M. J. Thirumalachar
Born
Mandayam Jeersannidhi Thirumalachar

(1914-09-22)22 September 1914
Mysore State, British India
Died21 April 1999(1999-04-21) (aged 84)
Walnut Creek, California, US
NationalityIndian
Alma mater
Known forDiscovery of fungi and development of antibiotics
Awards
Scientific career
Fields
Institutions
Doctoral advisor

Mandayam Jeersannidhi Thirumalachar (22 September 1914 – 21 April 1999) was an Indian mycologist, microbiologist, plant pathologist and the co-founder of Jeersannidhi-Anderson Institute, California. He was the head of R&D at Hindustan Antibiotics Limited and a professor at Banaras Hindu University as well as the Central College of Bangalore. He was known for the development of antifungal antibiotics such as Hamycin, Dermostatin, Aureofungin, MYc-4 and Tetraenenin and was an elected fellow of the Indian National Science Academy.[1] The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the apex agency of the Government of India for scientific research, awarded him the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology, one of the highest Indian science awards for his contributions to Medical Sciences in 1967.

Biography

University of Mysore

M. J. Thirumalachar was born in the erstwhile Mysore State of British India on 22 September 1914 to Vengadammal - M. J. Narasimhan couple as their second child.[2] His father was a plant pathologist and mycologist after whom two genera of fungi (Narasimhella and Narasimhania) have been named.[3][4] The young boy was named after his great grandfather, Jeersannidhi Thirumalachar Swamy, erstwhile head of Sri Yadugiri Yathiraja Mutt, a vaishnavite religious center situated in Melukote. After early schooling in Malleswaram, a neighborhood of Bengaluru, he graduated from Central College, Bangalore before earning a Doctor of Science from the University of Mysore in 1944 and moved to the University of Wisconsin from where he secured a PhD in 1948 working under the supervision of James G. Dickson.[1][note 1] On his return to India, he served at Banaras Hindu University as the head of the department of Mycology and Plant Pathology and at the Central College of Bangalore. Subsequently, he joined Central Potato Research Institute, Patna as the Chief Plant Pathologist but moved to Hindustan Antibiotics Limited (HAL) where he headed the R and D division. He served out his regular career at HAL, superannuating as the superintendent of research in 1975. Later, he returned to the US and served as a professor at the Department of Pediatrics of University of Minnesota Medical School[1] where he worked on the incorporation of human insulin gene in yeast cells[6] and also had a short stint as a visiting scientist at the Danish Institute of Seed Pathology, Copenhagen. In 1979, he founded Jeersannidhi Anderson Institute, along with his son, M. J. Narasimhan Jr., for advanced research in mycology and plant pathology[7][8] and was the director of the institute till the end of his life.[2]

Thirumalachar's family produced four notable mycologists; M. J. Narasimhan (father), M. J. Narasimhan jr. (son) and M. C. Srinivasan (nephew), besides himself.[9][10] He spent the last two decades of his life in Walnut Creek, California and it was here he died on 21 April 1999, at the age of 84.

Legacy

Entomophthora muscae fungus on the yellow dung fly, Scathophaga stercoraria. Thirumalachar identified a methodology for characterizing the fungus.

Thirumalachar's researches spanned across various disciplines of science such as botany, mycology, microbiology, antibiotics and chemotherapy and his studies on fungi covered all major groups in mycology.[11] The first of his several discoveries was in 1943 when he identified Masseeella breyniae, a species of rust,[12] revealed through an article published in New Phytologist journal.[13] He was the first scientist, along with M. J. Narasimhan and Charles Gardner Shaw,[3] to describe the genus Sclerophthora, which he published in an article, "The sporangial phase of the downy mildew Elensine coracana with a discussion of the identity of Sclerospora macrospora Sacc." in 1953.[14] Ten years later, he described another genus, Georgefischeria, a genus of fungi named after renowned mycologist, G. W. Fischer, in 1953. He proposed a morphological methodology for characterizing Entomophthora from Conidiobolus, two genera of fungi and discovered two other genera, viz. Narasimhania and Narasimhella, both named after his father, M. J. Narasimhan.[15][16] Two of his other discoveries were Mehtamyces, a genus of fungi,[17][18] and Flueggea virosa, a species of bushweed.[19] He furthered the studies of the British mycologist, Arthur Barclay, on Aecidium esculentum, and identified Ravenelia esculenta as the causal factor for malformations in Acacia eburnea.[20] Overall, he established the presence of 30 new genera and 300 new species of fungi[1] which included Mundukurella (named after his collaborator, B. B. Mundkur), Franzpetrakia and Chainia.[21][22][23] as well as three species of Masseeëlla fungi,[24] named Masseeëlla breyniae,[25][26] Masseeëlla flueggeae,[27] and Masseeëlla narasimhanii.[28]

During his days at Hindustan Antibiotics Limited, Thirumalachar focused on medical mycology and plant disease control.[29][30] As the head of the research and development division, he led a team of scientists who developed a number of antibiotic preparations, including Antiamoebin of Emericellopsis sp, an antimicrobial polypeptide that has reported use as a carrier, as a pore-forming peptaibol,[31] as a de-worming agent, and as a yield-enhancing supplement in dairy and poultry industries. Antifungal antibiotics, such as Hamycin,[32] Dermostatin,[33] Aureofungin,[34] MYc-4 and Tetraenenin are some of the other products developed by his team at Hindustan Antibiotics. At University of Minnesota, he developed a set of chemicals, New chemotherapeutic agents for the control of plant and animal diseases,[35] that has since been put to use as a product, Phyton-27, by Phyton Corporation.[36] He documented his research by way of several monographs[37] and articles published in peer-reviewed journals.[38][39][note 2] He also held a number of US patents; several of them for processes he developed jointly with his father and son.[40] Many of the chemotherapeutants developed by him are in commercial use under various names such as Jai-Pro, MJN-1891 and Gopi-80.[1][41] He also mentored many students and B. G. L. Swamy was one among them.[2]

Thirumalachar was one of the founders of Mycological Society of India, served as its first vice president[42] and was a lifetime member of the society.[43] He founded Hindustan Antibiotics Bulletin, the official journal of Hindustan Antibiotics Limited[44] and was its first editor and publisher.[45] He was the president of the Indian Phytopathological Society in 1956[46] and was the chief editor of Indian Phytopathology and Applied Microbiology, the official journal of the Society, in 1957.[47] He was also involved with the International Journal of Antibiotics as a member of its editorial board and served on the council of the Indian National Science Academy during 1969–71.[1] He was a member of the Mycological Society of America as well as Indian Microbiological Society[1] and chaired the Agricultural section of the 37th Indian Science Congress held in Pune in 1950.[48]

Awards and honors

The Indian National Science Academy elected Thirumalachar as their fellow in 1956;[49] INSA honored him again in 1967 with Sunder Lal Hora Medal.[50] The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research awarded him Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, one of the highest Indian science awards the same year.[51] He was also an elected fellow of Indian Phytopathological Society, New York Academy of Sciences and Mycological Society of India[52] and a recipient of the Polish Academy of Sciences Medal.[1] A number of scientists have acknowledged his contributions to science.[21] The Indian Institute of Science organizes an annual lecture, M J Thirumalachar & M J Narasimhan Endowment Lecture in his honor[53] and the Mycological Society of India has instituted an award, Dr. M.J. Thirumalachar Merit Awards for Young Scientists, for promoting research excellence in mycology.[44]

Selected bibliography

Books and monographs

  • Thirumalachar, M.J. (1941). Tuberculina on Uromyces Hobsoni Vize.
  • Thirumalachar, M.J. (1942). Puccinia Droogensis Butler on Berberis Aristata.
  • Mundkur, Balachandra Bhavanishankar; Thirumalachar, M.J. (1946). Revisions of and Additions to Indian Fungi. By Mundkur, B.B. and Thirumalachar, M.J.. (no. 2, Etc. By Mundkur, B.B. and Ahmad, Sultan.). Kew.
  • Bhalchandra Bhavanishankar Mundkur; Sultan Ahmad (1946). Revisions of and Additions to Indian Fungi: II. Imperial Mycological Institute.
  • Studies on some stripe smuts of grasses in Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin—Madison. 1948. p. 98. OCLC 51679618.
  • Thirumalachar, M.J.; Mundkur, Bhalchandra Bhavanishankar (1951). Revisions of and Additions to Indian Fungi: III. Imperial Mycological Institute.
  • Mundkur, Bhalchendra Bhavanishanker; Thirumalachar, Mandayam Jeersannidhi (1952). Ustilaginales of India. Commonwealth Mycological Institute.
  • Govindu, H.C.; Thirumalachar, M.J. (1963). Check list of Cercospora species in India. Government of India. p. 47. OCLC 6558224.
  • Raychaudhuri, Satya Prasad; Prasada, R.; Thirumalachar, M.J. (1970). Plant disease problems: proceedings of the First International Symposium on Plant Pathology, December 26, 1966 – January 1, 1967. Indian Phytopathological Society, Indian Agricultural Research Institute.

Articles

Patents

Authority name

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ His thesis, Studies on some stripe smuts of grasses in Wisconsin, was later published as a book.[5]
  2. ↑ Please see Selected bibliography section

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Deceased fellow". Indian National Science Academy. 2016. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "Biographical Memoirs" (PDF). Indian National Science Academy. 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 April 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Mandayam Jeersannidhi Narasimhan". Neglected Science. 2017. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  4. ↑ Thirumalachar, M. J. (1970). "Prof. M. J. Narasimhan" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 February 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  5. ↑ Studies on some stripe smuts of grasses in Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin—Madison. 1948. p. 98. OCLC 51679618.
  6. ↑ "Biography of IPS Presidents". ISSUU. 2017. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  7. ↑ "Are the days of incurable diseases really over?". The Hindu. 20 December 2011. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017.
  8. ↑ "Jeersannidhi Anderson Institute". California Corporates. 2017. Archived from the original on 3 March 2018.
  9. ↑ K. Kieslich; C.P. van der Beek; J.A.M. de Bont, W.J.J. van den Tweel (9 December 1997). New Frontiers in Screening for Microbial Biocatalysts. Elsevier. pp. 223–. ISBN 978-0-08-053752-8. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  10. ↑ "Prof. M. J. Narasimhan" (PDF). Zobodat. 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 February 2017.
  11. ↑ "Obituary on IISc". Indian Institute of Science. 2017. Archived from the original on 13 February 2005.
  12. ↑ A. V. Sathe. "Revision of Masseeella narasimhanii Thirum. (Uredinales)" (PDF). Zobodat. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 February 2017.
  13. ↑ Thirumalachar, M.J. (1943). "Masseeella breyniae". New Phytologist. 42: 45–48. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.1943.tb04984.x. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  14. ↑ Thirumalachar, M.J.; Shaw, C.G.; Narasimhan, M.T. (1953). "The sporangial phase of the downy mildew Elensine coracana with a discussion of the identity of Sclerospora macrospora Sacc". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 80 (4): 299–307. doi:10.2307/2481765. JSTOR 2481765. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  15. ↑ Pavgi & Thirumalachar (2017). "Narasimhania". Myco Bank. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  16. ↑ Thirumalachar, M.J.; P.N. Mathur (2017). "Narasimhella". Myco Bank. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  17. ↑ "Mehtamyces". Myco Bank. 2017. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  18. ↑ M. B. KALODE and B. V. PATIL (1978). "Critical Notes on some Plant Rusts from India" (PDF). Zobodat. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 February 2017.
  19. ↑ Liberato, J. R.; McTaggart, A. R.; Shivas, R. G. (2017). "Flueggea virosa". Australasian Plant Disease Notes. Paperity. 9 (1). doi:10.1007/s13314-013-0121-y. S2CID 11706530. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  20. ↑ M. C. Srinivasan (August 1999). "M. J. Thirumalachar (1914–1999) – An obituary" (PDF). Current Science. 77 (4).
  21. 1 2 C. Manoharachary, I. K. Kunwar and A.B. Rajithasri (2014). "Advances in applied mycology and fungal biotechnology" (PDF). Kavaka. 43: 79–92. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 March 2018.
  22. ↑ Ji-Sheng Ruan; Mary P. Lechevalier; Cheng-Lin Jiang S; Huberta A. Lechavlier (1985). "Chainia kunmingensis, a New Actinomycete Species Found in Soil". International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology. 35 (2): 164–168. doi:10.1099/00207713-35-2-164.
  23. ↑ M. J. Thirumalachar (1955). "Chainia, a New Genus of the Actinomycetales". Nature. 176 (4489): 934–935. Bibcode:1955Natur.176..934T. doi:10.1038/176934b0. PMID 13272724. S2CID 1200699.
  24. ↑ "Masseeëlla". Mycobank. 4 December 2017. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  25. ↑ "Masseeëlla breyniae". Mycobank. 4 December 2017. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  26. ↑ Thirumalachar, M. J. (2017). "Masseeella Breynia". New Phytologist. Wiley. 42: 45–48. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.1943.tb04984.x.
  27. ↑ "Masseeëlla flueggeae". Mycobank. 4 December 2017. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  28. ↑ "Masseeëlla narasimhanii". Mycobank. 4 December 2017. Archived from the original on 4 December 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  29. ↑ MEHROTRA (2005). PLANT PATHOLOGY. Tata McGraw-Hill Education. pp. 35–. ISBN 978-1-259-08226-9. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  30. ↑ "Handbook of Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize Winners" (PDF). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  31. ↑ Duclohier, H.; Snook, C.F.; Wallace, B.A. (2017). "Antiamoebin can function as a carrier or as a pore-forming peptaibol". Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Biomembranes. 1415 (1): 255–260. doi:10.1016/S0005-2736(98)00184-9. PMID 9858744.
  32. ↑ Phadnis, Aneesh (30 December 2016). "Hindustan Antibiotics may not find buyers". Business Standard India. Business Standard. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  33. ↑ Sinz, Christopher J.; Rychnovsky, Scott D. (2017). "Total synthesis of the polyene macrolide dermostatin A". Tetrahedron. 58 (32): 6561–6576. doi:10.1016/S0040-4020(02)00666-X.
  34. ↑ Malcolm Woodbine (22 January 2016). Antimicrobials and Agriculture: The Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Antibiotics in Agriculture: Benefits and Malefits. Elsevier. pp. 147–. ISBN 978-1-4831-9245-1. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  35. ↑ "Patent No. US4673687". Google Patents. 2017. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  36. ↑ "Patent No. US20060178431". Google Patents. 2017. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  37. ↑ "inauthor:M. J. Thirumalachar". 2017.
  38. ↑ Barthel, W.; Markwardt, F. (2017). "Thirumalachar MJ[Author]". Biochemical Pharmacology. 24 (20): 1903–4. doi:10.1016/0006-2952(75)90415-3. PMID 20.
  39. ↑ "Person: M.J. Thirumalachar". Taxonomicon. 2017. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  40. ↑ "ininventor:Mandayam J. Thirumalachar". Google Patents. 2017.
  41. ↑ Y. S. Ahlawat; M. M. Payak; M. J. Thirumalachar (1989). "Control of Citrus Greening Disease in India" (PDF). Current Science. 58 (16).
  42. ↑ "Office bearers of the Society for 1973". Mycological Society of India. 2017. Archived from the original on 7 January 2017.
  43. ↑ "Honorary Members". Mycological Society of India. 2017. Archived from the original on 7 January 2017.
  44. 1 2 "Dr. M.J. Thirumalachar Merit Awards for Young Scientists". Mycological Society of India. 2017. Archived from the original on 7 January 2017.
  45. ↑ "Hindustan Antibiotics Bulletin". National Center for Biotechnology Information. 2017. Archived from the original on 19 February 2017.
  46. ↑ "Presidents – IPS". Indian Phytopathological Society. 2017. Archived from the original on 20 February 2017.
  47. ↑ "Chief Editors – IPS". Indian Phytopathological Society. 2017. Archived from the original on 12 February 2017.
  48. ↑ "Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Indian Science Congress, Poona". Cab Direct. 2017.
  49. ↑ "INSA Year Book 2016" (PDF). Indian National Science Academy. 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  50. ↑ "Sunder Lal Hora Medal". Indian National Science Academy. 2017. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016.
  51. ↑ "Brief Profile of the Awardee". Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize. 2017. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017.
  52. ↑ "Professor. MJ. Thirumalachar on BIS India". BIS India. 2017. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  53. ↑ "M J Thirumalachar & M J Narasimhan Endowment Lectures". Indian Institute of Science. 2017. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017.
  54. ↑ International Plant Names Index.  Thirum.

Further reading

  • Nanda, R.K.; Jadhav, A.R. (2000). "Dr. M.J. Thirumalachar, (1914–1999)- an obituary and bibliography". Hindustan Antibiot. Bull. 42–43: 1–17. PMID 15058293.
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