HASSAN: The European Taskforce formed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to conduct research on developing a vaccine for Covid-19 has a Karnataka connection. Mahadesh Prasad, a young scientist from Arkalgud of Hassan district, is part of a research team of scientists formed by the taskforce. The EU Taskforce has formed 10 research teams to develop a vaccine for coronavirus.
Mahadesh Prasad has been carrying out research activities to find a vaccine for Covid-19 which has so far claimed thousands of lives across the world, sources said. Mahesh did his primary, secondary and high school education in Kannada medium and PU Science and B.Sc from government first grade colleges in Arkalgud and Hassan, respectively.
Later, he went to Mysuru where he completed M.Sc in Biochemistry at Manasagangothri. Prasad was a post-doctoral research student of Pennsylvania University for sometime and currently, he is serving as scientist in the department of virology and chemotherapy, University of Leuven, Belgium.
Mahadesh had returned to India for a brief period and served a couple of years here following a call given by Narendra Modi to Indian scientists to work in the country. Prasad bagged the young scientist award in 2016 for his outstanding achievements in research. He went to Linkoping in Sweden where he joined as research scientist at Post-doctoral Research Centre at the University Hospital.
The vice-chancellor of Linkoping has recommended Prasad to be part of the 10 research teams of the taskforce to find a vaccine for coronavirus following a call by the WHO. Mahadesh Prasad has been recognised as one of the topmost scientists in the world and heading a scientists’ team for one-and-half-months.
His brother Komal Prasad is also a scientist and part of a 20-scientists team researching on cancer. According to Mahadesh Prasad, the diseases like Covid-19 shouldn’t enter countries like India where density of population is high compared to other countries.
“We are hopeful of finding a remedy for Covid-19 and have succeeded in the first stage. We need a minimum of six months for accurate results. It will be recognised globally after a series of researches,” he said.
“Coronavirus cannot be cured by consuming garlic or any other herbal medicine. As per a global report, diseases like Covid-19 affect elderly people quickly. The need of the hour is to maintain hygiene and take precautionary measures,” he added.
