About Us

About

Advancing Research, Redefining Diabetes Care

Welcome to the Asian Centre for Endocrine Pancreas Research (ACEPR),  a pioneering research institute committed to uncovering the complex biology of diabetes in the Indian population. As the first and only center in Asia dedicated to studying the endocrine pancreas, ACEPR is redefining how we understand, detect, and treat diabetes.

Our Founders

Dr D Nageshwar Reddy

M.D, D.M, D.Sc., FAMS, FRCP, FACG, FASGE, MWGO, MASGE, AGAF, FJGES, FAAAS

Chairman
Asian Institute of Gastroenterology &
AIG Hospitals
Asian Healthcare Foundation Hyderabad, India

Dr G V Rao

MS, MAMS, FRCS

Director - AIG Hospitals
Chief Surgical Gastroenterology &
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Asian Healthcare Foundation
Hyderabad, India

About ACEPR

Welcome to the Asian Centre for Endocrine Pancreas Research (ACEPR), a one-of-a-kind research center dedicated to unraveling the complexities of diabetes in Indian Population.

​Diabetes has emerged as a global health concern, with an increasing and alarming number of younger individuals being affected by insulin deficiency. India is often referred to as the ‘diabetes capital of the world’ due to its high prevalence of diabetes. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), India has an estimated 77 million adults living with diabetes as of 2019, and this number is expected to rise to 101 million by 2030.

​Our center is committed to understanding the epidemiology and various types of diabetes, with a special emphasis on Indian populations and develop innovative approaches for its prevention and management.

​What sets us apart is our groundbreaking approach towards understanding diabetes in the Indian context with a clear focus on the pancreas, a critical yet understudied organ in diabetes. Despite the high prevalence of diabetes in India, there is a notable lack of research specifically tailored to this demographic. We are the first and only center in Asia to conduct comprehensive studies on the pancreas to shed light on its role in diabetes and revolutionize treatment strategies.

​Our research methodology is as unique as our focus areas. We combine cutting-edge technology with a patient-centric approach. Through our exclusive clinical cohorts, we strive to translate research findings into actionable strategies that improve patient outcomes for various types of diabetes.

The Asian Centre for Endocrine Pancreas Research (ACEPR), is established by a grant by the DBT (Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India) – Wellcome Trust INDIA Alliance. The centre is located within the premises of AIG Hospitals, Gachibowli, Hyderabad under the aegis of the Asian Healthcare Foundation, the Translational Research Institute of the hospitals.

What makes us unique

First of its kind

Only center in Asia focused specifically on the endocrine pancreas

Cohort-driven

Research based on exclusive clinical cohorts of Indian individuals

Holistic methodology

Integration of advanced technologies, molecular biology, and a patient-centric approach

Translational impact

Research designed to directly improve diagnostic and treatment outcomes

Meet Our Team

Our Team

Principal Investigator

Dr. Sasikala Mitnala

PhD, MAMS, FRSB, FAAAS

Director Research
Asian Healthcare Foundation, Hyderabad

Co-Principal Investigators

Dr. Anura V Kurpad

MD, PhD

Professor
Department of Physiology,
St. John's Research Institute, Bengaluru

Dr. Pramod Rajaram Somvanshi

MTech, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of Systems and Computational Biology
School of Life Sciences,
University of Hyderabad

Dr. Alvin C. Powers

MD, PhD

Director
Vanderbilt Diabetes Research and Training Centre
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, USA

Dr. K. M. Venkat Narayan

MD, PhD

Executive Director
Emory Global Diabetes Research Center
Professor
Global Health, Epidemiology, and Endocrinology
Emory University
Atlanta, USA

Research Advisory Board

Dr.Nikhil Tandon

MD, PhD

Professor
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism
All India Institute of Medical Sciences
New Delhi, India

Dr. Meredith A. Hawkins

MD, Ms

Professor of Medicine
Harold and Muriel Block Chair in Medicine
Director,
Global Diabetes Institute
Co-Director,
Einstein-Mt.Sinai Diabetes Research Center
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
USA

Dr.Richard Oram

MD, PhD

Associate Professor
Diabetes UK Harry Keen Fellow
NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility
University of Exter
United Kingdom

Dr.P.Usha Bala

MD

Consultant
Diabetes Education and Treatment Center
Hyderabad, India

Team Members

Dr. P.S.Sushma

PhD

Project Manager
Asian Healthcare Foundation

Dr. Vidya Natarajan

PhD

Post-Doctoral Fellow
Asian Healthcare Foundation

Devansh Shankar

MSc

Junior Research Fellow
Asian Healthcare Foundation

Bharat Jadhav

BTech

Project Assistant
Asian Healthcare Foundation

Supporting Physicians

Dr. A.Bhanu Prakash Reddy

MBBS, DNB

Senior Consultant
Internal Medicine
AIG Hospitals,
Gachibowli
Hyderabad

Dr.Vasireddy Nayanatara

MD,DM

Consultant
Endocrinology and Diabetology
AIG Hospitals,
Gachibowli
Hyderabad

Dr.Kiran Kumar Pasam

MD,DM

Consultant
Endocrinology and Diabetology
AIG Hospitals,
Gachibowli
Hyderabad

Collaborators List

Dr. G V. Rao

MS, MAMS, FRCS

Director - AIG Hospitals
Chief Surgical Gastroenterology &
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Asian Healthcare Foundation
Hyderabad, India

Dr.R.Pradeep

MS, MCH

Surgical Gastroenterologist
Asian Institute of Gastroenterology Hyderabad, India

Dr.Lisa Staimez

PhD, MCH

Associate Research Professor
Emory Global Diabetes Research Center
Emory University,
USA

Dr.Katie C Caote

PhD

Assistant Professor
Molecular Physiology and Biophysics
School of Medicine
Vanderbilt University,
USA

Dr. Shruthi Kulkarni

MBBS, DNB

Associate Professor - General Medicine
St. John's Medical College
Bengaluru

Dr.V.V.Ravikanth

PhD

Group Leader
Genomics & Sequencing Lab
Asian Healthcare Foundation
Hyderabad

Dr. P.Pavan Kumar

PhD

Scientist
Biomaterial Sciences Lab
Asian Healthcare Foundation
Hyderabad

Dr. Tej Sowpati

PhD

Scientist
Department of Bioinformatics
CSIR - Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology
Hyderabad

Dr. Apoorva Munigela

MBBS, MD

Senior Consultant
Internal Medicine
AIG Hospitals,
Gachibowli
Hyderabad

Dr. Yan Sun

PhD

Professor
Dept of Epidemiology
Rollins School of Public Health
Emory University,
USA

Dr. Manoj Bhasin

PhD, MS

Professor
Emory University School of Medicine
Emory University,
USA

Supporting Staff

Venu Simhadri

MSc

Senior Technical Officer
Asian Healthcare Foundation

V.V.Krishna

MSc

Senior Technical Officer
Asian Healthcare Foundation

Dr. Vijay Ketavarapu

MSc, PhD

Post-Doctoral Fellow
Asian Healthcare Foundation

Sravan Ragula

Pharm D

Clinical Research
Coordinator Asian Healthcare Foundation

K. Vani

DMLT

Phlebotomist
Asian Healthcare Foundation

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