Dr. Naranjan S. Dhalla, Distinguished Professor of Physiology, University of Manitoba, and Director of Cardiovascular Developments, St-Boniface Hospital Research has been awarded an honorary doctorate of the University of Kragujevac, Serbia. The official ceremony was held Feb 28th, 2014, at 10 a.m. at the Rectorate of the University of Kragujevac. The award is Dhalla’s 5th honorary doctorate in addition to 4 honorary professorships from different institutions around the globe.
The award was presented to Dhalla by university Rector Professor Slobodan Arsenijevic for “outstanding contribution to the development of medical thought and scientific and research work in the field of physiology of the cardiovascular system, and as a token of gratitude for contributions to the development of the University of Kragujevac in this field”.
“I am truly honored,” says Dhalla. “Not only for me, but St-Boniface Hospital Research and the University of Manitoba as well. I am deeply touched by this gesture, and look forward to promoting the excellent work the faculty has done here in the areas of lifestyle and cardiovascular problems”. He also gave an inaugural address on Potential Therapy for the Prevention of Cardiac Dysfunction During the Development of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy.
Dhalla recently returned from two weeks in his native India, attending conferences in several cities with St-Boniface Hospital Research colleagues Dr. Grant Pierce, Executive Director of Research, St-Boniface Hospital, and Dr. Pawan Singal, Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, also at St-Boniface.
In late January, Dhalla was guest of honour and keynote speaker at the 5th National Conference on Rational Pharmacotherapeutics in Ludhiana, India, presenting “Search for Rational Therapy or Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death”. Shortly after, at the International Academy of Cardiovascular Science’s India Section Meeting in New Delhi, Dhalla gave the presentation “Role of Protease Activation in Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in the Heart”. During this visit, Dhalla also received a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Indian Section of the International Academy of Cardiovascular Science. 7 awards were also given in his name – the Naranjan Dhalla Awards for Young Investigators – for 2 oral and 5 poster presentations.
In early February at the 101st Session of Indian Science Congress in Jammu, India, Dhalla presented “Modification of Myocardial Infarction Induced Heart Failure by Anti-platelet Agents”. The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, presented an award to Dr. Dhalla in recognition of his exemplary contributions in science and technology. The award was received in the presence of 8,000 conference delegates, and chaired by Dr Ranbir Sobti, General President, and Mohan P.S. Ishar, President.
Dhalla then presented “Reversal of Cardiac Remodeling in Heart Failure by α-adrenoceptor Blockade” at the 11th Annual Conference of ISHR-India Section in Mohali, India. At this meeting, a Naranjan Dhalla Young Investigator Competition was also held.
From March through November Dhalla will attend or present at the following international meetings:
- ACC 63rd Annual Scientific Session, Washington DC
- 39th World Congress of ISMH and 79th BCPM Joint Meeting, Tokyo
- Cuban Congress of Cardiology, Havana
- Inaugural Lecture, University of Buenos Aires
- 19th World Congress on Heart Disease, Boston
- European Section of IACS Meeting, Lake Balaton
- 3rd Congress of Physiological Sciences of Serbia, Belgrade
- 2014 Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, Vancouver
- American Heart Association Meeting, Chicago
Academic and Professional Achievements
Naranjan Dhalla is a Distinguished Professor of the University of Manitoba at the St-Boniface Hospital Research Centre in Winnipeg. In view of his dedicated services and high profile leadership qualities, he is known for promoting cardiovascular science and medicine all over the world.
In his capacity as Secretary General and then as President during 1972-1995, Dhalla developed and promoted the International Society for Heart Research for the exchange of scientific information and to foster research collaborations. He also founded the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences for promoting education and research and has been serving as Executive Director since 1996.
Dhalla has been serving as Editor-in-Chief of a major international journal “Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry” for the past 26 years. He has edited/authored 50 books in the area of cardiovascular health and disease, primarily for the benefit of developing investigators.
Dhalla has given 526 invited talks at national and international conferences and symposia as well as academic institutions around the globe. He has organized (as Chairman)12 highly successful conferences in Winnipeg, which were attended by 400 to 2,000 established and young investigators, in addition to serving as a Member for the organization of another 106 international meetings for the past 40 years.
Dhalla has published more than 775 full length research papers and review articles on the pathophysiology and pharmacology of heart failure, ischemic heart disease and diabetic cardiomyopathy throughout his professional career and his work has been cited more than 14,000 times in the literature.
Dhalla has trained 161 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and visiting scientists in the field of experimental cardiology. He served as Founding Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences for 19 years and recruited several highly talented investigators with diverse expertise in biomedical sciences to build a multidisciplinary centre for the prevention and therapy of heart disease.
Doctorate Degrees
- Honorary Degree of Doctorate of Medicine, Charles University, Prague (1995)
- Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava (1997)
- Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh (2009)
- Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (2010)
Honorary Professorships
- Honorary Professor of the Peking Union Medical College, Beijing (1991)
- Honorary Professor of the Xian Medical University, Xian (1992)
- Professor Honoris Causa of the Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University, Bucharest (1996)
- Professor Honoris Causa of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, Bucharest, Romania (2006)
UM Today article
Dr. Dhalla Honourary Doctorate Degree from Serbia
Dr. Naranjan S. Dhalla is congratulated by Prof. Zivadin Bugarcic, Vice-Rector for science, University of Kragujevac
Dr. Naranjan S. Dhalla gives Inaugural Address
Enjoying Dr. Naranjan S. Dhalla’s Inaugural Address are: Prof. Zivadin Bugarcic, Vice-Rector for science, University of Kragujevac, Prof. Slobodan Arsenijevic, Rector, University of Kragujevac, Prof. Nenad Filipovic, Vice-Rector for international cooperation, University of Kragujevac, Prof. Vidan Papic, Vice-Rector for culture and art, University of Kragujevac
Dr. Naranjan S. Dhalla with local press
Post-Award reception for Dr. Naranjan S. Dhalla
(L-R) Prof. Zivadin Bugarcic, Vice-Rector for science, University of Kragujevac,
Prof. Vladimir Jakovljevic, Vice-Dean for Continuing Medical Education and for Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac; President, Serbian Physiological Society; Fellow IACS, Prof. Naranjan Dhalla, Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Kragujevac, Prof. Slobodan Arsenijevic, Rector, University of Kragujevac, Prof. Dragan Djuric, Past President, Serbian Physiological Society; Fellow IACS, Prof. Vidan Papic, Vice-Rector for culture and art, University of Kragujevac,
Prof. Nenad Filipovic, Vice-Rector for international cooperation, University of Kragujevac