Pradip Mascharak, distinguished professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UC Santa Cruz, has been awarded the Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman award by the Non-Resident Indians (NRI) Welfare Society of India.
Mascharak is one of 30 Indians worldwide who will receive the honor on October 9 at the House of Lords in London. The medal recognizes outstanding services and achievements by Indians in the international arena.
Mascharak's research focuses on the structure and function of enzymes, green chemistry, and designing drugs for cancer and inflammation. His group is investigating the use of metal nitrosyls as agents in photodynamic therapy, in which light triggers the release of therapeutic doses of nitric oxide at targeted sites, such as localized cancers. An Alfred Sloan fellow and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Mascharak joined the UCSC faculty in 1984.
The NRI Welfare Society was founded with the objective of strengthening ties between India and non-resident Indians.
