NiklasPqy606 at 15:07, 5 March 2026

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{{Short description|Indian scientist (1948–2023)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = M. R. S. Rao
| image = Prof MRS Rao -Lab Office.JPG
| caption = Rao in 2010
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1948|01|21|}}
| birth_place = [[Mysore]], [[Mysore State]], [[Dominion of India|India]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2023|08|13|1948|01|21}}
| death_place = [[Bangaluru]], [[Karnataka]], India
| citizenship =
| field = [[Biological Sciences]]
| work_institution = [[Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research]]
| alma_mater = [[Bangalore University]]<br>[[Indian Institute of Science]]
| doctoral_advisor = [[G. Padmanabhan]]
| doctoral_students = [[Tapas Kumar Kundu]] [[B. J. Rao]]
| known_for = [[Chromatin]] Biology and Cancer Biology
| author_abbrev_bot =
| author_abbrev_zoo =
| influences =
| influenced =
| prizes = [[Padma Shri]] (2010) and [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology]](1988)
| footnotes =
| signature =
}}

'''Manchanahalli Rangaswamy Satyanarayana Rao''' (21 January 1948 – 13 August 2023) was an Indian scientist. He was awarded the fourth-highest civilian award, the [[Padma Shri]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Padma awardees list at www.india.gov.in|url=http://india.gov.in/myindia/celebration2.php}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Padma awardees information at Public Bureau Information (PIB) web portal, Government of India|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=57307}}</ref> for Science and Engineering in 2010. From 2003 to 2013 he was president of [[Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research]] (JNCASR) in [[Bangalore]], India.<ref>{{cite web |title=Message from President, JNCASR |url=http://www.jncasr.ac.in/mrsrao}}</ref>

==Education and personal life==
Rao obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in 1966 and Master's of Science degree in 1968 from [[Bangalore University]]. He received his Ph.D. in [[biochemistry]] from the [[Indian Institute of Science]] (IISc), [[Bangalore]] in 1973. Former IISc Director [[Govindarajan Padmanabhan]] was his doctoral advisor at the Department of Biochemistry. From 1974 to 1976 he was an assistant professor at [[Baylor College of Medicine]] in [[Houston]], Texas, where he performed his [[postdoctoral research]]. He later returned to India and joined the Department of Biochemistry at IISc as a faculty.

Rao was an honorary professor at [[Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research]] (JNCASR), Bangalore and was actively running its [[Chromatin]] Biology<ref>{{cite web|title=Chromatin Biology Laboratory of Prof. M.R.S. Rao|url=http://www.jncasr.ac.in/pmessage.php}}</ref> laboratory until his death. He has been credited as the first scientist to initiate Chromatin Biology research in [[India]]. During his research career, his lab at IISc and JNCASR, has mentored many Ph.D. students, [[postdoctoral]] fellows, and research trainees.<ref>{{cite web |title=Alumni information of Chromatin Biology Lab, IISc/JNCASR |url=http://www.jncasr.ac.in/mrsrao/index.php?menu_id=10&user_id=21&page_id=371 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804084438/http://www.jncasr.ac.in/mrsrao/index.php?menu_id=10&user_id=21&page_id=371 |archive-date=4 August 2020 |access-date=14 August 2023 |website=Chromatin Biology Lab Moleculer Biology and Genetics Unit}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Present lab members of Chromatin Biology Lab, JNCASR |url=http://www.jncasr.ac.in/mrsrao/index.php?menu_id=9&user_id=21&page_id=370 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804071047/http://www.jncasr.ac.in/mrsrao/index.php?menu_id=9&user_id=21&page_id=370 |archive-date=4 August 2020 |access-date=14 August 2023 |website=Chromatin Biology Lab Moleculer Biology and Genetics Unit}}</ref>

Rao was married to Padma S. Rao with whom he had two sons. Rao died on 13 August 2023, at the age of 75.<ref>{{cite news |title=Eminent scientist Padma Shri MRS Rao passes away in Bengaluru at 75 |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2023/aug/14/eminent-scientistpadma-shri-mrs-rao-passes-away-in-bengaluru-at-75-2605157.html |access-date=14 August 2023 |publisher=The New Indian Express |date=14 August 2023}}</ref>

==Professional life==
{{More citations needed section|date=August 2023}}[[Image:Dr Manmohan Singh with Prof CNR Rao and Prof MRS Rao at JNCASR.JPG|thumb|Rao with [[Manmohan Singh]], Prime Minister of India; [[B.S. Yeddyurappa]], Chief Minister of [[Karnataka]]; and [[C. N. R. Rao]] during a function at JNCASR, Bangalore.]]

After his [[postdoctoral research]] and assistant professorship at Baylor College of Medicine, he returned to India in 1978 and joined the IISc's Department of Biochemistry as an assistant professor. He was promoted to associate professor in 1987 and professor in 1991. He was the chairman of IISc's Centre for Genetic Engineering from 1990 to 1993. On several occasions, he served as a visiting professor at [[Baylor College of Medicine]] (1983, 1986), [[Harvard Medical School]] (1988–1990, 1993), [[Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research]], and [[University of California at San Diego]] (1998).

In 2003, he was appointed chair and president of [[Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research]] (JNCASR), [[Bangalore]]. He was the chairperson of IISc's Department of Biochemistry (1998–2003) and Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit from 2005 to 2009. He served as president of the Society of Biological Chemists (India) for two terms between 2000 and 2004. Rao was a governing body member and scientific advisor to several research institutes in India. He was a former chairman of the Board of Governors of [[Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram]], Kerala. He was a member of the Board of Governors of [[Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata]]; chairman of the Research Council of [[Indian Institute of Chemical Biology]], Kolkata; and member of the Selection/Search Committee of [[Council of Scientific and Industrial Research|CSIR]] Directors.

Rao served as a chairperson or subject matter expert for several scientific councils and academies, such as [[Department of Science and Technology (India)|Department of Science and Technology]]; [[Department of Biotechnology]]; [[Council of Scientific and Industrial Research]]; [[Indian Council of Medical Research]]; [[Indian Academy of Sciences]]; [[National Academy of Sciences, India]]; [[Indian National Science Academy]]; [[Third World Academy of Sciences]]; and science policy-making committees in [[Government of India]] organisations, institutions and universities. He was the chairperson for the Task Force on Human Genetics & Genome Analysis at the Department of Biotechnology, India.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chairperson of Task Force on Human Genetics & Genome Analysis, DBT- India |url=http://dbtindia.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?id_pk=180 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316083008/https://dbtindia.nic.in/uniquepage.asp?id_pk=180 |archive-date=16 March 2012 |access-date=14 August 2023 |website=Department of Biology, Ministry of Science and Technology}}</ref> He was also a member of the governing body of the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Bangalore. He served as a member of the academic council of Poornaprajna Institute of Scientific Research, Bangalore.<ref>{{cite web|title=Academic Council Member of Poornaprajna Institute of Scientific Research|url=http://www.ppisr.res.in/council.html|access-date=7 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721181121/http://ppisr.res.in/council.html|archive-date=21 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2010, Rao was appointed a member of the National Science and Engineering Research Board, which supports innovation, research and development in various sciences in India.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Gazette of India notification dated June 11, 2010 |url=http://www.dst.gov.in/scientific-programme/SERB_BOARD_NOTIFICATION-MEMBER.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122024700/http://dst.gov.in/scientific-programme/SERB_BOARD_NOTIFICATION-MEMBER.pdf |archive-date=22 November 2010 |access-date=13 October 2010}}</ref>

Rao was on the editorial board of several peer-reviewed journals, including as senior member on the editorial board of the American Journal of Cancer Research (AJCR).<ref>{{cite journal|title= Senior Editorial Board Member of American Journal of Cancer Research | journal=American Journal of Cancer Research| issn=2156-6976|url=http://www.ajcr.us/EditorialBoard.html}}</ref>

==Publications==
Rao was a scientific researcher and author of many peer-reviewed and oft-cited international journal articles.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}} Most of his research work had been focused on [[Chromatin]] biology and Cancer biology.

{{As of|2023|August}}, his 1993 publication<ref>{{cite journal|title= The human mutator gene homolog MSH2 and its association with hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer, Cell, 1993; Vol 75(5):1027–1038|journal=Cell |date=3 December 1993 |volume=75 |issue=5 |pages=1027–1038 |doi=10.1016/0092-8674(93)90546-3 |pmid=8252616 |url=http://www.cell.com/abstract/0092-8674(93)90546-3 |last1=Fishel |first1=Richard |last2=Lescoe |first2=Mary Kay |last3=Rao |first3=M. R. S. |last4=Copeland |first4=Neal G. |last5=Jenkins |first5=Nancy A. |last6=Garber |first6=Judy |last7=Kane |first7=Michael |last8=Kolodner |first8=Richard |s2cid=46235760 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> on [[colon cancer]], published in [[Cell (journal)]], has been [[citations|cited]] over 3700 times.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Google Scholar |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0,33&q=%22The+human+mutator+gene+homolog+MSH2+and+its+association+with+hereditary+nonpolyposis+colon+cancer%22&btnG= |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=scholar.google.com}}</ref>

==Awards and recognitions==
{{More citations needed section|date=August 2023}}
Rao had received several medals, awards and fellowships both in India and abroad. He was awarded the [[Padma Shri]] in 2010 for his contribution to Science and Engineering. He received the [[Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology]] in 1988 from the [[Council of Scientific and Industrial Research]] (CSIR),<ref>{{cite web |title=Handbook of Shanti Swarup Bhatanagar Prize winners (1958–1998) |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/13729624/Bhatnagar-Prize-Winner |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028213140/http://www.scribd.com/doc/13729624/Bhatnagar-Prize-Winner |archive-date=28 October 2011 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Centenary Award from the [[Indian Council of Medical Research]] in 2005,<ref>{{cite web |title=Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Centenary Award (Year 2004–2005) of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) |url=http://www.icmr.nic.in/award/award2005.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107062831/http://www.icmr.nic.in/award/award2005.pdf |archive-date=7 January 2018 |access-date=31 August 2011}}</ref> the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Lecture award from the [[Indian National Science Academy]] (INSA), the [[FICCI]] Award, the J. C. Bose Medal of INSA, a [[Rockefeller Foundation]] Biotechnology Fellowship, the Om Prakash Bhasin Award, the [[Third World Academy of Sciences]] (TWAS) Medal Lecture Award 2008, the [[Ranbaxy]] Science Foundation Award for Basic Medical Sciences, and the Sir M. Visveswaraiah Senior Scientist State award from the [[Government of Karnataka]]. He received the Prof. N. Appaji Rao Best Mentor Award in 2011,<ref>{{cite web|title= Prof. N. Appaji Rao Best Mentor Award (Year 2011) of the Indian Institute of Science Alumni Association (IIScAA)|url=http://www.jncasr.ac.in/newsview.php?id=135}}</ref> an award given by the Indian Institute of Science Alumni Association (IIScAA), Bangalore.

Rao was a fellow of the [[Indian Academy of Sciences]] (IAS), Bangalore; the [[Indian National Science Academy]] (INSA), Delhi; the [[National Academy of Sciences, India]] (NASI), [[Allahabad]]; the [[National Academy of Medical Sciences]] (FAMS), India; the [[Third World Academy of Science]] (TWAS), [[Trieste, Italy]]; the [[American Society for Cell Biology]], the [[American Society for Microbiology]], the [[American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology]], and the [[Human Genome Organization]].

==References==
{{reflist|35em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|M. R. S. Rao}}

{{2000s Padma Shri Award Recipients in Science & Engineering}}
{{SSBPST recipients in Biological Science}}
{{Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Laureates of Karnataka}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rao, M. R. S.}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:2023 deaths]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in science & engineering]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology]]
[[Category:Bangalore University alumni]]
[[Category:Indian Institute of Science alumni]]
[[Category:Academic staff of the Indian Institute of Science]]
[[Category:Scientists from Bengaluru]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Indian National Science Academy]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Indian Academy of Sciences]]
[[Category:Fellows of the National Academy of Sciences, India]]
[[Category:Fellows of the National Academy of Medical Sciences]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian chemists]]
[[Category:Scientists from Mysore]]
[[Category:Indian biochemists]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Biological Science]]
[[Category:Om Prakash Bhasin Award recipients]]

M. R. S. Rao - Revision history

NiklasPqy606 at 15:07, 5 March 2026