Dr. Pramod Khandekar is one of the early Scientists in India, who started research in the area of Genetic
Engineering as a Senior Faculty of the National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi. He did his PhD
from Banaras Hindu University in 1974. Thereafter, he continued his research as a Post-doctoral Fellow in
USA and Canada for 6 years on the development of chimeric plasmids based on 2 micron circle, for cloning
in yeast; and cloning and characterization of muscle specific genes from chicken. His research work in
India spanned in multiple projects including certain infectious and communicable diseases, with focus on
mycobacterial diseases including Leprosy and Tuberculosis, as also in Hepatitis B virus. He was deputed to
work in Institute Pasteur under Indo-Pasteur Programme, and to the Centre for Vaccine Development,
Maryland, NIH in certain Science Management Programs. He participated as an International Faculty to
deliver lectures in Genetic Engineering in Nigeria, which was organized by UNESCO. His scientific
publications include more than 30 original papers in international journals which are highly cited and
appreciated. He was involved in a team for the molecular characterization of Mw, a saprophytic
mycobacterium, based on which a therapeutic vaccine against leprosy was developed by NII and the
technology was transferred to industry. He worked as a Member of the Review Committee on Genetic
Manipulation (RCGM) of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India. He was also a Member
of the Academic Council of Poona University, Director of Bioinformatics Centre of the University and Chair
Professor of Biotechnology, Poona University.