In 1962, Dr. Siddiqi, responding to an invitation from Homi Bhabha, established the Molecular Biology Unit at TIFR in Mumbai.
Dr Obaid Siddiqi's contributions to molecular biology and genetics continue to leave an indelible mark on the scientific community even years after his death. Dr Siddiqi, who born in Basti, Uttar Pradesh in 1932, was a National Research Professor at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, passed away in 2013 at the age of 81 after succumbing to severe brain injuries sustained in a road accident in Bengaluru.
Dr Siddiqi's journey in the scientific realm began at Aligarh Muslim University, where he received his early education. After obtaining his Ph.D. from the University of Glasgow, where he delved into microbial genetics under the guidance of Guido Pontecorvo, he embarked on post-doctoral research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and the University of Pennsylvania with Alan Garen.
In 1962, Dr. Siddiqi, responding to an invitation from Homi Bhabha, established the Molecular Biology Unit at TIFR in Mumbai. This unit's inception marked a transformative moment in the landscape of modern biology research in India. Three decades later, he took on the role of the founding director of the TIFR National Center for Biological Sciences in Bangalore.
His scientific pursuits led him to the University of Glasgow for his Ph.D. and subsequently to a post-doctoral position at MIT with Dr. Alan Garen, a giant in the field of genetics. Their collaboration resulted in groundbreaking discoveries related to "nonsense" codons, the stop signals in the genetic code.
In the early 70s, Dr Siddiqi, working with Professor Benzer of the California Institute of Technology, identified genes controlling nerve conduction and synaptic transmission.
Throughout the 1980s, Dr Siddiqi and his team at TIFR, Mumbai, conducted groundbreaking research on the genetic basis of taste and smell in Drosophila. These pioneering discoveries laid the foundation for the contemporary understanding of how sensory perceptions such as taste and smell are detected and encoded in the brain.
Obaid Siddiqi's academic journey has been marked by prestigious visiting professorships at renowned institutions such as Yale University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and Cambridge University. Notably, he held the esteemed title of Sherman Fairchild Distinguished Scholar at Caltech on two separate occasions. Additionally, Siddiqi became a life member of Clare Hall at Cambridge.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field, several distinguished universities and institutions have conferred upon him the honorary degree of Doctor of Science (D.Sc.). Among these institutions are Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University, Jamia Hamdard, Kalyani University, IIT Bombay, Jamia Millia Islamia, and the Central University of Hyderabad. The conferment of these honorary degrees underscores Siddiqi's exceptional achievements and his impactful presence in the academic world.
Dr Siddiqi was awarded the BC Roy Award in 2004 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2006.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Meet Indian genius who set up prestigious institute, worked at MIT, died in freak accident, IIT honoured...")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}