Madhu Sudan Kanungo

Emeritus Professor
Ph D (Illinois) USA
Contact Information:

(O)0542-2307149, 6701337 ,  (R)2369340, (M),  FAX:0542-2368174
Email Id:madhuskanungo@yahoo.com, kanungo@bhu.ac.in

Brief writeup on area of specialization/awards/achievements:
 

After joining the Zoology Dept., B.H.U. in 1962, Dr. Kanungo introduced Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the M.Sc and Ph.D. programmes. For research, he took up the problem of aging to find out the biochemical and molecular changes that occur in the brain and other organs of the rat as a function of age. He made the following original and important findings: not only the levels of several enzymes decrease, but also their isoenzymes change with increasing age; the decrease in their levels can be prevented by administration of steroid hormones like 17â-estradiol whose receptors are present in the brain; decrease in enzyme levels is due to increasing compaction of chromatin that prevents acetylation of histones and decreases transcription; he proposed a model for aging and showed that trans-acting protein factors that bind to cis-acting elements in the promoter of genes change with age. As signals from the brain cause expression of neurotransmitters in the brain, the neurotransmitter receptors (NT), both excitatory and inhibitory, change with age; also enzymes necessary for synthesis of NT change during the life span of the rat.
Currently, Prof. M. S. Kanungo is working on
(i)expression of genes and proteins involved in neurotransmission and recycling of neurotransmitters in the brain as a function of age.
(ii)studying genes and proteins to understand the molecular mechanism involved in the process of learning and memory during aging.
(iii)expression of genes involved in formation of blood brain barrier (BBB) as a function of age and under different types of stress..
Books written by Prof. M.S.Kanungo :
(1)"Genes & Aging" Cambridge University Press, (1993)
(2)" Biochemistry of Aging" Academic Press, London, (1980)
Awards :
Padma Shri (2005); SS Bhatnagar Prize (Biology) (1971); Jawaharlal Nehru fellowship (1987); Golden Jubilee Commemoration medal, INSA (1992); Sir Sriram memorial Oration award, National Academy of Medical Sciences, (1998); Fellowship of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI); Third Age Award-14th International Congress of Gerontology, Mexico (1989); Fellow of Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi (1975), Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore (1975), National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad (1989), National Academy of Medical Sciences, India (1996) and Indian Academy of Neuroscience (2008)
 
Current Research Projects:
 
S. No. Name of the Project Duration Source Amount (in Rs)
1. of age-related decline in learning and memory 2007-10 ICMR 16 lakhs
2. Expression and regulation of genes and proteins involved in water and ion homeostasis in the brain of mice during aging and stress 2009-12 DST 35 lakhs
 
Any additional information:
 

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  • Founded the Association of Gerontology (AGI), India in 1981 that meets on alternate years.

  • Expert member of Committee of WHO on "Health of Elderly persons" (1989).

  • Member, International Council of Gerontology (1984-89). <

  • Member, Editorial Board of three international journals on Aging. Selected publications

  • Singh S N, Kanungo M S (1968) Alterations in lactate dehydrogenase of the brain, heart, skeletal muscle and liver of rats of various age. J. Biol. Chem. 243: 4526-4529.

  • Kanungo M S, Gandhi B S (1972) Induction of malate dehydrogenase isoenzymes in the liver of young and old rats. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 69: 2035-2038.

  • Kanungo M S, Patnaik S K, Koul O (1975) Decrease in the level of 17 b-estradiol receptor in the brain of rats during aging. Nature (London) 253: 366-367.

  • Kanungo M S (1975) A model of aging. J. Theo. Biol. (USA) 53: 253-261.

  • Chainy G B N, Kanungo M S (1978) Induction and properties of pyruvate kinase of the cerebral hemisphere of rats of various ages. J. Neurochem. 30: 419-427.

  • Kanungo M S, Thakur M K (1979) Modulation of acetylation of histones and transcription of chromatin by butyric acid and 17 b-estradiol in the brain of rats of various ages. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 87: 266-271.

  • Chaturvedi M M, Kanungo M S (1985) Analysis of conformation and function of the chromatin of the brain of young and old rats. Molec. Biol. Rep. 10: 215-219.

  • Rath P C, Kanungo M S (1989) Methylation of repetitive DNA sequences in the brain of the rat. FEBS Letters 244: 193-198.

  • Manjusha Rani, Kanungo M S (2006) Expression of D2 dopamine receptor in the mouse brain. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 344: 981-986

  • Gupta S, Pathak Rashmi U, Kanungo M S (2006) DNA methylation induced changes in chromatin conformation of the promoter of the vitellogenin II gene of Japanese quail during aging. Gene 377:159-168.