners with IISc Bangalore

The project is being carried out in collaboration with institutions such as the Indian institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, Dr B Borooah cancer Institute, University of Mysore, HCG Cancer Hospital, and the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology.

Prof Hassan, who specialises in cancer biology and drug discovery, has an extensive research background with hundreds of publications and multiple funded projects to his name. He is also a fellow of the royal society of chemistry and the royal society of biology.

“This grant reflects DBT's trust in our team's ability to address a critical unmet need in Indian HNC patients,” he said. “By uncovering cachexia's hidden mechanisms, we aim to transform patient outcomes through precision medicine.”

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The university said the project is expected to strengthen its role in biomedical research while contributing to better understanding and treatment of cancer-related complications in India.