Sudha Gangal (nee Sudha Mate), after her marriage, obtained BSc degree in Zoology (1954). She joined Cancer Research Institute (CRI) (then Indian Cancer Research Centre) and completed her MSc (1959) and PhD (1963) degrees under the guidance of Dr Kamal Ranadive. She did her post-doctoral research on NIH Fellowship at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with Dr DJ Merchant and Dr Don Shreffler, where she conducted studies on expression of H-2 antigens in mouse cell lines grown in vitro for several years. She had collaborative projects with Germany, and visited France and China on Scientific Exchange Visitors Programmes. She also participated in ICRC anti-leprosy vaccine project as co-PI. She was invited to conduct immunological investigation on victims of MIC exposure in Bhopal mishap, at Pittsberg, USA. At present Dr Gangal is an Emeritus Professor at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Biotechnology, Bharati Vidyapeeth in Pune.

Academic and Research Achievements: On her return from USA, Dr Gangal established a Cancer Immunology Division at CRI. Her main area of research was immunology of oral cancer. She handled several aspects of cellular immune responses in oral cancer patients to autologous and allogeneic tumor cells. Gangal established several oral cancer cell lines in vitro. In 1980s she started hybridoma laboratory in CRI. She developed monoclonal antibodies to oral cancer cells, alfa-feto-protein and myeloid leukemic cells. She has trained about twenty five MSc/PhD students.

Other Contributions: After retirement from CRI, Dr Gangal accepted a position of Research Director at Wadia children's Hospital in Mumbai. She established Genetic clinic, and boosted up the programme of mutation analysis for prenatal diagnosis of Thalessemia. Dr Gangal is an active member of Indian Women Scientist's Association (IWSA). She has served as President of IWSA, Indian Immunology Society and Indian Association of Cancer Research. She was on Editorial Board of journals In vitro (USA), British Journal of Cancer - Oral Oncology and Indian Journal of Medical Research. In Pune, she functioned as Vice President of Moving Academy of Medicine and Biomedicine devoted to supplement science education and taking benefits of developments in medicine to rural population. Dr Gangal has authored the book 'Principles and Practice of Animal Tissue Culture'. She was a Member of the Council of Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore, Member, INSA Council (1996-98) and a member of International Cell Research Organization.

Awards and Honours: Dr Gangal was awarded NIH post-doctoral Fellowship (1964), IARC travel Fellowship (1971), Commonwealth Fellowship (1974), Raja Ravi Sher Singh Memorial Award of ICMR (1974) and Ranbaxy Foundation Award (1981). She is a Fellow of Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore.