During the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) Foundation Day celebration, on 26 September, the recipients of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for 2020 were announced. Dr. Vatsala Thirumalai of the NCBS has been awarded this prize for her work in the biological sciences. 14 scientists from various fields received India’s highest science award this year.
On receiving this prestigious award, Dr. Thirumalai acknowledged the various agencies that have supported her work, and the efforts of everyone who has been a part of her lab’s journey, “Thank you past and present members of my lab-the award is yours as much as mine. Hope you continue to keep me on my toes!”
Dr. Thirumalai heads the Neural Circuits and Development Lab. The lab works on understanding the hierarchy, mechanisms, and development of neural circuits that generate movement. They use an interesting model system to study how movement is generated- the zebrafish, a small fresh water tropical fish. The embryonic and larval stages of these fish are transparent, which enables the researchers to directly observe the developing internal organs, including the brain.
The community at the NCBS campus, and wider scientific community is awash with congratulations for Dr. Thirumalai’s group, and Prof. Satyajit Mayor, Director of NCBS, shared his, “Congratulations Vatsala! Kudos to you, and all your students and post docs too.”
Image credit: Moumita Mazumdar
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