The World Health Organisation (WHO) nominated India’s renowned toxicologist and the recipient of India’s President award for the basic and applied sciences -2018 Prof. Ashis K. Mukherjee, Director, Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), a ISO 9001:2015 Guwahati, an autonomous research Institute of DST, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt of India as an expert member of its Strategic Plan for Control and Prevention of Snakebite.

Millions worldwide who face the risk of deadly and disabling venomous snakebites will benefit from this effort of WHO to tackle the neglected issue of snakebite mostly in tropical countries. Notably, Indian subcontinent has witnessed the highest incidence of venomous snakebites in the world that resulted in millions of deaths and/or disabilities of bite victims. The World Health Organisation has drawn together a roster of leading experts worldwide, including India’s one of leading toxinolgists Prof. Mukherjee who will join with other scientists to help enact the WHO’s strategy for stopping deaths from snakebites worldwide.

Prof. Mukherjee, who has been working for more than 26 years on snake venom and treatment of venomous snakebite has received both Ph. D. and D. Sc. degrees on analysis of Indian snake venom toxins. His current research is primarily focused on proteomic analysis of snake venoms, pharmacological re-assessment of medicinal plants used against venomous snakebite, quality assessment of commercial antivenom, and drug discovery from natural resources including snake venom. Prof. Mukherjee is also the taskforce member of the committees of DBT and ICMR on prevention and control of snakebite envenoming.

Prof. Mukherjee expresses his gratitude to WHO for nominating him as one of the snakebite envenoming experts for support to eradicate venomous snakebites around the world with their strategic plan.