MUMBAI, 30 SEPTEMBER, 2020 (GPN): It is a matter of great pride for the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) that one of its alumnus Dr. Shubhadeep Chatterjee received Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar(SSB) Prize for Science & Technology, the highest science award in India, for the year 2020 in the biological sciences category.Dr. Shubhadeep Chatterjee joined JMI in the Department of Biosciences in 1993 and completed his B.Sc Bioscience from the university in 1996.

Dr. Chatterjee is currently working as a Scientist-Plant-Microbe Interactions at the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostic (CDFD), Hyderabad, Telangana.Dr Chatterjee was chosen for SSB Prize for identifying a reversible, non-genetic process that bacterial cells use to regulate their population, with a process known as quorum sensing (QS).

The discovery has served as a landmark contribution since its publication, inspiring further interesting areas of work in theoretical modelling of QS in bacteria.His research has since helped better understand a family of economically-significant plant pathogens (Xanthomonas). Discoveries made though Dr Chatterjee’s research have also thrown light on fundamental systems that bacteria use for social communication, how bacteria metabolise iron, and other kinds of regulation in bacteria.

His contributions in understanding basic quorum sensing mechanisms in Xanthomonas, the coordination of cell systems and signals from the environmental (e.g. iron) have been particularly pronounced.Dr Chatterjee is recipient of several prestigious awards such as Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award (IYBA-2009) and National Bioscience Award for Carrier Development from Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.In addition, he is the fellow of National Academy of Sciences (NASI), India; and member of the prestigious Guha Research Conference (GRC, India). ENDS