Faculty

Dr R. Guha Pradeepa is an Executive Scientific Officer and Head of the Department of Research Operations and Diabetes Complications at the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai. With over three decades of research experience, she has made significant contributions to the field of nutrition and epidemiology, particularly focusing on diabetes and its complications, with the aim of promoting health initiatives in this sphere. She has also been actively involved in various training programmes and academic activities for understanding and addressing the challenges of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

Role:  Research Dietician

• “Nutrition in health the Disease in the Elderly” Sponsored by Roussel Scientific Institute India, Bombay, 1989-1991.
• “Assessment of Nutritional Status of the Elderly in the India rural community” sponsored by Sandoz Foundation for Gerontology Research, Australia, 1991-1993.
• Relationship between lipid profile, nutrition and ischaemic heart disease in the rural elderly”, sponsored by Roussel Scientific Institute India, Bombay, 1992-1994.
• “Health and nutrition status in the elderly living in Institution and families”, sponsored by Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, 1996-1998.
• “Assessment of Nutrition, Health and Social Problems among the Institutionalized Elderly”, sponsored by University Grants Commission, New Delhi, 1996-1998.

Role: PI

• RSSDI-funded project: Exploring the prevalence & association of vitamin B 12 and vitamin D deficiency in individuals with different degrees of glucose intolerance among urban south Indians” (2014-2017)
• RSSDI-funded project: The association between Type 2 diabetes and oral cancer in South India” (2021-2022)

Role: Co-PI         

• WHO/Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, India. Development of sentinel health monitoring centers in India (2002-2012)
• Johnson & Johnson, LifeScan Inc., funded project. Obesity Reduction through    Awareness of NCDs and Group Education – The ORANGE School Children Project (2007-2009)
• ICMR- India Diabetes [INDIAB] Task force Study [Phase I], funded by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, India (2008-2011)
• Center Of Excellence -Center for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South Asia - Surveillance Study, funded by OVATIONS & NHLBI (2009-2014)
• ICMR- India Diabetes [INDIAB] Task force Study[ North East Component], funded by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, India (2010-2015)
• Novel Non-invasive Low-Cost Technologies for Diabetes Screening and Treatment [Indo-US Joint project in the area of low cost diagnostics and medical devices], funded by Department of Biotechnology, New Delhi, India (2011-2014)
• Strengthening Indian NCD clinical research and training capacity , funded by Fogarty International Grant, NIH, USA (2006-2015)
• ICMR-India Diabetes [INDIAB] Task Force Study [Excluding North East] Phase II, funded by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, India (2012-2021)
• NIHR Global Heath Research Unit on Global Diabetes Outcomes Research- (INSPIRED) funded by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), UK (2017-2021)
• Establishing a Biorepository facility at Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) funded by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, India (2019-2021)
• A novel high intensity short interval dance intervention for non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention in Asian Indian adolescent girls – THANDAV, funded by JGHT - UKRI MRC (June 2022-December 2023)
• Follow-up of ICMR-INDIAB Phase I & Northeast (Arunachal Pradesh & Tamil Nadu)- Changes in prevalence of diabetes/prediabetes incidence risk and rates of complications/ mortality funded by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, India (2022-2024)
• ICMR–India Diabetes [INDIAB] Study – Union Territories (Excluding Chandigarh & Puducherry) funded by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi, India (2023-2024)

View Dr Pradeepa’s publications here

Details available here