Chennai-born Shankar Balasubramanian of Cambridge University has been named Innovator of the Year by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Britain's leading agency for academic research and training in non-clinical life sciences.
He has been awarded £10,000 in recognition of his work on Solexa sequencing, the high speed genome sequencing technology. The award, now in its second year, is meant to encourage research that has practical impact on quality of life.
Professor Balasubramanian, who is also the winner of the Commercial Innovator of the Year category, said he was “delighted.”
“None of this would have happened without the support of the BBSRC. Their backing was essential for the blue skies research that gave rise to our original inventions. The continued funding of fundamental science by the BBSRC will be an essential part of future enterprises and ultimately, wealth creation,” he said.
Professor Douglas Kell, BBSRC chief executive, said: “The BBSRC is pleased to be able to recognise and reward researchers who are making extraordinary progress in translating their research into applications that are of benefit socially and for UK Plc.”
Science and Innovation Minister Lord Drayson said turning research into innovation was crucial for future prosperity. “Finding practical applications for scientific discoveries is part of the joy of science. Today's winners make science exciting and relevant, with the potential to generate great benefits for our economy and society.”
Professor Balasubramanian, whose parents moved to Britain a year after he was born, graduated in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and went on to do a PhD. He worked with David Klenerman of the department of chemistry, to invent low-cost and high-speed genome sequencing technology.
