Monday, Jan 03, 2005
Monday, Jan 03, 2005 |
| National | ||||
|
News:
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Engagements |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | National
By N. Ravi Kumar
M. Madan Babu
CHENNAI, JAN. 2. Small things can sometimes make a lot of difference, like the inclusion of biotechnology in the high school curriculum when M. Madan Babu stepped into standard XI. Some might call it his luck, but for the 25-year-old winner of the prestigious Max Perutz prize for outstanding research carried out at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, United Kingdom, the inclusion was the turning point of his career. "The school lessons exposed me to biotechnology and developed my interest to pursue higher studies in the field," says Dr. Madan Babu, conferred with the prize in October and presently working in the field of computational molecular biology. He recently completed his assignments as a visiting fellow at the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, attached to the National Institute of Health, United States of America. A bright student, who stood first in his school — M.CT.M Higher Secondary School, Chennai — and third Statewide in the matriculation examination, he graduated from the Centre for Biotechnology of Anna University with a gold medal in the field of `industrial' biotechnology. Given his strong foundations, especially working with P. Balaram, professor at the Indian Institute of Science as the Young Fellow of the Institute, the long list of academic awards from various institutions that his resume contains doesn't come as a surprise. Dr. Madan Babu, who completed his doctorate in three years, has his focus on defining the intricate working patterns of molecules within cells to prevent diseases. Noting that it would take a lot of money and experiments, if such level of research were to be pursued in India, he says: "The objective is to prepare a blueprint of all the connections pertaining to the growth and life of cells." The idea is to study multiple growth conditions of cells to understand the common principles that would eventually help in tracking down the rogue molecules and addressing them with suitable chemicals. While the data on transcriptional connections of the genes, based on experiments on yeast, is available, it would not be long before it graduates to cover human cells leading to the manufacture of "personalised medicines" to ensure a disease-free life. Dr. Madan Babu, who is interested in systems biology and molecular pathogenesis, says charting such interactions among genes encoded within harmful bacterial pathogens and other abnormal cells would help eradicate deadly diseases. Though his success might have come from across the shores, the young scientist is keen on returning to India and work as a research scientist. Even during his annual visits to the country, he makes it a point to deliver lectures in colleges and universities. "I do that to inspire students and make them realise what they can do."
Printer friendly
page
News:
Front Page |
National |
Tamil Nadu |
Andhra Pradesh |
Karnataka |
Kerala |
New Delhi |
Other States |
International |
Opinion |
Business |
Sport |
Miscellaneous |
Engagements |
|
|
|
The Hindu Group: Home | About Us | Copyright | Archives | Contacts | Subscription Group Sites: The Hindu | Business Line | The Sportstar | Frontline | The Hindu eBooks | The Hindu Images | Home |
Copyright © 2005, The
Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of
this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of
The Hindu
|
