Vice Chancellor Message

• Credited with Ph. D. and D. Sc. degrees in Zoology, Professor Dash has significantly contributed in the field of biomedical science, particularly on transmission biology of tropical diseases affecting the poorest of the poor. Prof. Dash has devoted his career in developing various tools / technologies / strategies in biomedical science. His notable contributions include: establishing Anopheles annualris as an important vector in rural areas and identification of telomerase activity in gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum. He demonstrated efficacy of drug combinations. He was instrumental in proving the efficacy of Mass Drug Administration (MDA) in India. He has also shown that supplementing MDA with Integrated vector management can prevent LF transmission more efficiently than MDA alone. This strategy has now been included in the LF elimination strategic plan by the World Health Organization. He has contributed in developing an animal model for chemotherapeutic and immunological studies for parasitic diseases. Dr Dash also has developed a simple technique for detecting dengue virus antigens in desiccated mosquitoes which serves as an important tool for surveillance. His contributions on climate change impact on infectious diseases are noteworthy. He has played an important role in involving community in control of diseases like malaria, lymphatic filariasis, visceral leishmaniasis, dengue and chickungunya, and soil transmitted helminthiasis. His contribution in the field of ecological succession of mosquito species distributed in India is most striking. Specially, the research output correlating the change in vector borne disease epidemiology to the change in climate parameters are exemplary. His work on impact of climatic changes on tropical diseases is considered to be models in implicating climatic fluctuations to changes in these diseases.

• His contribution on modern biology of disease vectors is especially significant and meaningful. For example, he was a part of research that sought answers to the question on the molecular taxonomy of Indian mosquito vectors. Employing the multiple genetic fragments with DNA sequencing studies Prof. Dash has contributed in inferring the phylogenetic interrelationships among Indian malaria vectors. Interestingly, the findings corroborated the inferences based on the traditional cyto-taxonomical approaches. Besides research on malaria vectors, he researched on malaria parasites which includes elucidation of uniqueness of the evolutionary patterns of the chloroquine-resistant gene in P. falciparum. Prof. Dash has contributed in comparative genomic studies of genomes of malaria parasites, P. vivax and P. falciparum. The results, for the first time have revealed significant genomic similarities between the two genomes in comparison to essential differences between these two species in terms of epidemiology and pathogenicity. He has also contributed in developing novel genomic markers to understand the population structure and demographic history of Indian P. vivax. Prof. Dash’s contribution in scanning the whole genome of the African malaria vector, An. gambiae has been remarkable. Through whole genome scan of this species of malaria vector, which is a model organism for other species of Anopheles has revealed interesting genomic organization of this species. To be noted that such information has been widely used in inferring many evolutionary phenomena of the genomes of Indian malaria vectors. The genomic study of Indian isolates of P. falciparum and P. vivax has become a benchmark. Prof. Dash has also contributed in developing novel genomic markers to understand the population structure and demographic history of Indian P. vivax. In this context, he has contributed into unraveling the interesting genomic organization functional gene in the malaria parasite, P. falciparum. Such information is unique and has provided baselines for the study of genetic pattern of drug resistance and virulence associated genes in field populations of this species. He has also contributed in understanding the genomic organization of many human genes that are responsible for providing resistance to malaria infection. Using comparative genomic approaches, he has contributed in the basic understanding that how such genes are evolving in humans. One of the major contributions Prof. Dash has made in the field of molecular epidemiology is the determination of high proportion of mixed-species malaria parasite infections in India. Applying an array of molecular protocols and using PCR diagnostic approaches, he has contributed to the understanding that mixed infections of the two principal malaria parasites, P. falciparum and P. vivax can be very high.

• Apart from laboratory level research activities, he also undertook field trials of various intervention measures. These activities were a unique experience to translate science into deliverable products and testing them for actual use to monitor the performance under field conditions. He has also made significant contributions on epidemiology of malaria in India and the challenges faced by the Indian programme to control this disease. He also studied along with his colleagues the histopathology of fatal respiratory distress caused by P. vivax malaria in India. All these contributions are reflected in his publication list attached. He has published more than 250 papersin reputed peer reviewed journals; with high citation index, ‘h’ index and ‘i10’ index. Prof. Dash has contributed in developing human resources in India. This is evidenced by the fact that he has guided as many as 12 Ph. D. students and several post-doctoral fellows who have become successful scientists.

• Apart from laboratory level research activities, he also undertook field trials of various intervention measures. These activities were a unique experience to translate science into deliverable products and testing them for actual use to monitor the performance under field conditions. He has also made significant contributions on epidemiology of malaria in India and the challenges faced by the Indian programme to control this disease. He also studied along with his colleagues the histopathology of fatal respiratory distress caused by P. vivax malaria in India. All these contributions are reflected in his publication list attached. He has published more than 250 papersin reputed peer reviewed journals; with high citation index, ‘h’ index and ‘i10’ index. Prof. Dash has contributed in developing human resources in India. This is evidenced by the fact that he has guided as many as 12 Ph. D. students and several post-doctoral fellows who have become successful scientists.