TWO SCIENTISTS FELICITATED WITH CSIR-CDRI AWARD-2013

LUCKNOW: T he Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI) felicitated two scientists with the CSIR-CDRI Excellence in Drug Research Award-2013 on the occasion of 71st CSIR foundation day on Thursday.

The award, instituted in 2004 to honour Indian researchers below 45 years of age who have contributed significantly to drug research, was given in two categories- biological sciences and chemical sciences. Each award carries a cash prize of Rs20,000 and a citation.

On Thursday, the award for excellence in drug research in biological sciences was awarded to B Gopal, IISc, Bengaluru for his work on ‘Studies on sigma factor/anti-sigma complexes reveal a molecular rationale for M. tuberculosis persistence’, while the award in chemical sciences was conferred on Srinivasa Reddy, CSIR-NCL, Pune for his work on ‘Efforts to identify new chemical entities (NCEs) for treating metabolic disorders and infections’.

Addressing the gathering, chief guest prof YK Gupta from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) New Delhi, discussed obstacles in the path of safe clinical trials in India and their solutions. He spoke on present trends and possibilities in research in the future.

Prof Gupta also released the CSIR-CDRI Newsletter and felicitated employees of CSIR-CDRI who retired during September 2012 and August 13, followed by felicitation of employees who have completed 25 years of their services at CSIR-CDRI. Cash prizes were also awarded to the children of CSIR-CDRI employees who secured more than 90% marks in science subjects in intermediate board exams. About 200 students form Lucknow and Allahabad Universities visited the Institute.