Two IISER Pune faculty members elected as INSA Fellows

Pune, 30th September 2024: Prof. Anjan Banerjee from the Department of Biology and Prof. Pinaki Talukdar from the Department of Chemistry at IISER Pune have been elected as Fellows of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi.

A total of 63 fellows have been newly elected as Fellows this year from across various science institutions in India. The affiliation will be effective from January 2025 onwards.

Prof. Anjan Banerjee is a plant biologist at IISER Pune whose research focuses on understanding the complex mechanisms underlying plant growth and development in the context of long-distance macromolecular signalling. Prof. Banerjee’s research group uses a combination of advanced molecular techniques, bioinformatics, transcriptomics, ChIP-seq approaches and high-end imaging tools to study signalling in plants.

Prof. Pinaki Talukdar specialises in organic chemistry with a focus on chemical biology applications of supramolecular systems. His group is at the forefront of developing artificial ion transporters and employing them to trigger programmed cell death in cancer cells by disrupting ion homeostasis. He has also created ion transporters that can be activated by multiple stimuli, enabling the selective targeting of cancer cells.

The INSA Fellowship is one of the most prestigious recognitions in Indian science, awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of scientific knowledge and technology. Election to this fellowship acknowledges not only their distinguished research but also the profound impact they have had on both national and international scientific communities.