Chandigarh: Prof. Rama Walia from the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) has been honored with the prestigious ESI Best Researcher Award-2025 by the Endocrine Society of India (ESI). This annual award recognizes an ESI member who has published the best original research article in a reputed biomedical journal during the preceding year.
Award Selection Process
According to an official announcement from the society's executive committee, a total of 12 applications with supporting documents were received from members across the country before the final selection was made. Prof. Walia's groundbreaking work stood out among the candidates.
Pioneering Research
Prof. Walia earned this distinction for her pioneering medical research paper titled 'A novel molecular imaging technique using Ga-mDesmo PET-CT for localizing tumors in Cushing's disease'. The paper was published in the high-impact journal 'European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging'.
Understanding Cushing's Disease
Cushing's disease is a condition where a microscopic brain tumor triggers the body to overproduce stress hormones, leading to severe health issues. The optimal treatment is surgical removal of the tumor, but because these tumors are incredibly tiny, standard scans often fail to detect them.
Innovative Scanning Technique
Prof. Walia's team developed a new scanning technique that acts like a homing missile. By injecting a special compound that targets and binds exclusively to these tumor cells, the microscopic hidden tumor 'lights up' brightly on a specialized PET-CT scan. This allows doctors to pinpoint its exact location for safe surgical removal.
The award highlights the significant contribution of Prof. Walia's research to endocrinology and patient care, offering new hope for individuals suffering from this debilitating condition.
