Biography
Also Viewed
The basics
Quick Facts
The details
Biography
Dr Anil Koul (born 1 June 1972) is a scientist and newly appointed Director of the Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), a research and development facility, coming under aegis of Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India. IMTECH focuses on science for new drug discovery and technology solutions for healthcare.
Anil obtained his PhD at Delhi University and at Max-Planck Institute (MPI) of Biochemistry in Germany in 2001. His initial research focused on kinase and phosphatase in the laboratory of Prof. Alex Ullrich at MPI and subsequently in Axxima Pharmaceuticals, a biotech company in Munich. In 2004, Anil joined US multinational Johnson & Johnson and worked as senior director and headed its respiratory infections discovery unit. His key achievement has been as one of the core scientists involved in discovery and development of a novel drug for treatment of multi drug-resistant tuberculosis named SIRTURO -(generically called Bedaquiline).
Bedaquiline is the first MDR- TB drug discovered in last 45 years and has been conditionally approved in US, Europe and several high TB burden countries like India, China and South Africa. In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) put Bedaquiline on list of its Essential Medicines.
In 2017, Anil was confirmed with Sun Pharma Science Foundation Award by India’s Health Minister for his contribution to discovery of Bedaquiline. He was also awarded with the Swiss-TB Award (2005) and Johnson Medal (2013). Anil has several publications and more than 30 patents and also brought other drug candidates into clinical trials for other diseases.
He is a member of India’s Technical Advisory committee on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), constituted by Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Govt. of India. He has featured in Voice Of America’s (VOI) radio news analysis and India’s electronic news channels (NDTV) ‘Every Life Counts Program’, around Bedaquiline drug-discovery. He is also a member of Confederation of Indian Industry's (CII) Northern Region Committee on higher education.