Missouri radiology professor named India's Person of the Year in Science

Kattesh Katti, PhD, a professor at the University of Missouri (MU), has been named the 2016 Person of the Year in Science by Vijayavani, a daily newspaper in the Indian state of Karnataka.

Katti is the curator’s professor of radiology and physics, director of the MU Institute of Green Nanotechnology, and Margaret Proctor Mulligan distinguished professor of medical research at the MU School of Medicine.

Katti, who was born in Karnataka, has spent his career researching new ways to use more natural methods such as phytochemicals and herbs to treat cancer, arthritis, and other diseases. Ayurvedic medicine, an old healthcare method which originated in India, has played a significant role in Katti’s research.

“The Vijayavani newspaper recognized my ability to merge the traditional Indian holistic medicine of Ayurveda with the science of green nanotechnology,” Katti said in a statement. “This will help advance nano-Ayurvedic medicine products to applications that can be used to cure and treat patients across the world.”

Katti is no stranger to being honored for his research. In 2015, he won the Hevesy Medal, an international award of excellence in radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry. That same year, Katti was also announced as a member of the 2014 class of fellows for the National Academy of Inventors.

Looking ahead, Katti has plans to continue his research by transitioning from using nano-Ayurvedic methods on animals to testing them on human patients.