Hyderabad: Prof Amitabha Chattopadhyay, Science and Engineering Research Board Fellow at CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, has been conferred with G.N. Ramachandran Gold Medal for Excellence in Biological Sciences and Technology.
The award celebrates a scientist with outstanding contribution in progressing human knowledge in their field of specialization based on their work done in India. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has been bestowing this award since 2004 in memory of Dr G N Ramachandran, the founding father of structural biology in India. The award includes a Gold medal and a citation.
Prof Chattopadhyay’s interest lies in understanding the functioning of cell membrane and receptors housed on the membranes. A special focus of his work is the role of cholesterol in the function and dynamics of these receptors with implications in various diseases.
Most of these studies in the lab have centred on elucidating the biology of serotonin1A receptors – a target of choice for many antidepressant drugs. The complete list of publications from his lab (http://e-portal.ccmb.res.in/espace/amit/Pages/complete%20publications.htm) gives an idea of the academic achievements over the years.