Indian-Origin Researchers Honored with Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the UK

• 27 Jan 2024

Three Indian-origin scientists, Professors Rahul R Nair, Mehul Malik, and Tanmay Bharat, are among the recipients of the prestigious Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the UK, recognizing their contributions to transforming medicine, technology, and scientific understanding.

Key Points

• Laureate in Physical Sciences & Engineering: Professor Rahul R Nair, a materials physicist at The University of Manchester, awarded for developing novel membranes based on 2D materials, enabling energy-efficient separation and filtration technologies.
• Additional Laureates: Professor Anthony P Green, an organic chemist, and Nicholas McGranahan, a computational biologist, also named Laureates.
• Advancements in Quantum Communications: Professor Mehul Malik, a finalist, recognized for pioneering techniques in harnessing high-dimensional entanglement for quantum communications, ensuring robust and high-capacity quantum networks.
• Cutting-edge Techniques in Electron Cryotomography: Tanmay Bharat, PhD, from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, awarded for developing advanced techniques in electron cryotomography, providing atomic-level images of cell-surface molecules in bacterial communities.
• Significant Biomedical Implications: Bharat's work offers insights into biofilm formation by pathogenic bacteria, with implications for understanding cell-to-cell interactions and the evolution of multicellular life.
• Award Ceremony: The recipients will be honored at a black-tie gala dinner in London on February 27 and will collectively receive grants totaling £480,000.
• Foundation and Recognition: The Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences sponsor the awards, acknowledging transformative scientific breakthroughs by early-career scientists.