Gyan Chandra Mishra obtained his BSc and MSc degrees from Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur and PhD degree from University of Udaipur, Udaipur. He joined Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow as a Pool Scientist. He obtained formal training in immunology at the Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre at Dallas, USA. He returned to India (1987) to join as a staff scientist at the Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh and later took the responsibility as Director of National Center for Cell Science (1995).

Academic and Research Achievements: At IMTECH, Mishra started a research group that engaged in understanding the basics of immune signals that are essential for resolving Th1 and Th2 sub-sets. He focused on the pathways of function of the cell surface molecules, especially, the co-stimulatory molecules, responsible for the immunological differentiation process. He identified three new molecules that are thought to be critical in co-stimulatory signals of the immune system. Interestingly, these molecules are differentially glycosylated forms of general housing keeping genes. These discoveries have tremendous potential in therapeutic regulation of the immune system for several intracellular pathogens like HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. His work on the functional analysis of the effects of antibody/receptor interactions on the proliferation and differentiation of lymphokine responsive normal, neoplastic B cells and affinity maturation too have received wide appreciation. He has mentored about 8 students for their doctoral degree.

Other Contributions: Mishra focused on other fundamental questions regarding immunological basis of pathogen susceptibility and resistance, bio-sensors, HIV, leishmaniasis and malaria. As Director of Center for Cell Science he is engaged in frontline research.

Awards and Honours: Dr Mishra is a recipient of Ranbaxy Research Foundation Award (2002) and Padma Shri. He is a Fellow of National Academy of Science (India), Allahabad; and Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore.