What is the ‘Rising Star Award’, and who receives this recognition?
Senjuti Saha: For many years, the Sabin Vaccine Institute has presented a ‘Gold Medal Award’, which is essentially regarded as a lifetime achievement award. Many distinguished scientists have received this honour. However, since 2020, the institute has introduced another award called the "Rising Star Award". Scientists under the age of 40 are nominated for this recognition.
I was attending a meeting in Sydney, Australia, when I suddenly received a phone call from the chief executive of the Sabin Vaccine Institute. He congratulated me and said that the board had finalised my nomination for the award without any hesitation. Sabin mainly recognises individuals working on vaccines and vaccination. Some recipients have contributed through research, while others have worked to deliver vaccines to people. The awards recognise contributions across the entire field.
For which work did you receive this recognition?
Senjuti Saha: I mainly received the recognition for laboratory research on the typhoid conjugate vaccine. On 12 October last year, Bangladesh launched a major vaccination campaign. The target was to administer the typhoid conjugate vaccine to nearly 50 million (5 crore) children. Within one month, we managed to vaccinate around 45 million (4.5 crore) children. Our EPI (Expanded Programme on Immunisation) system played the most significant role in this achievement. Health workers, field-level staff, and schoolteachers worked day and night. Development partners, including UNICEF, also supported the initiative.
My role was in the earlier stage. Before introducing any vaccine into the country, authorities need evidence explaining why it is necessary, what risks exist, and whether the financing is justified. Our responsibility was to collect and analyse those data.
We succeeded in proving that those mutations were responsible for azithromycin resistance. Later, researchers verified the results in Bangladesh, and Bangladesh published the world’s first research paper on an azithromycin-resistant genome.
Prothom Alo :
How did your work on genome sequencing begin?
Senjuti Saha: Although CHRF had long been researching typhoid outbreaks, we began working on typhoid genomics in 2016. At that time, we identified several azithromycin-resistant typhoid cases. This development was extremely concerning because the antibiotic is widely used. Before that, no such resistance had been reported anywhere in the world.
We carried out genome sequencing and identified certain specific mutations. Later, we introduced those mutations into another laboratory bacterium for testing. Bangladesh did not then have the capability to conduct that work, so our colleagues carried out the experiment in a laboratory in California. We succeeded in proving that those mutations were responsible for azithromycin resistance. Later, researchers verified the results in Bangladesh, and Bangladesh published the world’s first research paper on an azithromycin-resistant genome.
Why is genome sequencing so important?
Senjuti Saha: The DNA of a bacterium or virus contains the answers to how it will behave, which antibiotics will work against it, and how it is changing. Just as DNA determines a person’s hair colour, height, or physical characteristics, it also determines the characteristics of microorganisms.
When we conduct genome sequencing, we can identify which genes are creating antibiotic resistance, which mutations are making a microorganism more infectious, and which parts can be targeted for vaccine development.
Is it important for Bangladesh to establish a genome-based disease surveillance system?
Senjuti Saha: Absolutely. Genomic surveillance is extremely important for tackling future pandemics. We believe the next pandemic may once again emerge from a respiratory virus. During the Covid pandemic, the world managed to identify the virus as SARS-CoV-2 because scientists could conduct genome sequencing rapidly.
If Bangladesh can regularly collect samples from hospitals and communities and conduct sequencing, we will be able to understand in advance which viruses are spreading, which outbreaks are increasing, and what level of risk they may create.
To achieve this, we first need a strong network. We must connect microbiology laboratories, physicians, and reporting systems. In the United Kingdom, whenever a laboratory identifies typhoid bacteria, it immediately sends the sample to central genomics laboratories for sequencing. We also need a similar system.
We conducted one of the genome sequencing studies on Salmonella Typhi, the bacterium responsible for typhoid, here in Bangladesh. Through this research, we were able to show policymakers how these organisms are becoming antibiotic-resistant, what types of mutations are occurring, and what risks may emerge in the future.
Many typhoid patients in Bangladesh still recover after taking oral antibiotics. However, if a time comes when these antibiotics no longer work, hospitals will need to admit all patients and administer injections. That situation would create a serious crisis. Through genome sequencing, we are identifying those risks in advance.
To be honest, no one believed we could do this from Bangladesh. Many foreign laboratories and colleagues told us to send the samples abroad, saying they could do the work at a lower cost. But we decided not to send the samples outside the country. We chose to conduct the work here in Bangladesh. The costs would be higher, and the challenges greater, but we wanted to build our own capacity.
Today, this recognition does not belong only to me. It belongs to Bangladesh. It belongs to our institution. At one time, no one believed in us, but now Bangladesh has shown the world that we are capable as well.
Thank you for your time.
Senjuti Saha: Thank you as well.