Avadhesha Surolia received BSc (1970) from Jodhpur University, MSc (1972) from MS University and PhD (1976) from Madras University. He worked as Scientist (1976-81), Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata; Assistant Professor (1981-86), Associate Professor (1986-91), Professor (1991- ), Chairman, Molecular Biophysics Unit (2000-06), all at Indian Institute of Science (IISC), Bangalore; and Director, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi (2006- ).

Academic and Research Achievements: Surolia's pioneering contributions are on structure and function of lectins, orientation and dynamics of cell surface carbohydrate receptors and protein folding. His original strategies for drug and DNA delivery are widely acclaimed. Surolia explained the enigmatic endotoxin neutralizing activity of polymyxin B to its specific ability to remove endotoxin from its assembly and attributed it to its unique amphiphilicity. He popularized protein A as a tool in immunology. He discovered the fatty acid synthesis pathway in human malarial parasite that is distinct from its human host and its interference by triclosan a biocide, paving the way for novel anti-malarial development.

Other Contributions: Surolia served as Member of the International Glycoconjugate Organization (1998), International Molecular Biologists Network (1998), Guha Research Conference (1978), Society of Biological Chemists (India) (Life Member) and Indian Biophysical Society (Life Member).

Awards and Honours: Professor Surolia was bestowed the SS Bhatanagar Award (1987), the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) Prize in Biology (2001), Dr BR Ambedkar Centenary Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research (2003), Mellanby Memorial Lecture Award (2000) by CDRI, Lucknow, Goyal Prize in the Area of Life Sciences (2002), Alumni Award by IISc (1999), Ranbaxy Science Foundations Award (1995), Shri Om Prakhash Bhasin Award for Biotechnology (1993), FICCI Award (1993), WH Stillmark Prize (Honorary) (1990), Sreenivasaya Memorial Award (1982), Andhra University Medallion Awarded (1980), VASAVIK Award in Biological Sciences and Technology (1980), Dr CS Patel Gold Medal (1978), Young Biophysicist Fellowship, International Biophysics Congress (1978), and INSA Young Scientist Medal (1976). He was elected Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore (1987), National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad (1995), and TWAS (2003). He was President, International Glycoconjugate Organization (2003-05) and on the Board of Trustees, Human Frontier Science Programme Organization (2006- ).