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R.N.K.Bamezai with B.Sc. degree from Government Degree College, Udhampur and M.Sc. from University of Kashmir, J&K pursued his Ph.D. at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and got his degree in February 1979. He worked in the area of Human Genetics and his Ph.D. work related to ‘Prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders and management of risk pregnancies’. The Professional Career of Professor Bamezai began at IMS, BHU (1980-89) and then at JNU (1989-onwards), where he became Professor in 1996, the Co-ordinator of Bioinformatics (1997-1998), Founder-Co-ordinator of National Centre of Applied Human Genetics-School (2002 onwards), Dean School of Life Sciences (2004-2006) and Dean School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, JNU. He served as a Vice Chancellor of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Katra, J&K between January 2010-2013. He also served as a visiting (adjunct) faculty at the Institute of Life Sciences, Manipal University, and as an Hon. Director, of Delhi School of Public Health, Institution of Eminence, University of Delhi (after his retirement). Academic and Research Achievements: The original contribution by Prof. Bamezai in initial one and a half decade from 1973 onwards was the discovery of M3 endoreduplicated chromosomes with the possibility of scoring mitotic recombinations. Scoring of mitotic recombinations has not been achieved till date in normal human chromosomes, though assumptions exist. Distinguishing Homo sapiens from one another and the diseased (with leprosy or tuberculosis; and type 2 diabetes or breast or oesophageal cancer - as complex disease models) from the ‘normal’ was addressed by Prof. Bamezai as a single theme of his research activity. He adopted a two pronged approach of understanding the genetic diversity at molecular level between different population groups and studied the unique molecular signatures between normal and diseased. His scientific achievements range from the discovery of first Bloom syndrome case in India, and suggesting an involvement of an additional gene, PKM2, in explaining its clinical features. His work till his retirement continued to understand the metabolomic implications due to the perturbation of this glycolytic pathway enzyme, especially in cancer conditions, and the possible therapeutic target identification to contain tumor growth. His interesting contribution on microRNA and its role in cancer showed its potential for therapeutic intervention in combination with minimal doses of cancer drugs and/or nutraceuticals. Other Contributions: Professor Bamezai acted as a Council Member of the International Association of Environmental Mutagen Societies (2008 onwards); Fellow at the Medical Genetics Centre, Sylvius Laboratories, The Netherlands (1998); Fellow at Salzburg, Austria (2000); Member HUGO (Human Genome Organization); Elected member GRC (Guha Research Conference), Member American Society of Human Genetics, U.S.A., Member Editorial advisory board of: Open Bentham Journal on Systems Biology; International Journal of Human Genetics, Indian Journal of Human Genetics, and editorial Board member of the Indian Journal of Experimental Biology. He has been on the editorial board of the international journal 'Human Genetics', Chief Editor of an online journal, 'Research Reports' and an Associate Editor of an online journal, Dialogue-Science, Scientists and Society' of the Academy of Sciences, Bengaluru. He has been involved in enthusing young students and teachers by imparting hands-on training and delivering lectures at different colleges and universities. He has acted as a member of Plan, advisory, screening, visiting Expert Committees and Task Forces over decades. He has performed an important role of a basic medical scientist to set norms for the ethical committee at Escorts Hospital and Research Centre, New Delhi and established in JNU the Institutional Ethics Review Board as its Founder Chairman. He has acted on the Review Panel of several highly reputed International and National journals. As early as 1978 he acted as a Scientific Secretary of a DST-supported-National seminar on “Management of Indian Science for Development and Self Reliance” which covered all areas of science and technology and the society. The same spirit of bridging the gap between higher educational institutions and the society around was initiated as a Vice Chancellor at SMVDU as well. Awards and Honours: He was honoured with Hari Om Ashram-Jagdish Chander Bose award for the year 2000 by the University Grants Commission; Acharya Abinavgupta Samman for monumental work in the field of Human Genetics in the year 2003 by the then Chief Minister of J&K on behalf of G.M.College of Education and H.E.Society Kashmir, in its Golden jubilee year; KECSS award in Genomic Research by the Kashmir Education, Culture & Science Society, New Delhi in the year 2009, Late Dr. L.D. Sanghvi oration Award of the The Indian Society of Human Genetics 2012 for his outstanding contributions in the field of Huamn Genetics and was a Monbusho Fellow in the year 1985 in Kochi Medical School, Japan. He was conferred with Padma Shri award in the year 2012 in Science & Engineering by the President of India. |
