Ashoka University Appoints Renowned Biologist Dr. Hiroshi Hamada as ‘Distinguished Professor of Biology’
New Delhi : Ashoka University today announced the appointment of Dr. Hiroshi Hamada as a Distinguished Professor of Biology. This notable addition reinforces the university’s commitment to fostering an academic culture that encourages intellectual curiosity and interdisciplinary perspectives. The Department of Biology at Ashoka University serves as a vibrant hub of knowledge integration, drawing insights from diverse disciplines, including chemistry, physics, data sciences, climate and environmental sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.
Dr. Hiroshi Hamada was previously team leader at the Laboratory for Organismal Patterning within the RIKEN Centre for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR), Japan, of which he was also the Director. During his tenure at RIKEN, he conducted ground-breaking research in developmental biology, focusing on elucidating the processes involved in establishing the body axis in vertebrates and uncovering the intricate mechanisms governing left-right asymmetry in early-stage embryos. Dr. Hamada’s outstanding research accomplishments has also led to his appointment as a Foreign Member of the Royal Society, the oldest continuously operating scientific academy in the world and the national science academy of the United Kingdom.
Speaking about his appointment, Dr. Hiroshi Hamada said, “I am excited to be a part of Ashoka University, an institution that has showcased growing momentum in pushing the boundaries of natural sciences, and a strong commitment towards cutting-edge interdisciplinary scientific research. I am eager to continue working on breakthroughs in the field of developmental biology in collaboration with the exceptional faculty and students at Ashoka.
In 2016, Dr Hamada was elected as an Associate member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation. Additionally, his exceptional achievements were acknowledged with the prestigious Keio Medical Science Prize in 2014.
“We are honoured to welcome Dr. Hiroshi Hamada at Ashoka University as our Distinguished Professor of Biology. His works in the field of developmental biology, particularly his work on understanding the formation of left-right asymmetry in the body of vertebrate embryos, have been breakthrough contributions to the body of scientific knowledge. His presence would help the university in continuing to push our current research envelope, benefiting both students and the sciences at large”, said Somak Raychaudhury, Vice-Chancellor, Ashoka University.
Ashoka University is also home of the Trivedi School of Biosciences, which focuses on cutting-edge research in synthetic biology, data science, and disease biology, as well as innovative pedagogical methods in Biology. It approaches problems from an interdisciplinary perspective, for instance using artificial intelligence and machine learning to study major diseases in India like tuberculosis and breast cancer.