6 scientists and 5 young scholars honoured with awards.
Ranbaxy Science Foundation (RSF), a non-profit organization set-up by Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited (RLL), today announced its 21st Annual Research Awards for the year 2008 to Indian Scientists in recognition of their outstanding research contributions made in the fields of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The Foundation also announced its 3rd Annual Science Scholar Awards to the young and brilliant upcoming new generation of scientists.
The Awards were presented by renowned scientist Prof. Peter C. Doherty (Nobel Laureate) Laureate Professor, Department of Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Australia, at a special function held today at the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi.
A total of 6 Scientists and 5 Science Scholars as per details given below were honoured with the awards :
Ranbaxy Research Awards 2008
Medical Sciences – Basic Research
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Anindya Dutta, M.D., Ph.D., Byrd Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, Professor of Pathology, Jordan Hall 1240, Box 800733, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, VA 22908, for identifying several regulators and pathways that normally prevent cells from over-replicating their DNA, and how these molecules are disrupted in cancers to lead to genomic instability
Medical Sciences – Medical Research
Dr. Inder J. Chopra, Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 900 Veteran Ave., Warren Hall rm. 24-130, Los Angeles, California, 90095 U.S.A., for his original contributions in developing and characterizing the metabolism of thyroid hormones including nonthyroid disease effects and its therapeutic implications.
Medical Sciences – Clinical Research
Dr. Narmada P. Gupta, Professor & Chairman, Department of Urology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, for his outstanding contributions in advancing the management of various urologic diseases
Dr Amod Gupta, Professor of Ophthalmology, Advanced Eye Centre, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India, for his outstanding contributions in the management of several blinding diseases and for providing initial evidence for the use of statins in patients with diabetic retinopathy
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Dr. G. V. Madhava Sharma, Scientist F (Deputy Director), Head Organic Chemistry Division III, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, India, for his innovative contributions in developing novel routes for synthesis of lead molecules in the areas of anti-asthma (PDE-4, ICAM-1 inhibitors), anti-HIV (NNRT inhibitors) and Proton Pump inhibitors
Prof. Prasad V. Bharatam, Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research NIPER, Sector 67, SAS Nagar (Mohali), Punjab, India, for his innovative contributions in designing new anti-diabetic and anti-malarial lead compounds.
Ranbaxy Science Scholars 2009
Ms. Ruthrotha Selvi B, Ph.D. student, Transcription and Disease Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore, India, for her research work in the area of “Histone arginine methylation and acetylation in global gene regulation, probed by small molecule modulators”
Ms. Teena Mohan, Ph.D. Student, Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, for her research work in the area of “Developing defensins as a mucosal adjuvant/microbicide with peptide antigens of HIV”
Ms. Hardeep Kaur, Senior research fellow, Microbial Physiology and Genetics, Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India, for her research work in the area of “Glutathione degradation pathway and identifying a novel Cys-Gly specific dipeptidase in S.cerevisiae- Dug1p. Glutathione (GSH) is considered as a major cellular redox buffer and is present in almost all eukaryotic systems”.
Mr. Gaurav Vadnerkar, National Doctoral Fellow of AICTE, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Erandwane, Pune, India, for his research work “Synthesis, Kinetic studies and Pharmacological Screening of Prodrugs for Colon-specific Drug Delivery in Inflammatory Bowel Disease”
Mr. Alok Nahata, National Doctoral Fellow- AICTE, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Doctor Hari Singh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar for his research work on “Memory boosting effects of Canscora decussata Schult. in albino rats”.
The Ranbaxy Research Awards aims to encourage, recognize and reward excellence in original research work in the fields of Medical and Pharmaceutical sciences by Indian scientists in India and aboard. The efforts of the Foundation have contributed significantly towards driving superior quality of research in India and motivating the scientific community to continue to perform for excellence in science and research. Each Research Award carries a citation, trophy and a cash incentive of Rs. 1 lacs.
Beginning 2007, the Foundation also instituted Ranbaxy Science Scholar Awards with an aim to recognize and reward the brilliant and young science scholars in order to stimulate their interest in research. Each Science Scholar Award carries a certificate and a scholarship of Rs. 50,000/-.
Earlier during the day, the Ranbaxy Science Foundation organized its XVI Annual Symposium on “Emerging Frontiers in Immunogenomics of Infectious Diseases”. Prof. Peter C. Doherty (Nobel Laureate) Laureate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Melbourne, Australia was the Chief Guest and Key- note Speaker. Eminent scientists from India and abroad deliberated on the emerging frontiers in the field of immune-genomics in respect of the parasitic, bacterial, fungal and viral infectious diseases which has great potential for its application for improving human health and paving the way for future research in the area.
Ranbaxy Science Foundation, presently chaired by Dr. Nitya Anand, is a non-profit organization, promoted by India’s largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited. RSF aims to encourage scientific endeavour in the country by rewarding excellence in medical and pharmaceutical research and channeling national and international knowledge and expertise. Among the prime activities it undertakes every year are presenting Ranbaxy Research Awards to the Indian scientists for outstanding research work and Ranbaxy Science Scholarship Awards to the young and brilliant science scholars, presenting special award for outstanding work in the field of public health, holding of Scientific Symposia in front line areas of research, inviting Foreign Scientists as Visiting Professors, holding Round Table Conferences on topics of public health concern and publishing the proceedings of symposia and Round Table Conferences.
Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited, India's largest pharmaceutical company, is an integrated, research based, international pharmaceutical company producing a wide range of quality, affordable generic medicines, trusted by healthcare professionals and patients across geographies. Ranbaxy’s continued focus on R&D has resulted in several approvals in developed markets and significant progress in New Drug Discovery Research. The Company’s foray into Novel Drug Delivery Systems has led to proprietary "platform technologies," resulting in a number of products under development. The Company is serving its customers in over 125 countries and has an expanding international portfolio of affiliates, joint ventures and alliances, ground operations in 49 countries and manufacturing operations in 11 countries.