DEPARTMENT OF HEMATOPATHOLOGY

About

Flow Cytometry Section was launched in 2019 and comprises of 13 Color 3 Laser DxFlex (Beckman Coulter) and 12 Color 3 laser Lyric (Beckton Dickinson) Instruments. The test performed includes: Diagnostic Acute Leukemia Panel, Lymphoma Panel, Myeloma Panel, MDS panel, PNH Panel, B-ALL M.R.D Panel, TALL M.R.D Panel, AML M.R.D Panel, Myeloma M.R.D Panel, CLL M.R.D Panel, Stem Cell Enumeration using ISHAGE Protocol and CD3 Count for Donor Lymphocyte Infusion in Allogenic BMT Patients.

Molecular Hematopathology section is the only state of the art laboratory in Uttar Pradesh, launched in 2022, and is next to only ACTREC Mumbai, in terms of infrastructure, workload and range of tests covered, in any government setup. It comprises of automated nucleic acid extractors, Thermo Cyclers, RQ PCR Machine, Sanger Sequencer(Thermofisher), and Next Generation Sequencer(Illumina). The test Performed Include a) RQ & RTPCR for Fusion transcripts such as BCR-ABL, PML RARA, AML-ETO etc. b) Fragment Length analysis by capillary electrophoresis on Sanger Sequencer for FLT3, NPM1, CEBPA, JAK2, CALR, BRAF, MYD88, TCR clonality studies and post allogenic BMT monitoring by chimerism analysis using STR panel, c) Kinase domain mutation analysis in B-ALL and CML patients on Tyrosine kinase inhibitors & CLL IGVH mutation status for prognostication by Sanger Sequencing. d) DNA-NGS for myeloid and lymphoid neoplasms using a comprehensive panel of 69 genes. e) RNA sequencing for detection of fusion partners/translocations in myeloid /lymphoid neoplasms using a custom 42 gene panel.This has helped in ensuring shorter turnaround time for molecular reporting which otherwise took almost one-two months’ duration, when outsourced to ACTREC Mumbai.

Performance Statistics:

Research & Educational Activities:

1. DM (Oncopathology): Received approval from the National Medical Commission to start the course from the academic session 2022-23.
2. 2-years Fellowship in Hematopathology: Postgraduates in Pathology who are willing to gain expertise in advanced techniques such as flow cytometry. Molecular testing etc. are eligible to apply for this course. Seats are advertised once a year during August.
3. 4 years BMLS Course approved from 2023 session
4. Short term certified training (Paramedical) courses for Hematopathology (Duration:1 year)
5. Short term certified training (Paramedical) courses for Flowcytometry (Duration:1 year)
6. Short term certified advance trainee courses in hematopathology for Post MD doctors (Duration: - 6months).

All the faculty and staff are encouraged to involve themselves in basic and clinical research. The departmental faculty have submitted independent projects in the Institutional Ethics Committee for approval. The department is collaborating with other departments of MPMMCC & HBCH, Varanasi. Some of the ongoing projects in the department are:

1. Evaluating the role of circulating plasma cells in plasma cell proliferative disorders
2. Molecular profiling of Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphomas by targeted panel next generation sequencing and its correlation with clinico-pathologic parameters and survival outcomes
3. Retrospective audit of T- cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: a single centre experience
4. Utility of Leukemia associated Immunophenotypes in Minimal Residual Disease and immune escape mechanisms in predicting prognostic outcome in Acute Myeloid Leukemia patients: Project No 11000034
5. Expression of Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) on various T cell subsets and PD-L1 expression on blasts in bone marrow aspirate of adult B ALL cases, its prognostic significance and correlation with minimal residual disease: Project No 11000038
6. Retrospective Analysis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients treated with intensive induction and consolidation chemotherapy in Adult Hematolymphoid Unit: Project No 11000510
7. Retrospective Analysis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients treated with intensive induction and consolidation chemotherapy in a Paediatric Hematolymphoid Unit: Project No 11000521
8. Retrospective review of epidemiology, complications, outcomes of pediatric AML treated at HBCH Varanasi: Project No 11000565
9. An open label phase-III randomized clinical trial of pomalidomide cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone versus pomalidomide dexamethasone in relapsed/ refractory multiple myeloma treated with lenalidomide and a proteasome Inhibitor: Project No 11000571
10. A Randomized, Active- Controlled, Multicenter, Open - Label, Two Arm Study to assess Safety, Efficacy, Pharmacodynamics, and Pharmacokinetics with Pegfilgrastim PFS of Insta Pharmaceutical Limited Compared with Neupogen® Injection in Pediatric Patients Under 6 years of Age with Rhabdomysarcoma or Wilms' Tumour on Myelosuppressive Chemotherapy (CmT) Regimen. Protocol No -0298-21: Project No 11000572
11. Characteristics and outcome of patients with BCR-ABL kinase domain mutations in chronic myeloid leukemia: Project No 11000592
12. Project No 11000613: Philadelphia Negative MPNs, MDS/MPNs and MDS in the context of recent WHO changes and inclusion of molecular signatures into prognostic tools: a single centre experience: Project No 11000613
13. A phase IIIb, multi-center, open-label, randomized study of tolerability and efficacy of oral asciminib versus nilotinib in patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia Chromosome Positive Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia in Chronic Phase: 11000626
14. Real-World Analysis of efficacy and adverse effect profile of Ibrutinib in CLL patients with or without TP53 deletion/mutation as first and later lines of BTKi therapy: A retrospective analysis from a tertiary care center in India: 11000627
15. Real-World Analysis of efficacy and adverse effect profile of Nilotinib in CML patients as first and later lines of TKI therapy: A retrospective analysis from a tertiary care center in India: 11000627
16. Real world safety and efficacy data for use of rituximab and bendamustine (BR) in treatment of elderly and or unfit patients with mantle cell lymphoma

1. On the medical expert panel of national clinical trial regulatory bodies such as CDSCO New Delhi.
2. Participated as a Faculty in the Genomics workshop (NGS), organized by the Dept of Hematopathology, ACTREC, Mumbai in Sept 2024.
3. Delivered lecture as guest Faculty on the topic “Stem cell mobilization, enumeration and cryopreservation” during the CME on BMT Update organized by the Dept of Pediatric Oncology, BHU in September 2024.
4. Delivered lecture as guest Faculty on the topic “Role of flow cytometry in diagnosis and management of multiple myeloma: a perspective on clonality & MRD assessment in myeloma” during the Varanasi Hematology Update in September 2024.
5. Delivered lecture as guest Faculty on the topic “Significance of flow cytometry & molecular studies in pediatric Hemato-Oncology” organized by the Dept of Pediatric Oncology, HBCH, Varanasi in May 2024.
6. Conducted workshop on Sanger sequencing during MPAICON 2024 held in AIIMS New Delhi
7. Conducted workshop on Sanger sequencing & Next Generation Sequencing during MPAICON 2023 held in SGPGI Lucknow
8. Conducted workshop on flow cytometry during National Hematology Update 2023 held in AIIMS New Delhi
9. Delivered lecture as guest Faculty on the topic “A case based approach to incorporation of NGS and MRD in AML” during National Hematology Update 2023 held in AIIMS New Delhi
10. Delivered lecture as guest Faculty on the topic “Acute Leukemia: Appreciating Molecular Landscape by few real cases” during HEMATOCON 2023 held in Bhubneshwar.
11. Delivered lecture as guest Faculty on the topic “Role of NGS in myeloid malignancy” during SGPGI Hematology Conference 2023 held in Lucknow.
12. Delivered lecture as guest Faculty on the topic “Role of NGS in Hematology: case based discussion” during Hematology Conference 2023 held in Varanasi.
13. Completed three months’ research training in Advanced Bioinformatics & NGS- Data Analysis including proteomics, transcriptomics, metagenomics and CHIPSeq from RASA LifeScience Informatics, Pune in July 2023.
14. Took the Online GVACI (Genomic Variant Analysis & Variant Interpretation) training course 2022
15. Participated in the Workshop on Sanger Sequencing workflow and data interpretation organized by PGI-Chandigarh during HEMATOCON 2021
16. Conducted the Workshop on approach to CLPDs organized by AIIMS, New Delhi during HEMATOCON 2021
17. Participated in the 15- day Training program in Advanced Bioinformatics, Basic Programming and NGS-DNA Seq Data Analysis organized by Arraygene Technologies Pvt. Ltd. In April 2021
18. Undertook Training in Molecular Hematology in ACTREC, Mumbai from 1 Feb-31 May 2020 (on official deputation)
19. Awarded the Good Clinical Practices Certification

Research publications/Abstracts: 25
Future Prospects:

1. Starting NGS-MRD testing.
2. HBNI approved fellowship in Molecular Hemato-Oncology.
3. Short term certified training (Paramedical) courses in Molecular Hemato-Oncology.

Staff Members: