Imphal, May 20: Dr. Sanjukta RajKumari, a researcher originally from Manipur, has won the Best Poster Award at the prestigious 2026 International Symposium on Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC 2026), one of the world’s leading conferences on foodborne bacterial pathogens.
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| Dr. Sanjukta RajKumari |
The symposium, held in Aberdeen, Scotland from May 10 to May 13, brought together more than 400 scientists, clinicians and public health experts from 25 countries. Participants included representatives from globally renowned institutions such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Cambridge University, the Roslin Institute and Italy’s National Institute of Health (ISS).
Dr. RajKumari received the award for her research poster titled “Temporal pangenome dynamics and functional diversity of Escherichia coli O26 in a cattle farm.”
Her study examined how Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) strains evolve and adapt over time in livestock environments by altering their genetic composition. Experts say the research has major implications for global food safety and public health, particularly in understanding the transmission and evolution of dangerous foodborne pathogens.
STEC is considered a highly harmful group of bacteria capable of causing severe foodborne illnesses in humans. While most E. coli strains are harmless, STEC infections can result in bloody diarrhoea and life-threatening complications such as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), which may lead to kidney failure, especially among children and elderly individuals.
Health experts note that STEC infections are commonly linked to contaminated food, unsafe water and direct contact with livestock. Public safety measures include proper cooking of meat, maintaining hand hygiene after handling animals, avoiding unpasteurised dairy products and ensuring safe drinking water.
Dr. RajKumari currently serves as a Senior Scientist at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), an executive agency under the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). She is also a core member of the Eta Northeast Women’s Network.
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Congratulating her on the achievement, Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand described Dr. RajKumari as a “distinguished daughter of Manipur” and said her achievement reflects scientific excellence with global and lifesaving impact.
He stated that her success would inspire the youth of Manipur to pursue knowledge and excellence without boundaries while highlighting the growing contribution of scientists from Northeast India to the global scientific community.
