Hyderabad, Mar 15 (TNT): Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories on Sunday hosted the fourth edition of the Dr. Anji Reddy Memorial Lecture, underscoring the importance of advancing scientific research to address future healthcare challenges.
The annual lecture series was instituted in 2023 to honour the memory of the company’s founder, Kallam Anji Reddy, and celebrates his legacy of promoting deep science, innovation and affordable medicines.
This year’s memorial lecture was delivered by internationally acclaimed cell biologist Guido Kroemer, faculty member at Université Paris Cité and recipient of the Leopold Griffuel Prize.
Speaking on the theme “A tissue stress hormone driving pathological aging”, Kroemer highlighted the role of Acyl-CoA Binding Protein (ACBP), also known as Diazepam Binding Inhibitor (DBI), describing it as a powerful stress mediator in the body that can amplify disease when imbalanced.
He said the molecule has recently been identified as a “gerogene”, or a driver of aging, and plays a central role in cellular recycling and turnover processes.
Its levels rise with age, a hallmark of aging, and it is also associated with predicting several disease conditions, he noted.
Understanding and targeting ACBP/DBI could open new avenues for innovative anti-aging therapies and prevention of age-related diseases, he added.
Paying tribute to the late scientist-entrepreneur, Guru N. Reddy, founder and chairman of Continental Hospitals, said Dr. Anji Reddy was driven by a vision to ensure that world-class medicines were accessible and affordable to people in India.
In his opening remarks, G. V. Prasad, co-chairman and managing director of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, said the lecture series was instituted to celebrate the founder’s passion for science and his belief that deep science should drive the development of affordable medicines.
Delivering the closing remarks, Kallam Satish Reddy, chairman of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, highlighted the importance of bringing together scientists, researchers and thought leaders to advance discussions on healthcare and innovation.
He noted that a roundtable discussion held ahead of the lecture focused on translational research, with experts from academia, industry and policy sharing insights to strengthen India’s research ecosystem.
The lecture series has previously featured global scientists including Nobel laureates Ada Yonath and Jack W. Szostak, as well as cancer researcher Ashok Venkitaraman.
Dr. Anji Reddy, who founded Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories in 1984, is widely recognised for pioneering affordable pharmaceuticals and promoting drug discovery research in India.
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