Faculty, Scientists & Research Guides

Prof. Achuthsankar S. Nair (‘Achu’) heads the Department of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics at University of Kerala. He holds the following degrees: B. Tech (College of Engg, Trivandrum); M.Tech (IIT, Bombay); M.Phil (University of Cambridge, UK) and PhD in Engineering and PhD in Music , both from University of Kerala. Previously he has taught in various engineering colleges, universities and institutes both in India and abroad. He was visiting Professor in University of Korea, Seoul in 2007) and Served as Director of the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT), Govt of Kerala (2001-2004). He has held various responsibilities in University of Kerala as member of Academic Council, Senate, Dean of Faculty of Technology, Director of Quality Assurance, Director of International Affairs, Director of Start-up Centre etc. He has a modest number of research publications (authored together with his research students). He has guided 25 PhDs. He has authored over 250 technical and general articles on a broad spectrum of fields including IT, Education, History, Music, Environment, Mathematics and Media. He has written more than 12 popular science books and two books of literary nature, one being a humorous science fiction book and another, a novel, under publication. He has been honoured with: Young Scientist Award of Govt. of Kerala (1991), Cambridge Barclay Scholarship (1991); ISTE National Award for Young Engineering Teachers (1994); INSA Teacher Award (2014) and Vaikkam Maulavi Award for Social Service (2015).

Dr. Oommen V. Oommen has been spearheading and supporting our Centre from the day of its inception. He holds PhD and MSc from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. He has more than 30 years of research and teaching experience in Endocrinology, Animal physiology, Biochemistry, Genetics etc., and has published more than 130 papers (including in Science). He leads a research link with MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas, USA on plant products in Cancer research. The International Symposia on Translational Research, which he organized, was inaugurated by the President of India. Prof. Oommen has very recently entered into research collaboration with Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) Hyderabad. Scientists from Natural History Museum, London honored him by naming a caecilian amphibian species after him (Ureaotyphlus Oommeni). He has produced 20 PhDs. He likes to share the knowledge of Science to anyone including school children. 

Dr. P.R. Sudhakaran

Emeritus Professor, University of Kerala

Prof P.R. Sudhakaran presently serves as Emeritus Scientist (Sir Asuthosh Mukherjee Fellow) in Department of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics. He joined Department of Bio-chemistry, University of Kerala after completing his PhD from the same institution and post-doctoral research at University of Munster, Germany. In a career span of more than three and half decades, he supervised 37 doctoral students and guided the thesis works of 12 MPhil students. He has published 141 research articles, 4 book chapters, and edited 3 books. He served as the visiting scientist at institutions such as USDA, Beltsville (USA), Institute of Arteriosclerosis Research, Münster (Germany), IARC, Lyon (France), National Food Research Institute (Japan), and University of Alberta (Canada). He is a recipient of several fellowships and awards such as Fellow Royal Society of Medicine, Fellow National Academy of Medical Sciences, JC Bose Award for Research in Life Science, Asuthosh Mukherjee Fellowship, and KSCSTE Emeritus Scientist Award. He also held the position of Director Kerala Biotechnology Commission, Dean of School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Kerala, and Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Kerala. He was a Member, Executive Committee, KSCSTE, Member of Scientific Advisory Council, ICMR Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair. Some of his prominent associations with various organizations are: President, Society for Translational Research, President, Indian Society for Atherosclerosis Research, President of Kerala Academy of Sciences, Member IQAC, Member/Coordinator of peer team for institutional evaluation by NAAC, UGC, Vice Chairman for conduct of PG Programmes in 38 departments of University of Kerala under CSS Scheme.