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Noted scientist, former director of CSIR-IITR passes away
Dr Seth had been instrumental in planning and building state-of-the-art Biotech Park in the city of Lucknow and was its first CEO. He also received several honours and awards and was elected fellow of premiere national and international academies.
Dr Prahlad K Seth, former director, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR), Lucknow passed away on Thursday. He breathed his last at AIIMS, New Delhi at 3am where he was undergoing treatment for the last few days, said the IITR press release.
Dr Seth had joined CSIR-IITR (formerly Industrial Toxicology Research Centre), Lucknow as a senior scientist (1971) and served as its director (1997-2003). He had been an adjunct professor, Department of Elementology and Toxicology, Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi; and honorary professor of biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Lucknow University, Lucknow.
He made notable contributions to molecular biology and biotechnology related to health sciences, particularly understanding the effect of chemicals and drugs on the nervous system. He introduced the concept of toxicogenomics and mechanistic toxicology for assessing risk to toxic substances and the need to identify the target molecules to serve as markers of exposure and prediction of adverse effects of chemicals.
Dr Seth had been instrumental in planning and building state-of-the-art Biotech Park in the city of Lucknow and was its first CEO. He also received several honours and awards and was elected fellow of premiere national and international academies.
After obtaining B.Sc and M.Sc (Biochemistry) from Lucknow University, Lucknow Dr Seth pursued his research in the field of ‘biochemical pharmacology’ at King George’s Medical University (formerly King George’s Medical College), Lucknow and obtained PhD in 1967. Soon after he was trained as a post-doctoral researcher at Chicago Medical School, Chicago, USA and served as Research Associate and Assistant Professor (1967-71).
