Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, MD, has taken over as Director General, ICMR & Secretary, Department of Health Research (Ministry of Health & Family Welfare) on 17th August, 2015 and she brings with her vast experience in health research as well as research administration. Prior to this assignment, Dr. Swaminathan was earlier the Director, National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) in Chennai since 2012.

Educational Qualifications:

Degree
Institution and Location
Year(s)
Field of Study

Fellowship
Childrens Hospital of L.A
Univ of Southern California
USA
1989 Pediatric Pulmonolgy

Dip. N.B./MNAMS
National Board of Examinations
New Delhi
1987 Pediatrics

M.D.
All India Institute of Medical Sciences,
New Delhi 110029
1985 Pediatrics

M.B.B.S.
Armed Forces Medical College
Pune University
1980

Premedical
Delhi University
1976 (Zoology Hons. 1st year)

Discipline:
Paediatrics

Research Experience:

Fellowship in Neonatology and Pediatric Pulmonology (1987 - 1989) at the Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, University of Southern California, USA.
Research Fellow (Registrar) in the Dept of Pediatric Respiratory Diseases, University of Leicester, UK: 1989-1990.
Senior Research Officer (Supernumerary Research Cadre), Cardiopulmonary Medicine Unit, Tuberculosis Research Centre, Madras: January to June 1992.
Assistant Director at the Tuberculosis Research Centre, Indian Council of Medical Research, Madras: from July 1992 to June 97, Deputy Director July 97 to June 2002, Deputy Director Sr. Grade from July 2002 to April 2008 and Scientist ‘G’ from May 2008 onwards. Took over as Head of the Division HIV/AIDS in February 2000
Coordinator, Research in Neglected Priorities, TDR, WHO: from June 2009 to June 2011

Membership/Fellowship of Professional Societies/Associations :

Professional Memberships

Chair, HIV Section, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases
Member, International Scientific Advisory Expert Group for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global
Tuberculosis (APPG TB)
Member, Third World Organization of Women Scientists
Member, International AIDS Committee
Life Member, Indian Academy of Pediatrics

Membership on Committees

National

Member, National Editorial Advisory Board, Indian Journal of Pediatrics.
Chair, Indo – Brazil Working Group on Science & Technology
Member, Indo-US Joint Working Group on Maternal and Child Health, ICMR

International

Member, International Editorial Board, Clinical Infectious Diseases
Member, Childhood TB subgroup, DOTS Expansion Working Group, Stop TB partnership
Member, Tuberculosis Steering Committee, IMPAACT Network, NIH, USA
Member, International Conference Organizing Committee, International AIDS Society Conference, Rome 2011 and Kuala Lumpur, 2013

Awards:

1999 Dr. Keya Lahiri Gold Medal for best paper presented, XI National Pediatric Pulmonary Conference
2008 Indian Council of Medical Research, Kshanika Oration Award
2009 Elected Vice-Chair, HIV section, International Union against TB and Lung Diseases
2009 Appointed Adjunct Associate Clinical Professor, Dept. of Public Health and Family Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine
2011 Fellow, Indian Academy of Pediatrics
2011 Lifetime Achievement Award, Indian Association of Applied Microbiologists
2012 Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Award
2012 Fellow, National Academy of Sciences, India
2013 Fellow, Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore

Contact:

Indian Council of Medical Research
Ansari Nagar
New Delhi - 110029
Telephone (off): 91-011-26588204
Fax: 91-011-26588662
Email: soumya.s@nic.in, doctorsoumya@yahoo.com