Gade did his BSc in Biology from Nagpur University and later did his MSc (Life Sciences), M Phil and PhD in Life Sciences from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
He was a post-doctoral fellow in France and Sweden between 1988 and 1990.
He is a recipient of Lupin Endowment Award instituted by UICT, and served as scientist in the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology of CSIR in Delhi between 1983 and 2003.
Gade was Reader and later Professor in the department of Biotechnology, University of Pune, from July 2003.
The Governor had appointed a search committee headed by Justice Mukul Mudgal, former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, to recommend a panel of names for the post.
The vacancy was created following the resignation of R K Shevgaonkar in September last year.