Snakebite is a neglected tropical disease affecting rural population of Indian sub-continent where more than 100,000 deaths are recorded per year. India has a rich range of snake fauna, out of which only 242 species have been identified which includes 57 venomous species of snakes.

Professor Ashis. K. Mukherjee from the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of Tezpur University has received the highest academic degree Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in the field of Biotechnology from the University of Calcutta for his remarkable contribution in snake venom research and snake bite therapy. The award was conferred to him by the Governor of West Bengal and Chancellor of the University Keshri Nath Tripahty at the Annual Convocation of the University held on January 11, 2018.

Prof. Mukherjee is among the few notable scientists who have been pursuing research in exceedingly specialized but neglected area of snake venom from the past 24 years. He received Ph.D. in 1998 from Burdwan University for his work on biochemical characterization of cobra and Russell’s viper venom.

The research contribution of Prof. Mukherjee is expected to significantly improve the current status of people’s knowledge on the pathophysiology and the mechanism of action of several novel/previously uncharacterized toxins of snake venoms. Prof. Mukherjee has also pinned down the problems associated with commercial anti-venom and suggested measures for improving the quality and efficacy of anti-venom for the betterment of snakebite treatment.

Further, his group has also discovered novel/ superior peptide-based therapeutic molecules, better than the commercial drugs, from the underexplored snake venom. Prof. Mukherjee also visited at University of Connecticut Health Center, USA, University of Northern Colorado, USA, and National University of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia for exploring novel drugs and diagnostic molecules from snake venom.

Prof. Mukherjee has received several national as well as international awards and medals such as ISCA Young scientist award, National Bioscience and CREST awards from DBT, BOYSCAST fellowship from DST, and Best Researchers Award from TU for his academic and research excellence.