Bilikere Dwarakanath

Bilikere Srinivasa Rao Dwarakanath (born August 4, 1955) is a molecular biologist, experimental oncologist, and a radiation biologist, working on 2-DG therapy in cancer research. His current research interests are experimental oncology, radiobiology, biological radioprotection and cell signaling in cancer therapy. He is currently the Joint Director of the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), DRDO, Head, Division of Radiation Biosciences, INMAS, and Adjunct Faculty at the Dr Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi. Dwarakanath has been honoured with the Indira Vasudevan Award for outstanding contribution to cancer research by the Indian Association of Biomedical Scientists and has recently been conferred the Annual Award of the Society for Cancer Research and Communication.

He is one of the members of the three-member committee (along with Prof. S.C. Pancholi of the Nuclear Science Centre and Prof. N.C. Goomer of Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology) that was constituted by the Delhi University to probe the incident of radioactivity leakage in a Delhi scrap market, the source of the radioactive material was traced to the Chemistry department of the University .

Early years

Dwarakanath was born in Bangalore, Karnataka, India to B. N. Srinivasa Rao and B. S. Padmavathi as the third among 5 siblings. He obtained his BSc degree in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics from National College and his MSc degree in Physics from Central College, Bangalore. He obtained his Ph.D. degree from Bangalore University, working at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), under the radiation biologist Viney K. Jain. Dwarakanath was a prodigy as a child, excelling in academics as well as extra-curricular activities. He is a gifted singer and was a part of collegiate theatre groups during his college days. He completed his BSc when he was only 19 and his MSc when he was 21.

At INMAS, Delhi

Dwarakanath joined INMAS, Delhi in April 1994 as "Scientist D". He is currently the Joint Director and HOD, Division of Radiation Biosciences, INMAS . He is also an adjunct faculty at ACBR, Delhi University. He has supervised several PhD students. Dr Dwarakanath is very well known for his contributions in the field of radiation biology. He has been advocating the use of 2-deoyx-D-glucose as an adjuant to radiotherapy for the treatment of cancer. From the elegant work of his group at INMAS it is now apparent that alterations in cell signaling linked to tumor physiology and host tumor interactions contribute significantly to the radio- and chemo-sensitization of tumors by 2-DG. 'Appropriate combinations of tumorocidal agents such as ionizing radiation and chemotherapeutic drugs with 2-DG provide unique opportunities to selectively destroy tumours, reduce toxicity to normal tissues and significantly enhance the therapeutic efficacy’ he mentions in his recent Editorial in Future Oncology .

Professional Appointments

• Scientist G, Additional Director and Head, Division of Radiation Biosciencs, INMAS, DRDO, Lucknow Road, Delhi - 2004 to present
• Scientist D, E and Head, Department of Biocybernetics, INMAS - 1994-2004
• Adjunct Faculty, ACBR, University of Delhi - 1999 to present
• Post-doctoral fellow, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA - 1989-1991
• Visiting Scientist, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany - 1995
• Scientific Assistant, Scientific Officer and Assistant Professor, Department of Biophysics, NIMHANS, Bangalore, India - 1979-1994

Awards, Honours and Publications

Awards and honours

a) Annual Award of the Society for Cancer Research and Communication, 2009 b) DRDO Technology Group Award, 2005 c) Indira Vasudevan award for outstanding contribution to cancer research by the Indian Association of Biomedical Scientists, 1999 d) Young Investigator Award, IX International Congress of Radiation Research, 1991 e) Young Investigator Award, VIII International Congress of Radiation Research, 1987 f) Fellow of the Indian Association of Biomedical Scientists

Publications

• Over 86 publications in peer-reviewed journals
• Over 50 chapters in books and monographs
• Over 185 presentations at international and national conferences
• Editor of the book Biotechnology in Health Care, 2001
• 2 Patents (1 granted, 1 admitted)

Service in Scientific Societies

Dwarakanath has served on the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is currently Vice President of the Indian Society for Analytical Cytology and has previously served as Vice President of the Indian Society for Radiation Biology (2000–2004). In addition, he is Chairman of the Board of Studies (Biomedical Sciences)at the Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Centre, Chennai and a Member of the Board of Studies in Genetics, SRMCRC, Chennai and Bundelkhand University, Jhansi.

External links

• http://www.curehunter.com/public/authorSummary-Dwarakanath,%20B%20S.do?keywordId=D003847
• http://www.drdo.org/labs/inmas/papers.html
• http://www.biomedexperts.com/Profile.bme/352424/Bilikere_S_Dwarakanath
• http://www.indousstf.org/details.aspx?mostprvmytitle=Past%20Programs&prevmytitle=Support%20to%20International%20Events&id=409&

name=International%20Symposium%20on%20Applications%20of%202-Deoxy-D-Glucose%20in%20the%20Management%20of%20Cancer

• http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/000326979190507P