Date:08/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/08/stories/2008020860480300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

IISc. professor gets Birla Award

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Santanu Bhattacharya, a 49-year-old senior professor at the Department of Organic Chemistry in the Indian Institute of Science, has been selected for the G.D. Birla Award for Scientific Research for his contributions in the areas of chemical biology and molecular design.

Talking about his work to The Hindu, Prof. Bhattacharya said he and his 10-member team works on “the fundamental understanding of how molecules comprehend deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of specific sequences”. He said the team was trying to develop lipid-based vehicles for gene delivery.

“Once we understand the mechanism of the interaction of molecules with the DNA, it could eventually be used to develop drugs for different disorders,” he said. Collaboration with other groups that did complimentary research formed part of his work.

Commenting on the award, he said: “When you are doing fundamental research, you are not looking for an award. No one works for an award but when it comes it is satisfying.” Prof. Bhattacharya studied in University of Rutgers.