Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad has been awarded with CSIR Technology Prize for Biological Sciences and Technology 2003. The team comprising Dr. L. S. Shashidhara and Dr. P. Bhandari was awarded for generating the first transgenic Drosophila (fruitfly) expressing human tumour suppressor gene 'Apc' and using this system to screen potential anticancer agents. The whole- organism approach helps in identifying drugs with increased specific activity and decreased toxicity.

In a ceremony organized in connection with CSIR Foundation Day on September 26, 2003 in New Delhi, K.C. Pant, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, conferred the award to Dr. L. S. Shashidhara. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh, a citation and plaques to the team members and a memento to the Director, CCMB, for his able leadership in developing such technologies at CCMB.

Dr. L .S. Shashidhara informed Pharmabiz.com that it took around three years to complete this project. And three companies have so far expressed interest in utilising the research, of which two are Indian and another a US based company.

He also mentioned that major part of his research studies are focused on wing development of Drosophila, which further helps in understanding the evolutionary trend that has established the differences between fore and hind limbs in mammals including human, wings and legs in birds and fore and hind wings in insects.

CCMB has generated transgenic flies (Drosophila melanogaster, commonly known as fruitfly), which enable targeted expression of human Apc gene in different genetic and physiological backgrounds. Human Apc -induced phenotypes in flies are consistent with its biochemical role in human. CCMB has successfully used human Apc -induced eye deformities as the assay in a genetic screen to identify new genes, which modulate Wnt / Wg signaling. It is further shown that these transgenic flies constitute a novel, fast and inexpensive model system for studying Wnt - signaling and for developing therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of cancers caused by over-action of Wnt-signaling.

CCMB' s technique exploits the role of oncogenes and tumour-suppressor genes during normal growth and development. Mis- expression of human Apc in developing eyes of fruitflies causes mild deformities since it inhibits normal function of growth promoting oncogene b-catenin. If a drug mimics Apc function, it would enhance eye deformities in the flies administered with the drug. Since such drugs are potential inhibitors of growth-promoting oncogenes, they would be useful in anti-cancer therapy.

Until recently, the mouse was a natural choice as a model system to study human physiology, biochemistry, diseases etc. With the increasing rate of identification of genes causing human diseases and considering high costs involved in using mice, it is important and logical to promote the use of alternate genetic model systems. The fruitfly, one of the well-studied genetic systems, would be very useful in drug discovery programs as an intermediate between in vitro / cell culture system and transgenic mice / clinical trials.

CCMB has earlier won the CSIR Technology Award for the development of DNA Fingerprinting technology, FICCI Award for outstanding achievement in Science & Technology; and CSIR Technology Prize 2000 for developing a recombinant DNA technology that has been commercialized internationally.