Dr Meera Vaswani, Ph.D, FRSC, MNAMS
 Professor
National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre

Dept. of Psychiatry
Phone:  91(11) 26588910, 91(11) 26594982 (Res)
91(11) 26593244 (Off)
Fax    :  91(11) 26588663
email  : meeravaswani@hotmail.com
          meeravaswani@yahoo.com
 

Area of Interest
Alcohol metabolism, Biological markers of alcoholism/drugs of abuse, Molecular genetic of alcoholism/drugs of abuse and HIV etc.
Professional Achievements
• Distinguished International Scientist Collaborative Award (DISCA Award) NIDA, NIH 2007. I was one of the three persons in the WORLD to have been selected for this award
• Invited as the only delegate to represent India in Asia Pacific Society of Biological Research in Alcoholism
• Elected as a Board of Directors for Asia Pacific Society for Alcohol & Addiction Research (APSAAR)
• UN Fellowship for Advanced training in University of Glasgow, UK
• Nominated as the only Indian collaborator for WHO/ISBRA phase II trials.
• Nominated as Honorary member of “Board of Directors” by Scientific Council of Skibbereen University, U.K
• Invited by University of Minnesotta, USA, to be KEYNOTE SPEAKER to celebrate Psychiatry Research Day
• Accepted as Visiting Professor/Scientist by Rutgers University, USA
• Selcted for International Visiting Exchange Scientist Award by NIDA, NIH, USA
• Member of Editorial Board of "World Journal of Medical Genetics"
Honors and awards
• Dr. V.C Chakravorty award for Best paper in 1994.
• Dr. Sarla Vaishnov award for Best paper in 1995.
• Dr. S.T Achar award for Best paper in 1996.
• Dr. P.N Taneja award for Best paper in 1998.
• Dr. A.K Kala award for Best paper in 2002.
• Awarded Medal of Honor by American Biographical Institute (ABI), USA
• Entered in World’s ‘Who is Who’ 1998 & 2001.
• Awarded Travel grants from NIAAA, USA in 2003, 2006 & 2008
• Invited to be a Symposia speaker at International Forum such as ISBRA, APA
• Fellow of Royal Society of Chemists (C.Chem, FRSC, LONDON).
• Member of National Academy of Medical Sciences (MNAMS, India)

Significant Events
Fellowships:
U.G.C. fellowship from 1972-1975.
C.S.I.R. fellowship from 1975-1977 U.N.fellowship for Advanced Techniques/Instrumentations and analytical methods in University of Glasgow, UK in 1990.
Publications
• 83 papers published in National/ International journals and proceedings.
• 44 papers presented in National/International conferences.
• 6 Chapters published…..two under publication
Research projects
• Completed 12 Research projects on Alcoholism/Substance abuse.
• Completed project on “Biological Basis of Stress in Drug Addiction” as DISCA Awardee under Prof Nicholas Goeders, Prof & Chair, Dept of Pharmacology, Toxicolgy & Neuroscience, LSUHSC, Shreveport, LA, USA
On going projects
• Genetic basis of alcohol induced liver and pancreatic disorders
• ADH2 and ALDH2 genes in alcohol dependent subjects of Indian origin
• Molecular Genetics of Alcohol Dependence: Contribution Of Polymorphisms in Dopaminergic and Serotonergic Pathway Genes
• Post marketing surveillance of Addnok N in Indian patients

Recent Publications in Genetics
Association of ADH1B and ALDH2 gene polymorphism with Alcohol Dependence: A Pilot study from India Vaswani M, Prasad P, Kapur S Human Genomics. 2009: 3(3); 213- 20
Dopamine receptor D2 polymorphisms and susceptibility to alcohol dependence in
Indian males: a preliminary study
Prasad P, Ambekar A, Vaswani M
BMC Genetics: In Press

The Importance of ALDH2 & ADH2 loci for Alcohol Dependence among Indian Alcoholics Meera Vaswani, Suman Kapur Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research 2008: 32(8): 280

Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in genes encoding for various Alcohol Metabolizing Enzymes: Correlation with alcohol induced tissue specific damage M Kapoor, S Sharad, A Saraya, M Vaswani and S Kapur Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research 2008: 32(8): 148
Association of ADH1B and ALDH2 Gene Polymorphisms with Alcohol Dependence: a pilot study
Meera Vaswani Pushplata Prasad
Human Genomics meeting (HGM2008) 2008
Single Necleotide polymorphism in genes encoding for various alcohol metabolizing enzymes: correlation with alcohol induced tissue damage
Anoop Saraya, Meera Vaswani, Suman Kapur
6th International symposium on Experimental & clinical Neurobiology 2008

Role of Alcohol Metabolizing genes in Alcohol induced Pancreatitis
Anoop Saraya Meera Vaswani, Suman Kapur
HUGO’s 13th HUMAN Genome meeting 2008: 225

Role of ADH1B and ALDH2 Gene Polymorphisms with Alcohol Dependence:
Meera Vaswani, Pushplata Annals of Neurosciences 2008: 15: 24-25

Genetic Basis of Alcohol Dependence: Indian Data Meera Vaswani Presented in International conference on Translational Pharmacology, 2008
Distribution of alleles at the Human ALDH2 and ADH2 loci in Alcohol Dependent Subjecs: First Indian Study Meera Vaswani, Suman kapur, Manav Kapoor, Shashwat Sharad Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, 2007:31(6):72


Publications since 2000:
An approach to neurometabolic disorder by simple metabolic screen.S. Chopra, M. Vaswani, M. Kabra and V.Kalra. Indian Pediatrics. 2000:37:63-69.

NK cell activity in non parenteral heroin dependent subject. Sujit Naik, Meera Vaswani Nimesh.G. Desai. Proceedings of Indian Psychiatric Society at Pune, 2001.

HIV sero-prevalence in a serial sample of patients at Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (DDTC) at AIIMS, New Delhi, India Meera Vaswani, Nimesh Desai. Proceedings of American Psychiatric Association (APA) meeting… New Orleans USA, 2001.

Discriminative value of lipids & Lipoproteins in Alcoholics. Meera Vaswani, Hemraj Pal, & Rajbir Singh. Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol & Biol. Psychiatry. 2001:25:1011-1022.

Genetic Basis of Schizophrenia: Trinucleotide Repeats---An Update. Meera Vaswani, Suman Kapur Prog. Neuro- psychopharmacol & Biol. Psychiatry. 2001:25:1187-1201.

An experimental study of tolerance among alcohol dependent individuals.
K. Ballakoor, R. Ray, S. Dube, R. Jain, M. Vaswani, & A. Dhawan .Ind. J. Med. Res. 2001: 113: 26-31.

Humoral immune status in non parenteral heroin dependent subjects: Indian study. Sujit Naik, Meera Vaswani & Nimesh.G. Desai. Alcoholism. 2001:37:25-34.

Lithium Toxicity. Rajesh Sagar, Neeraj Berry, Meera Vaswani, S.Ramesh J. Forensic Medicine & Toxicology. 2002: 19(2): 12-17.

Validity of self-report of recent opiate use in treatment setting H.P Jhingan, R. Jain, N.G. Desai, M. Vaswani, B.M Tripathi and R.M Pandey. Indian J of Medical Sciences. 2002:56(10): 495-500.

Role of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRI’S) in Psychiatric disorders. Meera Vaswani, F.K Linda and S. Ramesh. Prog. Neuro-psychopharmacol & Biol. Psychiatry 2003: 27:85-102.

Alcohol dehydrogenase: an indicator of hepatic damage or a marker in alcohol dependence. Meera Vaswani, Nimesh G Desai Addictive Disorders & Their Treatment: 2003: 2(2): 53-58.

Assessment of lipid and liver measures in diagnosis of alcohol dependence: Data from a study in India. M. Vaswani, R Singh, and R. Ray Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research 2003:27(5): 30

Emerging trends in drug abuse: role of urine testing. Meera Vaswani. Addictive Disorders & Their Treatment 2003: 2(3):79-83.

Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors in anorexia nervosa. Vaswani M, Kalra H. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2004: 13(4):349-57.

Risk Behaviors and HIV infection in Alcoholics: Indian Context. M Vaswani and P Prasad Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research 2004: 28(5): 161.
 

HIV infection and high-risk behaviors in opioid dependent patients: The Indian Context Meera Vaswani, Nimesh G. Desai Addictive Behaviors 2004:29(8): 1699-1705

A pilot study of tolerance in patients of alcohol dependence: Indian Data Vaswani M, Ballakoor K, Ray R, Dube S. Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research 2005: 29(5): 69.

Biochemical measures for diagnosis of alcohol dependence using Discriminant Analysis. Vaswani M, Rao R. Ind J Med Sci 2005, 10: 423-430.

Risk Behaviors and HIV infection in Alcohol/Drug Abuse: Indian Scenario. Vaswani M, Rao R. Addictive Disorders & Their Treatment. 2006, 5: 35-40.

Patterns of Alcohol consumption and management systems in Diverse countries: Role of gender and Sociocultural Environment

Meera Vaswani, Sawitri Assanangkonrnchai, Yong Sung Choi, Susumu Higuchi, Robert Ali Aust and NZ Journal of Psychiatry 41: 139-140: 2007

Metabolic syndrome in schizophrenia? a study from India Ravindra Rao & Meera Vaswani World Journal of Biological Psychiatry: 2007: 140