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INSITE April 2020
University, one of the highest-ranked
schools in India, for his master’s degree.
While later working toward his
Ph.D., Reddy had his first exposure to
academic research. With his pharmacy
background, he was naturally drawn
toward pharmacology research and
its application for serious medical
conditions. After graduation, he was
offered a position as a lecturer in
pharmacology at Panjab University,
which he accepted. Reddy taught for a
year, but he still dreamed of creating his
own therapeutic drug.
“By then, I realized that drug
discovery doesn’t happen in India
because there are so few resources,”
Reddy says.
After his first year as a faculty
member, Reddy was offered a prestigious
postdoctoral position at the National
Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
“I didn’t even know what the NIH
was,” Reddy says. “I had to ask my former
professor about it, and he was shocked
that I didn’t know what the NIH was. That
was when I realized it was a big deal.”
Reddy accepted the position and moved
to North America. He spent three years at
the NIH learning about how research was
conducted in the United States.
After finishing his postdoc, he moved
to North Carolina State University,
where he opened his first research lab.
During the six years that he spent in
North Carolina, Reddy was promoted
from assistant professor to associate
professor and published research
papers on therapeutic interventions for
epilepsy. Eventually, he was offered a
position by the Texas A&M University
College of Medicine and he joined the
faculty in 2008. In 2012, he became the
youngest full professor in the department
of Neuroscience and Experimental
Therapeutics at age 42.
So far, Reddy has developed models
and technologies for epilepsy and
neurosteroid therapy, two of which
have made it to clinical trials. Recently,
his work has led to FDA approval of the
first drug (brexanolone, Zulresso) for
post-partum depression. This academic
landmark exemplifies the impact of his
translational research.
“My drive has changed a lot since I
was in high school to now,” Reddy says.
“I no longer have to constantly worry
about physical hunger. Now, my drive
is that I am hungry to work hard and
improve the lives of others through
pharmacology research.” i