New Delhi, Nov 12 : Dr. Samir K. Brahmachari today took over the charge of Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

He will also be Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR).

He took over the charge from Department of Science and Technology (DST) Secretary Dr. T Ramasami, who was holding the additional charge as Director General, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR.

Prior to this Dr. Brahmachari held the charge of Director, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), Delhi.

Before joining as Director, IGIB, Dr. Brahmachari, a Ph.D in Molecular Biophysics, was a Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Genetic Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

He has pioneered functional genomics initiative in India and is successfully led the Indian genome Variation Consortium project and presently coordinating a national network project in ‘In Silico Biology’ for drug target development.

He has demonstrated association of two genes to Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder.

Dr Brahmachari has been honoured with several awards and distinctions, including INSA Young Scientists Award (1979); Prof. B.R. Ambedkar Centenary Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research (ICMR) 2005; J.C. Bose Medal (INSA) 2007; and H K Firodia Awards for Excellence in Science and Technology (2007).

Dr Brahmachari is an elected member of the Human Genome Organization (1991) and the HUGO Council (2004).

He has also been a member of various Central Task Forces and Committees.

Dr. Brahmachari has over 130 publications in leading international journals and has five patents and 10 software copyrights to his credit. (ANI)