Dr Subhash Babu, first Indian scientist to be awarded Bailey K. Ashford Medal

The medal is presented annually to one or more mid-career researchers for distinguished work in tropical medicine by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), the largest scientific organization in tropical medicine in the world.

In its 82-year history, the award has never been given to an Indian scientist or an Indian institution for work.

According to an official statement from  ASTMH, Dr. Subash Babu is the first Indian to receive both the Bailey K. Ashford medal and the FASTMH award. He is the Scientific Director of the ICER (International Centre for Excellence in Research)-India Programme. He is a pioneer in research on helminth infections and tuberculosis.

On October 30, 2022, Dr. Babu received the Bailey K. Ashford medal at the annual ASTMH meeting in Seattle, USA. He received the FASTMH award in addition to the Bailey K. Ashford award for his dedication to tropical medicine since 1995.

Dr. Daniel Bausch, President of the ASTMH said “Dr. Subash Babu has made major contributions to the elucidation of the key immunological underpinnings of diseases including filariasis, influences of helminthic-infection on metabolic disorders, and the interface between diabetes and tuberculosis. Most importantly, his seminal work on the influence of Type 2 diabetes in TB in response to anti-TB therapy has wide-ranging impact in the TB field and for global health.”

Dr. Subash Babu earned his medical degree in Tamil Nadu from the Government Kilpauk Medical College and his doctorate in immunology from the University of Connecticut in the United States. He returned to India in 2006 to establish the ICER on the campus of ICMR-NIRT in Chennai following his fellowship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The NIH in Bethesda, USA, provides funding for his portfolio of research, which focuses on endemic infections in India. Through extensive field research, international collaborations, and clinical trials, Babu has developed a highly productive program.

The immunology of various India-endemic infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, filariasis, strongyloidiasis, and hookworm infections, has benefited greatly from this research.

Dr Thomas Nutman, Chief of the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases (LPD) at the NIH, nominated Subash.

“Subash has made major contributions to the immunology of human helminth infections and TB. Over the last 20 years, he has committed himself to apply his extraordinary talent in basic and translational research to important public health problems in India,” Dr Nutman said.

Dr. Subhash is a mentor for graduate and undergraduate students from 30 Indian academic institutions and has been the principal or co-investigator of 31 research protocols.

Babu is highly regarded in his field and has received numerous prestigious awards, including over 240 publications in international academic journals and book chapters.

He has given talks about his work at a number of national and international conferences. He also writes book chapters for important textbooks, such as Topley and Wilson’s Microbiology and Microbial Infections and Elsevier’s Clinical Immunology, which are used in medical schools and graduate programs all over the world.

In addition, he is a Course Faculty in national and international institutions, a Grant Reviewer for numerous international agencies, and a member of the Editorial Boards of numerous renowned international journals. He also serves on the Scientific Program Committees of several international societies.

With inputs from ANI