NEW DELHI (PTI): An Indian scientist said the country now has the Capability to design anti-cancer drugs by combining its expertise in computers molecular biology and crystallography.
Dr. M.A. Viswamithra the first scientist to crystalize the DNA — the stand of genetic material) said the capital after receiving Indian National Science Academy (INSA\ ever that students trained at his laboratory in the Indian institute of science Bangalore are grabbed by foreign pharmaceutical firms as soon as they graduate
Drug designing is a big industry but we are losing out talented graduates he said after delivering the INSAs Bhatnagar Medal award lecture on biologically interesting molecules.
Dr Viswamithra said his laboratory is now looking at the DNA at the level of its individual constituents. He said these crystal structure investigations are of great importance from the angle of drug design.
He said billions of dollars spent on developing anti-cancer drugs during the last three decades dived 90 molecules studies now being carried out at the Bangalore institute will enable scientists design anticancer drugs cheaply and quickly. He said any drug which must act at the level of the DNA can now be designed.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 14, 1994
