Page 28 - The Indian EYE 041924

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline APRIL 19, 2024 | The Indian Eye 28

NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK

Selected stories about Indian diaspora from our website www.theindianeye.com

ANKITA NAGPAL & IMPREET SODHI DR ASHVINI KESHAVAN

FOMO MOMO to spread New Neurologist joins team studying

Delhi flavors to New Jersey dementia diagnosis

r Ashvini Keshavan, Senior
Clinical Research and Hon-
Dorary Consultant Neurologist
Fellow at University College London
(UCL), is part of a world-class re-
search team in the UK.
The team is working on recent
breakthroughs in potential demen-
tia blood tests and generate the ev-
idence needed for them to be used
more widely in the next five years.

Dr Keshavan is part of the
team that will focus on the
most promising biomark-
er for Alzheimer’s disease

called p-tau217. A second
team made up of researchers
from the Universities of Ox-
nkita Nagpal and Impreet Sodhi, the duo who originally met through ford and Cambridge will test
their husbands, connected instantly for their love for food. They are full- various proteins to detect a
Atime techies and run Fomo Momo as a side hustle in New Jersey.
As per their website, ‘We aim to bring the authentic flavors and delicious variety of dementia-causing
street food of North India straight to your taste buds. From our succulent diseases.
momos in flavors to our rich and savory soy chaap, every dish on our menu
is made with the freshest ingredients and authentic spices.’
The culinary adventure for these two sprightly women started through “Proteins that underpin various dementia-causing diseases, and particu-
the Smorgasburg Food Festival in Jersey City in 2021. After receiving a posi- larly Alzheimer’s disease, which is the commonest cause of dementia world-
tive response, Impreet and Ankita set foot into the Big Apple and have been wide, are now detectable in blood,” said Dr Keshavan.
a regular vendor at the Smorgasburg Food Festival in New York. Making a The UCL-led study is called ADAPT and will focus on plasma p-tau217
mark with their momos along the Hudson has been a unique experience for – a blood marker of Alzheimer’s disease – and will answer the question of
the duo. whether knowledge of this test result can improve rates of Alzheimer’s diag-
Sensing that the idea would do well, the duo bought a food truck and nosis in conjunction with standard memory clinic assessments. The second
started a business in 2023. However, they add that they continue to serve study is called READ-OUT, which aims to test various proteins, including
momos at the World Trade Centre’s food festival in New York that runs from novel or less well-established ones, to detect a variety of dementia-causing
April through October. To cater to every diaspora, the menu is divided into diseases.
subtle options. “If our research shows that these tests are clinically useful, and cost-ef-
Each flavor of momo on the menu is unique in its own way. With both fective, we would be able to contribute to the case for them becoming a part
steamed and fried options that can be customized with meat or vegetables, of the standard of care offered in the UK. This would have the potential
some of the choices include makhani momos (think a rich Indian creamy for individuals to receive earlier diagnoses of their specific dementia-causing
curry in every bite) or the schezwan momos which is an explosion of hot fiery disease,” said Dr Keshavan.
spices. Such a breakthrough would be particularly important for ensuring pa-
Having originated in Tibet as early as the 14th century, these local deli- tients are given the right post-diagnostic support and treatment for symp-
cacies came to India in the 1960s when a large number of Tibetans settled in toms.
Sikkim, Darjeeling, Delhi, Ladakh and Dharamshala. Another theory sug-
gests that the Newar merchants of Kathmandu brought the momos to India
from Tibet and Nepal during their travels. Continued on next page... >>

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