Padmabhushan Professor Padmanabhan Balaram is a
distinguished Indian chemist known for his extensive
contributions to the field of bio-organic chemistry and molecular
biology. He served as the Director of the Indian Institute of
Science (IISc), Bangalore, from 2005 to 2014.
He got his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Pune University
and a Master’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology
(IIT), Kanpur. Balaram completed his PhD in Chemistry from
Carnegie Mellon University, USA.
He then pursued postdoctoral research at Harvard University with Nobel laureate Robert
Burns Woodward. His research primarily focuses on the structure, function, and design of
peptides and proteins. He has made pioneering contributions in the study of peptide
conformations and synthetic biology. His work on the secondary structure of peptides,
protein folding, and structural biology is highly regarded. He is known for employing nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy techniques in
studying biomolecular structures.
Balaram’s work also includes significant contributions to understanding the principles of
molecular design in proteins and peptides, particularly the design of novel protein structures.
During his tenure as the Director of IISc, he played a crucial role in shaping the academic
and research environment of one of India’s premier research institutions. He focused on
advancing the quality of research, infrastructure, and promoting interdisciplinary research
initiatives.
Professor Balaram has received numerous national and international awards for his work.
Some of the prominent ones include:
• Padma Bhushan (2014), one of India’s highest civilian honors, for his contributions in
science and engineering.
• Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Chemical Sciences.
• TWAS Prize from The World Academy of Sciences.
• Nobel Laureate RB Merrifield Award for his work in the area of peptides.
He is a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Indian National Science Academy, and
The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).
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