Dr Samba Reddy, professor of neuroscience and experimental therapeutics at Texas A&M University College of Medicine, has been elected as a Fellow of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS), a lifetime recognition and the highest professional honour of achievement in pharmaceutical field. The award was presented by the AAPS President Dr. Marilyn Morris at the 2014 AAPS Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego on November 2, 2014.

The AAPS recognises outstanding researchers with a Fellow designation. Dr. Reddy, a renowned expert in neurotherapeutics, was selected on the basis of “professional excellence as exemplified by a sustained level of superior and distinguished contributions that have a substantial impact in the pharmaceutical field”.

Dr. Reddy joined the Texas A&M faculty in 2008 and was previously honoured by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with the Fellow Award for Research Excellence for the year 2000.  He is internationally respected for his contributions to neurotherapeutics, neurosteroid mechanisms, and new treatments for epilepsy and brain diseases. His work is centered on finding better medications for treatment of brain disorders such as epilepsy, brain injury, and chemical neurotoxicity.

He has made pioneering contributions that include development of a neurosteroid-replacement therapy for epilepsy, new epilepsy medication ganaxolone, and tonic inhibition therapy for persistent seizures and neurotoxicity. He successfully designed many model systems, treatment strategies, and first-in-class agents for complex brain disorders. He has published 120 papers, authored 6 books, and has made over 150 presentations worldwide.

Dr. Reddy serves as an expert member in federal committees in Washington such as NIH, DOD, and the United States pharmacopeia (USP). He is an editor-in-chief of an international pharmaceutical journal.  He obtained a pharmacy degree and doctorate in pharmacology prior to special postdoctoral training at NIH.

He is a native of Warangal in India. He traveled thousands of miles to Texas to excel in research and became a highly regarded professor. He has been honoured with excellence awards by many associations including BAPS, NATA, TANA and ATA.