Professor Alok Dhawan is currently Director, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow. He also served as Founding Director, Institute of Life Sciences, and Dean, Planning and Development, Ahmedabad University, Gujarat. Before joining as Director, CSIR-IITR, he also worked on different scientific positions, like – Scientist, C, Senior Principal Scientist, Principal Scientist, etc. He obtained his Ph.D. Degree in Biochemistry from University of Lucknow, India in 1991. He has been awarded D.Sc. Degree (Honorary) from University of Bradford, U.K., 2017. He was a Visiting Scholar, Michigan State University, USA; BOYSCAST Fellow, University of Surrey, Wales & Bradford, UK. Professor Dhawan started the area of nanomaterial toxicology in India and published a guidance document on the safe use of nanomaterials. His group elucidated the mechanism of toxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles in human and bacterial cells. His work has been widely cited. He set up a state-of-the-art nanomaterial toxicology facility at CSIR-IITR as well as at the Institute of Life Sciences. Professor Dhawan has won several honors and awards including the INSA Young Scientist Medal in 1994, CSIR Young Scientist Award in 1999, the Shakuntala Amir Chand Prize of ICMR in 2002 and the Vigyan Ratna by the Council of Science and Technology, UP in 2011. His work in the area of nanomaterial toxicology has won him international accolades as well and he was awarded two Indo-UK projects under the prestigious UK-IERI programme. He was also awarded two European Union Projects under the FP7 and New INDIGO programmes. He founded the Indian Nanoscience Society in 2007. In recognition of his work he has been elected Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry, UK; Fellow, The National Academy of Sciences, India; Fellow, The Academy of Toxicological Sciences, USA; Fellow, The Academy of Environmental Biology; Fellow, Academy of Science for Animal Welfare; Fellow—Society of Toxicology (India); Founder Fellow, Indian Nanoscience Society; Fellow, Gujarat Science Academy; Vice President—Environmental Mutagen Society of India (2006–07); Member—National Academy of Medical Sciences; Member, United Kingdom Environmental Mutagen Society, U.K.; Member, Asian Association of Environmental Mutagen Societies, Japan. He has over 125 publications to his credit in peer reviewed international journals, 18 reviews/book chapters, four patents, two copyrights and has edited two books. He is the Editor-In-Chief, Journal Translational Toxicology published by American Scientific Publishers, USA and serves as the Member, Editorial Board of Mutagenesis, Nanotoxicology, Mutation Research Reviews, and other journals of repute. Professor Rishi Shanker, currently serves as Guest Faculty at Biotechnology Park, Lucknow, India and as consultant to biotechnology industry. He has served as Professor & Associate Dean at the School of Arts & Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Gujarat, India (2014-16). Prior to joining Ahmedabad University, he served as Chief Scientist and Area Coordinator – Environmental & Nanomaterial Toxicology Groups at CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow (2001-2013). He also served as Principal Scientist at CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nagpur. A Masters in Biochemistry from University of Lucknow and a PhD in Environmental Microbiology & Toxicology from CSIR-IITR & CSJM University (1985). Dr Shankers’ post-doctoral research addressed methanogen microbiology, deep subsurface microbiology and protein engineering at University of London and Pennsylvania State University, USA (1987-1990). Dr Shanker’s research contributions range from genetically engineered bacteria for bioremediation and molecular probes for pathogen detection to alternate models in toxicity assessment of chemicals and engineered nanomaterials. He has successfully steered over 34 national and international research projects including Indo-US program: Common Agenda for Environment, Indo-Swiss Program in Biotechnology, Indo-German, EU FP7, EU New Indigo & Inno Indigo program and Unilever. He has mentored 11 PhD students and has more than 85 publications and 20 reviews/book chapters to his credit in aforesaid areas. His work on ‘pathogen detection and water quality’ received recognition in form of ‘Vigyan Ratna’, conferred by the Government of Uttar Pradesh, India. He was awarded the Visiting Research Fellowship of Society for General Microbiology, UK to work at the Anaerobic Microbiology Laboratory, Queen Mary College, University of London. He has served as Visiting Scientist and Visiting Professor at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA; Pasteur Institute & CEA, France; and Pohang University of Science & Technology, Republic of Korea. Dr Ashutosh Kumar is presently working as Assistant Professor in the Division of Biological and Life Sciences, School Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Gujarat, India. He obta
