VM Katoch did his MBBS (1974) from Shimla and MD (1978) from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. He obtained specialized training at the VA Medical Centre, Long Beach, USA (1980-81) and at the National Institute for Medical Research, UK (1984-85). He joined Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) as a Talent Search Schemes (TSS) Fellows and was posted at JALMA Agra (1978). He became Director of this Institute (2001); selected as First Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and is presently the Director-General, ICMR, New Delhi.

Academic and Research Achievements: Katoch developed the molecular methods of rapid diagnosis of TB, leprosy and DNA chips; DNA fingerprinting methods; viability determination methods like ATP bioluminescence, etc. Studies carried out by his group in collaboration with others have led to important new findings and new technologies such as enzyme based methods in 1980s, molecular biology based techniques in 1990s and genomics based methods in the recent past. These studies have resulted in identification of new genotypes, new diagnostic techniques / molecules for better understanding of molecular basis of drug resistance and mechanisms of pathogenesis of TB, leprosy and other mycobacterial infections. He has published 247 research papers.

Awards and Honours: Katoch is a recipient of various awards such as: Young Scientist Award of IAMM (1985); Shere-I-Kashmir Shiekh Abdulla Memorial Oration Award (1989); Dr CGS Iyer Oration Award of ICMR (1990); Erwin Stindl Memorial Oration Award of German Leprosy Relief-Organization (1991); Dr SC Agarwal Oration Award IAMM (1994); Dr Manu Patel Prize of IADVL (1999); JALMA Trust Fund Oration Award of ICMR (1999), IAMM Endowment Award (2003); and Ranbaxy Science Foundation Award (2004). He is a Fellow of National Academy of Sciences (India), Allahabad; National Academy of Medical Sciences; and Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore.