Abhay Jere

Dr. Padmanabhan Babu: The Unsung Pioneer of microRNA Discovery and Indian Biotech Entrepreneurship: In the early 1970s, while working in Sydney Brenner’s laboratory at Cambridge University, Dr. Padmanabhan Babu conducted a large-scale mutagenesis screen in Caenorhabditis elegans using ³²P decay mutagenesis. Among the mutants he painstakingly isolated was lin-4 (e912) — a worm that failed to develop a vulva and could not lay eggs, producing the now-famous “bag of worms” phenotype, in which eggs hatched internally and consumed the mother. For more than a decade, e912 remained the only known lin-4 mutant, making it the sole genetic entry point into the developmental timing pathway in C. elegans. Decades later, this very mutant became the experimental foundation for Victor Ambros and colleagues’ groundbreaking 1993 discovery that lin-4 does not encode a protein, but instead produces small non-coding RNAs — the first identified microRNA. This finding revealed an entirely new layer of genetic regulation, where tiny RNAs could control developmental timing by binding to complementary sequences in target mRNAs, a mechanism later elucidated in detail by Gary Ruvkun. These breakthroughs ultimately led to the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine being awarded to Ambros and Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNAs. Importantly, in their Nobel lectures, the lin-4 (e912) mutant — and Dr. Babu’s original work was acknowledged as the critical starting point for the field. The Society for Developmental Biology has done a commendable service by documenting and celebrating Dr. Babu’s contributions, ensuring his pioneering role is preserved in the historical record of developmental biology. Beyond Academia: A Pioneer of Biotech Entrepreneurship in India Besides his pioneering academic contributions, Dr. Babu was also one of the earliest biotech entrepreneurs in India. He founded Bangalore Genei, arguably the first molecular biology company in the country. At a time when India was almost entirely dependent on imported molecular biology reagents — often with long delays and high costs — Bangalore Genei began manufacturing these reagents domestically. This bold step not only made cutting-edge research tools more accessible to Indian scientists, but also contributed immensely to biotechnology education and research in India. It was truly a “Make in India” venture before the term existed. Yet, much like his role in the microRNA story, Dr. Babu’s entrepreneurial contributions remain under-recognized, despite their transformative impact on India’s scientific ecosystem. Today, Dr. Babu lives in Bangalore, India — a quiet giant whose legacy bridges two worlds: the foundational biology that led to a Nobel Prize, and the visionary entrepreneurship that helped seed India’s biotechnology industry. #MicroRNA #NobelPrize #DevelopmentalBiology #MolecularBiology #BiotechPioneer #IndianScience #MakeInIndia #Clegans #GeneRegulation #BiotechEntrepreneurship #UnsungHero

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POSTDOCTORAL SCIENTISTS AND UNEQUAL TREATMENT: A LEGAL CHALLENGE UNDER ARTICLE 14 OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION: When the Government of India formally recognizes Post-Doctoral Fellowships (PDF) as a part of the scientific career track, the age limit prescribed for PDF positions should logically align with the age limit for permanent scientific roles that require both Ph.D. and PDF qualifications. Otherwise, it raises valid concerns under Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law.

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#DBTIndiaAllianceSuccessStories Showcasing #DBTIndiaAllianceSuccessStories: notable research and hands-on innovations by Department of Biotechnology and DBT/WT India Alliance that are making a real-world difference. Prof. Shantanu Chowdhury talks about his research on how telomeres impact gene expression, including epigenetics across the genomes! Follow us to discover more inspiring stories shaping the future of biotech innovation! #DBTInnovators #DBTSuccessStories #DBTInnovationVoices Dr Jitendra Singh Rajesh Gokhale BRIC DBT

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