The Institutional Scientific Advisory Committee (ISAC) was constituted in September 2023. ISAC functions as an internal-external committee to advise/strategise and guide the research work of the YRGCARE mainly clinical and laboratory Research prior to the research protocol presentation to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and for review of new and ongoing projects.
The key objective is to help identify key growth areas and further develop the organization’s research strength through a centre of excellence for infectious disease in India, further expand access to cohorts of different participants, learn from collaborative work with experts in the US and other countries, to promote mentorship, capacities of researchers and funding support within India.
The first meeting highlighted the scientific skills and expertise of YRGCARE and its access to various cohorts and a wide bio repository. It focused on the need for the selection and recruitment of students and scientists, capacity building, selection and prioritization of key research areas, enhancing the existing biorepository, revamping of the website; thereby promoting active interaction between scientists and clinicians and advertising the strengths of YRGCARE in research on all platforms.
Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research
Prof. Tapas K Kundu obtained his Ph.D. from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in 1995 with best thesis award. Following his PhD, he had a short stint as a visiting foreign research associate in the National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at the Rockefeller University, USA (1996-99).
He joined JNCASR in 1999 as Faculty Fellow and is a Professor since 2009. He currently holds the position of Director at CSIR- Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Prof. Kundu has made significant contributions in the area of regulation of gene expression and its link to disease and therapeutics. He is not only elucidating the mechanisms of transcription regulation through the epigenetic modifications, but also targeting them to design new generation diagnostics, as well as therapeutics.
Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
Dr Vijaya is a professor at the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. A rank holder from Madras University (MSc Biochemistry), she is a member of various professional institutes and committees. The growth of her professional career and positions held since 1984 as a post doctoral fellow has expanded to several responsibilities for departmental and institute committees at Indian Institute of Science and Indian Council of Medical Research. She is also currently the Adjunct Professor, St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences.
As a teaching faculty, doctoral guide and examiner, she has mentored several fellows, renowned scholars; reviewed various dissertation projects for several Master’s level students, project staff and college students and trained personnel on molecular biology, cell culture, virology and recombinant DNA techniques. She has lauded various awards and distinctions, national and international; of which include WHO, Rockfeller Foundation, Wellcome Trust, etc.
Her key field of specialization is Molecular biology, immunology and vaccinology of flaviviral and M. tuberculosis infections. She has been invited to present her work at several national and international conferences and meetings, has several publications to her credit and is on the review committee for national and international journals.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Prof. Vinayaka Prasad’s research career has been dedicated to the study of HIV-1 replication and pathogenesis initially as a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University and subsequently as an independent investigator at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. At present, his laboratory is engaged in three major HIV research programs. He was elected an AAM fellow in 2010 and is a previous recipient of the NIAID MERIT award. He has served on over 80 NIH study sections including as a chair of ADDT study section for 3 years, he serves on three editorial boards and he is also an editor of mBio and Scientific Reports.
He teaches and directs the Graduate course Viruses, has mentored 12 predoctoral trainees and has trained many more postdoctoral trainees. He is the founding and current Program Director of an institutional AIDS T32 training grant.
He is the Developmental Core Director for Einstein-Rockefeller-CUNY Centre for AIDS Research, where his responsibilities are centred around mentoring early stage investigators (ESIs) in developing their research careers and successfully obtaining independent funding. With respect to global health, he has previously served as the Program Director of a D43 Fogarty International Centre-funded AIDS International Training and Research Program (AITRP) for 14 years focused in India, Rwanda and Bangladesh and also served as the Chair of the steering committee of Einstein’s Global Health Centre.
Dr. CG Pandit National Chair
Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR)
Currently, the Dr. CG Pandit National Chair, Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi; with decades of experience with ICMR since 1984.Former Scientist G & Head-Division of Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases, ICMR, New Delhi, Former Director-in-Charge, National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune and Former Director-in-Charge, National AIDS Research Institute (NARI), Pune. He has received several national awards for his meritous work – to mention a few the esteemed national Padma Shri in 2020 and ‘Doctor of Medical Science’ (D. Med. Sc) Honors Causa by the Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed to be University) in 2021. He has over 220 publications in national and international journals.
Dr Raman Gangakhedkar has been working in the field of HIV disease for over three decades. He is an expert in HIV medicine & associated infectious diseases, epidemiology and public health. He was one of key players in advocacy since 1989 and has been involved in policy making at National level on antiretroviral therapy, management of opportunistic infections, prevention of mother-to-child transmission and Sexually Transmitted Infections in addition to other key-population specific policies. He is a popular & astute HIV medicine physician.
He has been a member of many prestigious international committees on different facets of HIV disease including those constituted by AIDS Clinical Trial Group National Institutes of Health, USA, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNAIDS. His efforts to empower the socially challenged populations and enhance their treatment literacy are widely appreciated.
NIPER, Kolkata
Department of Pharmaceuticals
Ministry of Chemical & Fertilizers
Currently the Director of NIPER, Kolkata, Professor V Ravichandiran, is a recipient of the Fellowship awarded by the Association of Biotechnology and Pharmacy, 2018. Associated with the Department of Pharmaceuticals, and the Ministry of Chemical & Fertilizers, he is also the Additional Charge at NIPER, Hajipur, Bihar.
Through his Directorship, the Institute offers post graduate and research programs in 7 disciplines of the pharmaceutical field. His recent publications span over 42 articles, and he is also a recipient of the Best Research Award, SEDEX Conference, University Technology Petronas, Malaysia, 2016.
Over the years, he has also been recognised with the Gold Award, SEDEX Conference, University Technology Petronas, Malaysia, 2016; Silver Medal, Citrex, University of Malaysia Pahang, Malaysia, 2016; Best Teacher award from The TN Dr.MGR Medical University, Chennai, 2011; and Best Pharmacist award from Indian Pharmaceutical Association, 2010.