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February 2, 2009 11:41:21
Posted By Ramji Bhandari
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I am working in the laboratory of Dr. Michael Skinner, Washington State Univesity. Dr. Skinner is a preeminent figure in reproductive biology and Epigenetics. The finding that the effects of environmental toxic sustances cause epigenetic changes in the germ line that can pass to subsequent generations has received public attention. We are trying to show the world how future diseases can get imprinted in the germ line when life is still within the fetus. Some findings have been ranked one of the top 100 discoveries in the year 2007.
Dr. Skinner keeps his lab running in a very friendly atmosphere. Science is our passion and friendship is our relation.Here is the picture of our team- half the members are absent in the picture, though.
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Categories:
Personal,
Labs
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November 24, 2008 09:34:23
Posted By Ramji Bhandari
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Niha likes dancing. She watched the clip in you tube and
tried to dance in the same tune.
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November 5, 2008 06:30:49
Posted By Ramji Bhandari
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Barack Obama has been elected as the 44th President of United States of America. My heartfelt congratulations to him and the people of United States on this historic victory. His victory confirms that America is the land of opportunities. You aim and work hard, America will fullfil your dreams! Let's hope he will bring about socio-economic changes in the USA and also a peace in the whole world. May he excel in his presidency.
We look forward to getting supports to education and research.
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Categories:
News,
Personal
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October 13, 2008 07:56:32
Posted By Ramji Bhandari
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 Hindu is the religion for majority of Nepalese. Dashain is the biggest festival for Hindu in Nepal. We all Nepalese living in the eastern Washington and Idaho celebrated it with joy and happiness. On the day of auspicious TEEKA (9th October), every one performed teeka ceremony at home. We traveled across the state border to give hands to Dr. Dev Shrestha and his family. Mr. Kedar Koirala and his family also participated in the ceremony. Father-in-law of Dr. Shrestha, Mr. Kapil Chitrakar, along with his wife offered us Teeka and blessed us with sound health, prosperity, and happiness to come. On the 10th, Nepalese family living in Pullman, Moscow and Lewiston travelled 90 miles northward to Spokane to receive Teeka from the mother of Dr. Uprendra Acharya. Teeka ceremony ended at 11:30 PM and we all returned back to our home in the midnight. On the very next day, I joined Dr. Shrestha to arrange his house for a huge gathering that evening. Nepalese Student Association (NSA) in the University of Idaho had organized a Dashain party in Dr. Shrestha's house. About 70 people attended the ceremony. Pictures are available in the web. On Sunday, Mr. Balram Pande invited us to to receive teeka from his father-in-law in Lewsiton, 38 miles south of Pullman, WA. It was very nice to meet 40 new Nepalese students who recently joined Lewis Clark State College. Mr. Pande had prepared goat meat in a traditional way, which everybody enjoyed at the fullest. Due to my daughter's (Niha) school early in the morning on Monday, we left the party in the middle of its way. The family of Dr. Shrestha left much earlier. It could be more fun, if we were able to participate in. We thank everybody who particiapted in and blessed us with. Let's hope next year's Dashain will also turn out to be like this year or more exiciting.
Photo album link (Spokane) Photo album link (Moscow)
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October 10, 2008 06:00:57
Posted By Ramji Bhandari
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श्री दुर्गा भवानी माताले हामी सबैको रक्षा गरुन् । दशैको साइत पारेर हामीले पनि यसपटक साथी डा देवसागर श्रेष्ठ को घरमा गई उहाको ससुरा बुवा र सासुआमा को हातबाट टीका ग्रहण गर्यौ। त्यहा श्री केदार कोइरालाजीको परिवार पनि सहभागी हुनु हुन्थ्यो । टीका पश्चात हामी सबै मिलेर एक छिन् तास पनि खेलियो । आज डा उपेन्द्र देव आचार्य जी को घर (स्पोक्यान, १४० किलोमिटर उत्तर)मा गई आमाको हातबाट टीका ग्रहण गर्ने योजना छ ।
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April 28, 2008 05:12:40
Posted By Ramji Bhandari
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Profile photo
 
I found this photograph in the website of Association of Nepalese students in Hokkaido University (HUNSA), Japan where I graduated from in 2002. It was taken on the day of my farewell. I was going to Okinawa to start with Research Assistant Professor position at University of the Ryukyus. I had proposed Nepalese friends to form HUNSA so that students involved would get benefitted in various aspects. I designed the website and handed over, which is currently active. My best wishes are for the unity and welfare of all Nepalese currently in HUNSA and Hokkaido University at Sapporo. "Boys be ambitious!"
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April 28, 2008 06:06:55
Posted By Ramji Bhandari
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My previous mentor Dr. Yoshitaka Nagahama has retired from his position in March, 2008. Dr. Penny Swanson, Dr. Graham Young and their colleagues in Japan have organized an International Symposium in honor of Dr. Nagahama. As one of his trainees, I would like to disseminate the information I receive from the official website of the Symposium "Sex Determination and Gametogenesis in Fish: Current Status and Future Challenges". Distinguished Fish Physiologists from all over the world will participate in the Symposium. I will also take part in it on my way back from SSR 2008 meeting in Kona. I would like thank Dr. Swanson and Dr. Young for regular update of the website and for organizing the Symposium. Hope to see you there.
Have a safe and comfortable journey to Honolulu.
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April 25, 2008 04:04:41
Posted By Ramji Bhandari
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Prominent figure in the field of comparative Endocrinology, Dr. Howard Bern (88), National Academy member USA, is the mentor of all my mentors. He is Professor Emeritus in UC Berkeley. Broadly, he is the founder of Fish Endocrinology research- mainly growth and osmoregulation, two vital physiological processes in fish. Besides his invaluable contribution to the field of fish endocrinology, he is also a person with exraordinary simplicity. I met him while I was working as a JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Nagahama.
It was his last visit to Japan as he was feeling uncomfortable to travel in the air. I had opportunity to discuss with him about science and the overall lifestyle of scientists. While having hotspring bath (onsen), he told us about his past-- excellent moments in his life and research. In the mean time, he saw me worrying about not feeding my tilapia that afternoon and said "Hey Ramji, don`t worry about feeding those tilapia; they eat each other". To my surprise, I found the other day that one of the weakest ones in the tank was eaten up by his fellows. The other thing I asked him was whether he has ever been to Nepal despite his frequent visits to India. He said "I always missed an opportunity to visit Nepal. However, I am happy to see that a scientist from Nepal is in one of my most elegant student`s Laboratory". To him, I am the first Nepalese scientist he ever met. I wish him sound health and comfort.
With Professor Bern in Honolulu, Hawaii during the symposium held in honor of Prof. Yoshitaka Nagahama's retirement from his career.
With Prof. Bern in Honolulu, Hawaii. ( 2008).
Nagahama Lab members with Prof. Bern after taking an Onsen bath.
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April 25, 2008 04:09:18
Posted By Ramji Bhandari
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I read a news in Science Daily about the ban of Bisphenol A (BPA) in Canada and issues related to BPA and human health risks in the USA. My question is- are all those chemicals present in the environment at such a dose that humans are constantly exposed to? Most of the experiments have been perfomed using rodent models, and exposure are done either through IP injection or by incorporating those ultra-pure chemicals through diet at way-too-high doses than that are available in the environment. Questions arise as to whether we should stick to those results. Why are not experiments being done at the dose that humans are exposed everyday to? These experimental designs will show the real effects of exposure on human health.
My concern is- why scientists use the thousand times higher dose of chemicals in their experiment?- Just to know what the mechanism of action is? Any chemical if you are exposed to a significantly higher dose, no doubt, will alter the normal physiology and mechanism of your body. For a simple example, if a pregnant woman is given a pound of salt everyday for a month, the homeostasis of mother`s body fluid will change and consequently the baby will have some complication. Such effects may result in defective growth and abnormal functioning of body parts. So, research designs that mimic real exposure to environmental concentration of toxic substances in human or non-human models will be highly appreciated. And, results that confirm previous finding in rats that exposure causes genetic imprinting and the disease state passes to subsequent generation will, however, be exciting.
For detail, please click the link Science Daily News
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Categories:
News,
Personal
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December 21, 2007 11:53:59
Posted By Ramji Bhandari
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Dr. Md. Saydur Rahman, a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Marine Science Institute of University of Texas -Austin (Port Aransas), is a good friend of mine. By profession, he is a Fish Physiologist. He says "Coastal waters have low level of dissolved oxygen (condition of hypoxia) throughout the world over the past few decades, as a result of increased run-off from human agricultural and industrial activities". His research focuses on how hypoxia affects growth and physiology of marine fishes. Recently, his team reported that fish inhabiting these coastal waters had little ovarian and testicular growth, low egg and sperm production, and low levels of reproductive hormones during the time when they would normally be increasing in preparation for reproduction. Laboratory studies showed that hypoxia caused endocrine disruption through decreasing levels of serotonin in the brain. If such a situation persists, it will affect the entire population of fish and other coastal organisms, and ultimately the marine ecosystem as a whole.
His major publications
Other publication links
Marine Science Institute
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