ABOUT VISWANATH KURUP

I was born in Thattayil, a scenic village with small hillocks, paddy fields and coconuts groves, near Pandalam. I am the youngest of the four offsprings of Sri K. Parameswaran Nair and Ms. Kunjulakshmi Amma. My father hailed from Pandalam. A member of the Valachithara Tharavadu, he was a teacher, who served his profession with ardent enthusiasm and dedication. Being in the government service, he served in schools from Parassala to Kunnathunadu of the erstwhile Travancore State. He molded many outstanding figures who later served in various capacities in the nation building process of independent India. My mother was a member of the Thamaravelil kudumbam.   While her father was the Karnawar of the Changaveetil Tharavadu, the two families controlled all activities, wealth and pride of the village as a whole. Although not educated beyond the elementary school, my mother’s mind was particularly fixed at educating her children.

After my primary and secondary education in Thatta, I continued my 2 years of college in Pandalam.   There after I moved to Pune, graduated from the famous Ferguson College where Gopalakrishna Gokhale and Lokamanya Tilak were associated. I did my Masters at the University of Poona.   After serving 4 years at the Medical College, Trivandrum, I joined Vallabhai Patel Chest Institute and finished my Ph.D. in Medical Mycology in the year 1967.   Before I left for the USA, I again served one year as a faculty member of the Medical College.   I did my post-doctoral work at Ohio State University, Columbus.   After serving another 3 years in a hospital in Columbus, I moved to Milwaukee to accept a faculty position at the Medical College of Wisconsin and VA Medical Center.   I served until 2007 and retired as Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine.

I married Indirabai Amma, daughter of Sri R. Parameswaran Pillai and Ms J. Kamalakshy Amma in the year1962.   In 1968 I moved to the USA, followed by Indira and our children Mini and Manoj. Our son Vinod was born in Columbus, Ohio.

During the 33 years at the Medical College, my research was supported by National Institute of Health, V.A. Research Service, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, American Lung Association, NASA and several private Foundations. I have trained students from India, Nigeria, Finland, Spain, England, Thailand, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, Kuwait, Germany and China. I served in various capacities in the National and International Organizations such as American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Association of Immunologists of America, American Society for Microbiologists, International Society of Human and Animal Mycology, Clinical Immunological society of America, American Association for the Advancement of Science, etc. I was a Ph.D. Examiner in a number Universities and an invited speaker for several organizations. I Presented seminars and chaired sessions for various professional meetings in Mexico, Germany, England, Netherlands, Switzerland, Finland, Russia, Nigeria, Egypt, Israel, Kuwait, India, Malaysia, Japan, Australia and China. I served as a visiting faculty in the universities of Puerto Rico, Finland, Kuwait, India and Nepal.

I served as Chairman of the Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis Committee. I also served as a member in a number of other National and International Committees including World Health Organization’s Allergen Nomenclature Committee. To teach, train and conduct research in Allergy and Immunology, I have been awarded Fulbright Fellowship to Finland and UNESCO fellowship to India. I served in the study sections of National Institute of Health and American Lung association. I was in the editorial board of a number Scientific Journals and was a referee in the field of my specialty. I published 300 Scientific papers in peer reviewed Journals. my other achievements include contribution of chapters to 27 books and editing 3 books including one Web Site Publication. Currently I am in the process of editing another book on the Recent Advances in Allergy and Immunology.

While studying the lung allergy, two new micro-organisms causing Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, namely Faenia rectivirgula and Thermoactinomyces candidus were discovered. New serological diagnostic methods were developed for fast and more reliable diagnosis of several allergic diseases.

Fungus (Mold) induced allergic disease, Allergic Bronchopulmonary aspergillosis was studied in detail. We have identified and developed gene cloned allergens for reliable and faster diagnosis. A mouse model of the disease was developed and this model is extensively employed by scientists all over the world for developing new treatment modalities and for understanding the mechanistic aspects of the disease. About 13,000 genes were evaluated for determining the role of genes in allergy.

Rubber allergy was elucidated by conducting research in Collaboration with investigators from Malaysia, Austria, Canada and Finland.

Besides Science, I spent time to learn and understand the philosophy of various world religions. I have translated Thunchathu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan’s Harinama kirtanam in to English. In addition, several articles have been written in Malayalam and English on diverse fields. I am currently trying to integrate the scientific knowledge with the universal philosophies of world religions for a better understanding of philosophy, theology and mysticism.

I have 2 brothers and one sister