Profile of Dr. Dr. Vijayalakshmi

Ravindranath is the Founder Director of the National Brain Research Centre also a Deemed University, which has been recently established by the Government of India as a centre of excellence to co-ordinate and network neuroscience research groups in the country.

After completing her Master's degree, she obtained her Ph.D in Biochemistry from Mysore University in India and carried out post-doctoral research at the National Institutes of Health, USA. Prior to taking over the current position at NBRC, she was a Professor of Neurochemistry at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore where her research centered on identifying the factors involved in differential drug response often seen in patients with mental illnesses.

She has also been studying the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease and motor neuron disease. She has spear-headed efforts at NBRC and networked over 42 institutions involved in neuroscience research and helped to develop multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary collaborations while making available the facilities at NBRC to neuroscientists from other centers.

Through the efforts at networking with other neuroscientists both within the country and abroad, newer areas of research such as neuroinformatics have been initiated not only at NBRC but also in several networked centres of NBRC and helped revitalize the growth of modern neuroscience in India.

Scientific and Academic Recognition
1. Maduri Sitamma Memorial Scholarship (1972-74)
2. Bhatnagar Memorial Prize (1974)
3. Jeypore Vikram Deo Medal (1974)
4. Prof. T. Seshadri Shastiabhdhapurti Prize (1974)
5. Prof. Gopala Rao Shatiabhdhapurti Prize (1974)
6. Fogarty International Fellowship (1982)
7. Visiting Professor, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.A., 1989.
8 Member, Editorial Board of the International Journal,"NEUROTOXICITY RESEARCH", USA.
9. National Representative for the Toxicology Commission of International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry, 1997-2002.
10. Fellow, Indian Academy of Neurosciences, 1996.
11. S.S. Bhatnagar Award for Medical Sciences, 1996.
12. Fellow, The National Academy of Sciences, India, 1998.
13. Fellow, International College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2000.
14. Fellow, Indian Academy of Science, 2001.
15. Fellow, Third World Academy of Sciences, 2002
16. Fellow, Indian National Science Academy, 2004.
17. Member, Working Group on Neuroinformatics of Global Science Forum, 2000.
18. Member, Editorial Board, Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics
19. Member, Governing Council of International Brain Research Organisation
20. Member, Council of Federation of Asian and Oceanian Neuroscience Societies, 2001
21. Member, Council, National Academy of Sciences, 2002
22. Omprakash Bhasin Award for Science and Technology, 2001
23. K.P. Bhargava Medal of INSA (2001).