Summary

Keerikkattil Paily Joy obtained B Sc (1971) and MSc (1973) in Zoology from University of Kerala, Thiruvanathapuram. He was awarded Ph D (1977) from Banaras Hindu University under late Dr. A. G. Sathyanesan, FNA. He conducted post doctoral research in University of Utrecht, The Netherlands with Prof. Dr. P.G.W.J. van Oordt under a UNESCO/IBRO-NUFFIC visiting fellowship (1985-86). He was appointed Lecturer (1977), Reader (1987) and Professor (1997) in Department of Zoology, BHU. He served the department as Head  (2008-11) and Programme Coordinator, Centre of Advanced Study of UGC-SAP during 2005 to 2010 and 2011-15 till retirement in February 2015. He has visited several countries in connection with research.

Academic and Research Achievements: As a faculty member, he was involved in teaching of undergraduate and post graduate courses for 40 years. Dr. Joy has conducted research on neuroendocrinology and reproductive endocrinology of catfish to understand the basic mechanisms of regulation of reproduction with a view to strengthen fish culture in India and abroad. His research work focused on morphological to molecular correlates of the brain-pituitary-gonadal axis. His research work yielded some novel findings such as on the role of catecholestrogens and arginine vasotocin in fish oocyte maturation and ovulation. He made the novel finding that 2-hydroxyestradiol is a potent endogenous inhibitor P450 aromatase. A novel nonapeptide gene Sevatocin was cloned and characterized in catfish. He has published over 160 original full length research papers, 18 reviews/book chapters, and edited 4 books/special issues. He has supervised the Ph. D thesis of 18 students, dissertations of many postgraduate students and summer training students. 22 genes related to hormones/receptors/enzymes/transcription factors were cloned and the sequences were submitted to NCBI database. The research work of Dr. Joy were funded by grants from University Grants Commission, Council of Scientific and Industrial research, Indian Council of Agricultural research, Department of Environment and Department of Science and Technology. He is presently leading an Indo-French research project with multi-centric participation from India and France (INRA). Presently, he is INSA Senior Scientist, Department of Biotechnology, CUSAT, Kochi.

Other Contributions: As member of Policy Planning Committee of Department of Zoology and Faculty of Science and Departmental Research Degree Committee, he was associated with various academic and research activities of BHU. As Head, he supervised administrative, academic and research activities of Department of Zoology. As Coordinator of UGC-CAS, he supervised the research activities for two consecutive terms (2005-10 and 2011-2015).

Awards and Honours: Jawaharlal Nehru Award of ICAR (1979); UNESCO/IBRO-NUFFIC fellowship (1985-86); Associate Editor, Fish Physiology & Biochemistry (Springer), 2007- ; Editor, Journal of Translational Neurosciences, iMEDpub, 2016-; Visiting Professor, Okazaki Research Institutes of Monbusho, Japan, 2000 for 5 months; INSA (New Delhi)-RNAAS (Amsterdam) Exchange of Scientists Visit Award, 1997; INSA- Israel Academy Bilateral Exchange visit of Scientists, 2015; Member, International Advisory Committee of International Symposium on Reproductive Physiology of Fish (2003, 2007, 2011, 2014); Member, International Advisory Board of 27^th Congress of European Comparative Endocrinologists, 2014, Rennes, France; Member, International Neuroendocrine Federation Council, 2008- ; Member, Program Organizing committee of 7^th Congress of Neuroendocrinology, Rouen, France (2010); Chairman, 9^th International Symposium on Reproductive Physiology of Fish, Cochin, August 2011; Chaired sessions: GnRH Neurons in the 7^th Congress of Neuroendocrinology, Rouen, France (2010); Reproductive Endocrinology (Symp 1), 7^th AOSCE Congress, Kuala Lumpur, 2012; 7^th AOSCE Intercongress, NTOUT, Keelung, Taiwan, 2014; delivered Plenary Lecture, 10^th ISRPF, Olhao, Portugal, 2014; Member, UGC-SAP Visiting Committee to Department of Zoology, Jaipur University, 2005; Chairman, UGC-SAP Visiting Committee to Department of Zoology, Visvabharathi, Santiniketan, 2012; Member of Advisory Committee, UGC-DRS, Department of Zoology, Burdwan (2012-17); Member, Research Advisory Committee of CIFA (ICAR), Bhubaneswar (2016-19); Visiting Professor, CIFE (ICAR), Mumbai (2015-); Vice President, Society of Biotechnologists (India), Kochi (2016-).