PGIMER Microbiologist Prof Arunaloke Chakrabarti selected for prestigious 2022 ASM Moselio Schaechter Award.
American Society for Microbiology (popularly known as ‘ASM’) has selected Professor Arunaloke Chakrabarti, Head, Department of Medical Microbiology at PGIMER, Chandigarh to receive 2022 ASM Moselio Schaechter Award.
The award recognizes the best senior scientist of the world who has shown exemplary leadership and commitment towards the substantial furthering of the profession of Microbiology in research, education or technology in the developing world.
Professor Chakrabarti has worked consistently in the field of fungal infections over three and half decades not only in India but also other developing countries in the world. He is now the President of the world body on fungal infections – International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM). Besides developing the Mycology Division of his department as the best center in South-East Asia, he is presently mentoring in development of mycology reference centers across India supported by Indian Council of Medical Research.
He, as chairman of Fungal Infections Study Forum (FISF), conducts training programs for the clinicians of this country in the field of fungal infections. As Co-Chair of Asian Fungal Working Group (AFWG) under ISHAM, he conducts regular training for the doctors of South-East Asian countries in the same field. AFWG conducted 17 Medical Mycology Training Courses in different countries over last 10 years.
Professor Chakrabarti’s center is the sole WHO Collaborating Centre with all portfolios in the field of fungal diseases in the world. Through this collaborating center he mentors the laboratory personnel for the development of diagnostic mycology laboratories in 13 member countries under South-East Asian Regional Office of WHO. As President, ISHAM he is instrumental in the development of two regional fungal working groups recently – Pan-African Mycology Working Group and Latin American Forum of fungal Infections in Clinical Practice. Besides education and training, he has conducted multiple epidemiological research projects on fungal infections in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Recognizing his commitment and work in the field of fungal diseases in developing countries, ASM has selected him for this award. He would receive the award during ASM Microbe Conference to be held in Washington DC, USA during June 9-13, 2022. He is also invited to deliver a lecture as the Award recipient at the said con
