Sunil Kumar Verma

2015 Nobel Prize Controversy Chemical structures of arthemisin and arthemisinin. Chemically, both of these belong to a group of chemicals known as Sesquiterpene lactones. In 2015 Verma claimed that the malaria treatment drug artemisinin (initially extracted from Artemisia annua, later synthesized), the discovery of which earned Chinese scientist Tu Youyou the Lasker Award in 2011 and the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015, has roots in older traditional medicine from India under the name artemisin, associated with a related Indian plant species (Hindi: Ajwain) and previously identified as fever-treating. Verma argued that in order to fairly implement the provisions of Article 10 of Nagoya Protocol on equitable sharing of benefits derived from the utilization of genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated with the genetic resources (such as a plant-based medicine that arises based on the traditional knowledge on the usage of the specific plant or closely related plant species), no single person or country must be allowed to take credit for a genetic resource, or associated traditional knowledge if that previously existed in many countries, merely due to absence of proper documentation, or the inability of a specific country to claim rights on its traditional knowledge due to various reasons such as absence of legal framework.

Universal primer technology

In March 2001, Verma and Lalji Singh claimed to have invented a method that they called "universal primer technology", which allowed the identification of any unknown biological sample and its assignment to a known species source.

Through its ability to work across a large range of animal species, universal primer technology can identify any bird, fish, reptile or mammal and satisfy legal evidence requirements in a court of law. Patents relating to this invention have been filed in several countries and the research papers published in various journals. This technique of CSIR-CCMB revitalised the field of wildlife forensics. It is currently being used routinely in LaCONES at the CSIR-CCMB to provide a wildlife forensics service across India in cases pertaining to wildlife crime.

Verma's and Singh's contribution to the development of universal primer technology has been recognised by the Indian minister of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Earth Sciences in a written report to the Lok Sabha. Several undercover investigations carried out by the ABC7 Whistleblower and WKRG News5 investigators, revealed that almost half of the seafood was inaccurately labelled as a more expensive variety. This method of species identification used by the Therion International to uncover the seafood scam, was cited as "gold standard" by various labs worldwide.

Universal primer technology and DNA barcoding

In February 2015, a credit dispute between universal primer technology and DNA barcoding came to light. is essentially the same as universal primer technology (UPT) and that both utilize standardized, short stretch of DNA from mitochondrial genome, amplified using the specific universal primers, to assign the identity of an unknown biological sample to a particular species. Verma claimed that UPT was described earlier than DNA barcoding in his patents,

Literature

Verma has written several collections of Hindi poetry on social issues such as the 2012 Delhi gang rape. In 2014, his work was showcased in Hyderabad by the Association of British Scholars.

Awards and honors Some notable fellowships and awards conferred to Verma are as follows: IEmerging Forensic Scientist Continental Award (1999) from the International Association of Forensics Sciences Lindau Fellowship (2003) to represent Indian scholars at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings in Physiology and Medicine in 2003 Commonwealth Scholarship (2003) CSIR Technology Award for Life Sciences" (2008), Jointly conferred to Sunil Kumar Verma and Lalji Singh NRDC Societal Invention Award (2009), Jointly conferred to Sunil Kumar Verma and Lalji Singh The BioAsia Innovation Award (2009) Fellowship of Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology Berlin (2010–2013) Research ambassador of DAAD (2010-till death)

Selected publications