Prof. (Dr.) Shailendra Saxena, is Vice Dean, Professor & Head at Centre for Advance Research (CFAR), King George’s Medical University (KGMU), and Ex-Senior Scientist & Leader (on lien) of Infectious Diseases (Molecular Virology and Immunobiology) at CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, India, a constituent national laboratory of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India). He distinguished himself in Molecular Virology and Immunobiology (infectious diseases) profession and has gained worldwide recognition for his immense contributions in eradication of various infectious diseases. His researches are revolutionary in context, for they seek to free the earth from the malaise of the dangerous viruses that have killed millions of people year after year. He has contributed to research on various emerging and re-emerging viruses like Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), HIV, Chikungunya virus, Poliovirus, Hepatitis, Swine flu, Ebola, Zika virus etc. He made excellent original contribution to our understanding the mechanism of host defense including development of new therapeutic strategies against Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and infection and exhibited outstanding potential in academic and research career in Molecular Virology and Immunobiology (infectious diseases). Dr Saxena has received excellent training in Molecular Virology and Immunobiology (infectious diseases) and human Infectious Diseases with original focus on JEV in his doctoral dissertation at King George’s Medical College, Lucknow, India; research experience with polio virus under the Global Polio Eradication Program of World Health Organization; Hepatitis E virus at United Nation’s International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India; Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDS) at College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson (USA), and professionally trained in Biosafety and Biosecurity (BSL3 and 4) in various countries.
The main research interests of Professor Shailendra Saxena are to understand the epidemiology and molecular mechanisms of host-defense during human viral infections and to develop new predictive, preventive and therapeutic strategies (J Med Virol 2021 (in collaboration with WSV); Methods 2021; ACS Pharmacol. Transl. Sci. 2021; ACS Chem. Neurosci. 2020; Future Microbiol. 2019; Future Microbiol. 2019; Travel Med Infect Dis. 2019; Biomol Concepts. 2018; J Drug Target. 2017; VirusDisease 2016; ACS Chem. Neurosci. 2015; J. Neuroinflammation. 2015; Molecular Brain 2014; Nanomedicine 2012; Fut. Virol. 2009; AVCC 2003) for them using Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. Sect B. Biol. Sci. 2012; Nature Med. 2006; BMJ 2005); and HIV (Science. 2012; PNAS USA 2006 and acclaimed as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Publications globally in the nuclease field), as a model. His studies on the influence of genes that control the pathogenesis of AIDS following HIV infection, has resulted in a first authored presentation (entitled “Risk of HIV/AIDS in vanishing tribes of Andaman and Nicobar, India. (Indian J. Virol. 2006) awarded the International Best Scientific Poster Award (2006) for outstanding research from the Indian Virological Society. He identified the mechanism that explains the faster progression of AIDS in HIV-1 infected newborns and infants than in adults, and demonstrated “Differential HIV-1 replication in neonatal and adult blood mononuclear cells is influenced at the level of HIV-1 gene expression” (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2006; and acclaimed as Top 100 Most Influential Publications in nuclease field in 2006). His results bring us closer to developing new and effective preventive and treatment methods for AIDS by targeting cellular factors that support efficient HIV-1 growth in neonates. Evidences of his scientific contributions are supported by several books (https://www.intechopen.com/profiles/158026), book chapters, and numerous first authored/corresponding author papers in quality peer-reviewed international journals with high impact factor; moreover thirteen outstanding technical reports/reviews/book chapters and more than twenty five abstracts published in journals/proceedings. He has been invited to present his research work in various conferences abroad. His group is internationally recognized for its research on human RNA viruses and therapeutics. His research work not only has been published in various high impact factor journals, but also has high citation (https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=7402626270) by numerous investigators globally in various peer-reviewed journals and prestigious books and monographs.
He is a member of several international learned academies/societies including Indian Virological Society, New York Academy of Sciences, The American Society for Microbiology, The American Society for Virology, The British Science Association (UK), International Society for Antiviral Research (USA), International Society of Applied Biology, Academy of Environmental Biology, etc. and honored by several prestigious National and International Awards, Fellowships and Scholarships in India and abroad. He is recipient of various Young Scientist Medal Awards viz. of BRSI; Academy of Environmental Biology; and Dept. of Science & Technology (UP), ABAP Senior Scientist Award; GMB Investigator in Vector and Vector Borne Disease Award for outstanding pioneer contribution to scientific research in Biomedical Sciences. Prof Saxena has been elected Fellow of The Royal College of Pathologists, United Kingdom; The Royal Society of Medicine, London, UK, The Royal Society of Chemistry London (FRSC), The Royal Society of Biology UK (FRSB), The Academy of Environmental Biology, India (FAEB), Indian Virological Society (FIVS), The Biotech Research Society, India (FBRS), Fellowship of the (European) Academy of Translational Medicine Professionals, Austria (FacadTM); and Elected Full Member of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society (USA). He has been selected for Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, USA, funded HIV/AIDS prevention research MERIT Fellowship. He was chosen among top participants throughout the world for his outstanding innovative research yielding the discovery of a novel therapeutic agent against JEV and was awarded by the International Society for Antiviral Research (USA). The Scientist magazine (USA) has recognized him as “Global Leader in Science” and International Pharmaceutical Industry Consultants (UK) has recognized him “International Opinion Leader / Expert” involved in the vaccination for Japanese encephalitis. He has been awarded Dr. JC Bose National Award of Department of Biotechnology (DBT, Min. of Science & Technology, Govt. of India); KGMU-Academic Excellence Award; Springer Nature Award 2018. Moreover, Springer Nature is bringing his new series of Books and has active collaboration with US universities.
- Secretary, Medical Virology, Indian Virological Society (IVS),
- Executive Committee Member, Indian Virological Society (IVS),
- Member, The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV),
- Member, The World Society for Virology
- Editor-in-Chief, VirusDisease, Springer Nature
- Editor, Infection, Genetics and Evolution, Elsevier B.V.
. expert in virology, if I get a chance to serve as the Head of the Membership Review
Committee, WSV.
– Enhancing Partnership and Networking,
– Forging collaborations with global virology entities,
– Strengthening WSV’s position through strategic partnerships.