Ajit Varki

Ajit Varki is a physician-scientist who is distinguished professor of medicine and cellular and molecular medicine, founding co-director of the Glycobiology Research and Training Center{{cite web

|url=http://grtc.ucsd.edu/aboutus.html |title=GRTC: About |publisher=Glycobiology Research and Training Center |location=United States |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213132759/http://grtc.ucsd.edu/AboutUs.html |archive-date=February 13, 2012 |url-status=live |access-date=February 23, 2013 }} at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and founding co-director of the UCSD/Salk Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA).{{cite web|url=https://carta.anthropogeny.org/about/organization |title=Center for Academic Research Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA) |publisher=Carta.anthropogeny.org |access-date=January 4, 2012}} He is also executive editor of the textbook Essentials of Glycobiology{{cite book|url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=glyco |title=Essentials of Glycobiology |publisher=Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |date=October 3, 2011 |access-date=January 4, 2012|isbn=9780879695590 }} and distinguished visiting professor at the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras and the National Center for Biological Sciences in Bangalore. He is a specialist advisor to the Human Gene Nomenclature Committee.

Education and biography

Varki went to the Bishop Cotton Boys' School, Bangalore, India during which time he was also strongly influenced by his maternal grandfather Pothan Joseph, a famous journalist and founding editor of many Indian newspapers, including Deccan Herald. He went on to receive basic training in physiology, medicine, biology, and biochemistry at the Christian Medical College, Vellore, continuing to maintain the first rank in his class throughout his schooling. He then did postgraduate training at the University of Nebraska and Washington University School of Medicine, leading to board certification in internal medicine, hematology, and oncology. Following a postdoctoral fellowship with Stuart Kornfeld in St. Louis, he joined the faculty of UCSD in 1982. Significant past appointments include: associate dean for physician-scientist training,{{cite web|url=http://meded.ucsd.edu/adpst/ |title=UCSD Office of the Associate Dean for Physician-Scientist Training |publisher=Meded.ucsd.edu |access-date=January 4, 2012}} co-head, Division of Hematology/Oncology, UCSD (1987–89), the interim directorship of the UCSD Cancer Center (1996–97), scientific advisor to the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center (University of Georgia), the Yerkes Primate Center (Emory University), member of the National Advisory Committee of PubMed Central (NLM/NIH), and coordinator for the multidisciplinary UCSD Project for Explaining the Origin of Humans.{{Citation needed|date=February 2017}}

Research interests

The research group led by Varki has made many contributions over the last few decades{{cite web |url=http://www.scholarnexus.com/SDSF2009/htmls/2009festival/nifty.htm#varki |title=San Diego Science Festival 2009 Nifty Fifty – Profile for Dr. Ajit Varki |publisher=Scholarnexus.com |date=May 23, 2007 |access-date=January 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111230020555/http://www.scholarnexus.com/SDSF2009/htmls/2009festival/nifty.htm#varki |archive-date=December 30, 2011 |url-status=dead }} towards understanding the biological roles of the sugar chains or "glycans" found on all vertebrate cell surfaces and glycoproteins. In this field of Glycobiology, his present focus is on the Sialic Acids, which are found at the outermost position on such glycans, and which can be recognized by intrinsic receptors such as Selectins and the Siglecs (which he co-discovered and named as a sub-group of I-type Lectins), and also by the binding proteins of various pathogens. The group studies the significance of these interactions in biology, evolution and disease.{{cite web |url=http://cmm.ucsd.edu/Lab_Pages/varki/varkilab/index4.htm |title=Varki Lab Website |publisher=Cmm.ucsd.edu |access-date=January 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213113852/http://cmm.ucsd.edu/Lab_Pages/varki/varkilab/index4.htm |archive-date=February 13, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} A particular focus is on multiple differences in sialic acid biology between humans and our closest evolutionary cousins, the great apes. These represent unusual events that occurred during human evolution and are relevant to understanding aspects of human uniqueness in health and disease.{{cite journal|author=Bruce Lieberman |title= Human evolution: Details of being human|journal=Nature |volume=454 |issue=7200 |pages=21–23 |doi=10.1038/454021a |pmid=18596780 |publisher=Nature.com |year=2008 |s2cid= 205039194|doi-access= }}

General interests

Varki has emphasized the key role of Physician-Scientists in the success of the US biomedical enterprise, and advocated for the support and preservation of this track at the national level.{{cite journal |author1=Varki Ajit |author2=Rosenberg Leon E | year = 2002| title = Emerging opportunities and career paths for the young physician-scientist| journal = Nature Medicine | volume = 8 | issue = 5| pages = 437–439 | doi = 10.1038/nm0502-437 | pmid=11984577|s2cid=8639414 }} He also played a key role in advocating for a chimpanzee genome project,{{cite journal|author=Ajit Varki |url=https://genome.cshlp.org/content/10/8/1065.full |title=A Chimpanzee Genome Project Is a Biomedical Imperative. By Ajit Varki. Genome Res. 2000. 10: 1065–1070. |journal=Genome Research |volume=10 |issue=8 |pages=1065–1070 |doi=10.1101/gr.10.8.1065 |pmid=10958623 |publisher=Genome.cshlp.org |date=August 1, 2000 |access-date=January 4, 2012|doi-access=free }} while emphasizing the need for ethical treatment of chimpanzees in research.{{cite journal |author1=Gagneux Pascal |author2=Moore James J. |author3=Varki Ajit | title = The ethics of research on great apes| journal = Nature | volume = 437 | issue = 7055| pages = 27–29 | doi = 10.1038/437027a | pmid=16136111 | date=September 2005|bibcode=2005Natur.437...27G |s2cid=11500691 }} He continues to advocate for and facilitate interactions amongst scientists with interests in explaining the origin of the human species. In this regard, he coined the term "Phenome", in the context of recommending a "Great Ape Phenome Project".{{cite journal|url=http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/282/5387/239d |title=Great Ape Phenome Project? |doi=10.1126/science.282.5387.239d |date=October 9, 1998 |access-date=January 4, 2012 |volume=282 |issue=5387 |journal=Science |pages=239d–239 |pmid=9841385 | last1 = Varki | first1 = A | last2 = Wills | first2 = C | last3 = Perlmutter | first3 = D | display-authors = etal |bibcode=1998Sci...282..239V |s2cid=5837659 |url-access=subscription }} While Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Varki made it the first major biomedical journal to be freely available on the web in 1996, presaging the general "Open Access" movement that came years later.{{cite journal|title= Reflecting on 80 years of excellence|doi=10.1172/JCI23290 |pmc=522269 | pmid=15489943 |volume=114 |issue=8 |year=2004 |journal=J. Clin. Invest. |pages=1006–16 |author=Savla U}} He also created the first viable model for a major Open Access textbook, the 2nd. Edition of the textbook Essentials of Glycobiology. Varki is also very concerned about improving the support systems for women who pursue academic scientific careers, while also wishing to bear children. Varki and his wife Nissi enjoy entertaining, including a Christmas Carols celebration serving Tandoori goose.

Open Access

While Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Varki made it the first major biomedical journal to be freely available on the web in 1996.{{cite journal|title= Reflecting on 80 years of excellence|doi=10.1172/JCI23290 |pmc=522269 | pmid=15489943 |volume=114 |issue=8 |year=2004 |journal=J. Clin. Invest. |pages=1006–16 | last1 = Savla | first1 = U}} Varki wrote, "The vexing issue of the day is how to appropriately charge users for this electronic access. The nonprofit nature of the JCI allows consideration of a truly novel solution — not to charge anyone at all!".{{cite journal | last1 = Varki | first1 = A | year = 1996 | title = The times they are still a'changing: keeping up with the times | doi = 10.1172/JCI118375 | journal = J Clin Invest | volume = 97 | issue = 1| pages = 1 | pmid=8550819 | pmc=507053}} As executive editor of Essentials of Glycobiology, Varki also made it the first major biomedical textbook that was fully open access.{{cite book |vauthors=Varki A, Cummings R, Esko J, Freeze H, Stanley P, Bertozzi C, Hart G, Etzler M | title=Essentials of glycobiology | publisher=Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press | edition=2nd | year=2008 | pmid=20301239 | isbn=978-0-87969-770-9 |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=glyco2 }}

Diet and disease

Varki's group has recently shown that a diet rich in red meat can result in accumulation of a non-human sialic acid molecule called Neu5Gc ("Gc") in the intestines and other tissues. This can allow type of dangerous E.coli toxin to affect the human body.{{cite web|last=Kain |first=Debra |url=http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/health/10-08RedMeat.asp |title=Eating Red Meat Sets Up Target for Disease-Causing Bacteria |publisher=Ucsdnews.ucsd.edu |date=October 29, 2008 |access-date=January 4, 2012}} Also, humans develop antibodies against this foreign Gc molecule, increasing the risk of diseases like cancer.{{cite web |last=Kain |first=Debra |url=http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/health/11-08RedMeatCancer.asp |title=How Eating Red Meat Can Spur Cancer Progression |publisher=Ucsdnews.ucsd.edu |date=November 13, 2008 |access-date=January 4, 2012 |archive-date=February 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212183156/http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/health/11-08RedMeatCancer.asp |url-status=dead }}

Mind Over Reality Transition (MORT)

Varki developed an idea proposed in 2005 by the late Danny Brower of the University of Arizona into a theory called Mind Over Reality Transition (MORT) which has been published in two letters{{Cite journal|last=Varki|first=A.|date=2009|title=Human uniqueness and the denial of death|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=460|issue=7256|pages=684|doi=10.1038/460684c|pmid=19661895|bibcode=2009Natur.460..684V|doi-access=free}}{{Cite journal|last=Varki|first=A.|date=2016|title=Why are there no persisting hybrids of humans with Denisovans, Neanderthals, or anyone else?|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America|volume=113|issue=17|page=E2354|doi=10.1073/pnas.1602270113|pmid=27044111|pmc=4855598|bibcode=2016PNAS..113E2354V|doi-access=free}} and two books.{{Cite book|title=Denial : self-deception, false beliefs, and the origins of the human mind|last=Varki, Ajit.|date=2013|publisher=Twelve|others=Brower, Danny L.|isbn=9781455511914|edition=1st|location=New York|oclc=816563634}}{{Citation|last=Varki|first=Ajit|chapter=Did Human Reality Denial Breach the Evolutionary Psychological Barrier of Mortality Salience? A Theory that Can Explain Unusual Features of the Origin and Fate of Our Species|date=2019|pages=109–135|editor-last=Shackelford|editor-first=Todd K.|publisher=Springer International Publishing|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-3-030-25466-7_6|isbn=9783030254650|editor2-last=Zeigler-Hill|editor2-first=Virgil|title=Evolutionary Perspectives on Death|series=Evolutionary Psychology|doi-access=free}} MORT proposes an evolutionary mechanism to explain the emergence of behaviorally modern humans and some of their unique behaviors, including an extended theory of mind and a tendency to deny reality.

Honors

Varki is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences,{{cite web |url=http://www.amacad.org/news%5Cnew2005.aspx |title=Academy Elects 225th Class of Fellows and Foreign Honorary Members |publisher=Amacad.org |date=April 26, 2005 |access-date=January 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615155050/http://www.amacad.org/news/new2005.aspx |archive-date=June 15, 2009 |url-status=dead }} the Institute of Medicine,{{cite web |url=http://www.iom.edu/Global/Directory/Detail.aspx?id=0020013854 |title=Institute of Medicine of the National Academies Directory – Ajit Varki |publisher=Iom.edu |access-date=January 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803063053/http://www.iom.edu/Global/Directory/Detail.aspx?id=0020013854 |archive-date=2012-08-03 |url-status=dead }} the American Society for Clinical Investigation,{{cite web|url=http://www.the-asci.org/data/profile.php?pid=159637 |title=The American Society for Clinical Investigation Membership List |publisher=The-asci.org |access-date=January 4, 2012}} and the Association of American Physicians. He is recipient of a MERIT award from the NIH,{{cite web |url=http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/GlycobiologyAlliance |title=New Initiative to Study the Glycobiology of Cancer Could Aid Understanding of Cancer Risk and Detection |publisher=Cancer.gov |date=August 22, 2007 |access-date=January 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527100740/http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/GlycobiologyAlliance |archive-date=2010-05-27 |url-status=dead }} an American Cancer Society Faculty Research Award, and the two highest honors in the field of glycobiology, the Karl Meyer Award of the Society for Glycobiology (2005){{cite web |url=http://www.glycobiology.org/KarlMeyerAwards/BackgroundandPastWinners/tabid/91/Default.aspx |title=Karl Meyer Award Background and Past Winners |publisher=Glycobiology.org |access-date=January 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928105243/http://www.glycobiology.org/KarlMeyerAwards/BackgroundandPastWinners/tabid/91/Default.aspx |archive-date=2011-09-28 |url-status=dead }} and the International Glycoconjugate Organization (IGO) Award (2007).{{cite web|url=http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/health/03-07Varki.asp |title=UCSD News. March 8, 2007. By Debra Kain. "UCSD's Ajit Varki to Receive Glycobiology's Highest International Honor" |publisher=Ucsdnews.ucsd.edu |date=March 8, 2007 |access-date=January 4, 2012}} He was also elected to serve as president of the Society for Glycobiology (1996),{{cite web |url=http://www.glycobiology.org/SocietyInformation/Committees/tabid/70/Default.aspx |title=Society for Glycobiology: Committees: Past Presidents |publisher=Glycobiology.org |access-date=January 4, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223193037/http://glycobiology.org/SocietyInformation/Committees/tabid/70/Default.aspx |archive-date=2011-12-23 |url-status=dead }} Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Investigation (1992–97),{{cite journal|journal=Journal of Clinical Investigation |title=Historical Highlights: Blasts from the past |pages= 1017–1033 | doi=10.1172/JCI23321 |date=October 15, 2004 |volume=114 |issue=8 |pmid=15489944 |pmc=522273 |vauthors=Insel PA, Kornfeld S, Majerus PW, Marks AR, Marks PA, Relman AS, Scharschmidt BF, Stossel TP, Varki AP, Weiss SJ, Wilson JD }} and president of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (1998–99).{{cite web|url=http://www.the-asci.org/council_history.shtml |title=American Society for Clinical Investigation Council History |publisher=The-asci.org |access-date=January 4, 2012}}

Selected publications

Beyond his primary research accomplishments, Varki has written many widely cited and influential review articles, commentaries and letters on a variety of topics. Some examples are listed below. His publications have been cited more than 90,000 times and he has an h-index of 150.{{cite web|url=http://physics.ucsd.edu/~jorge/jh.html |title=Jorge Hirsch's research and public service page |publisher=Physics.ucsd.edu |access-date=January 4, 2012}}

{{cite journal |vauthors=Varki A, Holmes E, Yamada T, Agre P, Brenner S |title=Physician-scientists are needed now more than ever |journal=Nature |volume=440 |issue=7085 |page=740 |date=April 2006 |pmid=16598232 |doi=10.1038/440740b|bibcode=2006Natur.440..740V |doi-access=free }}
{{cite journal |author=Varki A |title=Nothing in glycobiology makes sense, except in the light of evolution |journal=Cell |volume=126 |issue=5 |pages=841–5 |date=September 2006 |pmid=16959563 |doi=10.1016/j.cell.2006.08.022|s2cid=17885036 |doi-access=free }}
{{cite journal |vauthors=Varki A, Angata T |title=Siglecs—the major subfamily of I-type lectins |journal=Glycobiology |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=1R–27R |date=January 2006 |pmid=16014749 |doi=10.1093/glycob/cwj008|doi-access=free }}
{{cite journal |author=Varki A |title=Glycan-based interactions involving vertebrate sialic-acid-recognizing proteins |journal=Nature |volume=446 |issue=7139 |pages=1023–9 |date=April 2007 |pmid=17460663 |doi=10.1038/nature05816|bibcode=2007Natur.446.1023V |s2cid=4426872 }}
{{cite journal |vauthors=Crocker PR, Paulson JC, Varki A |title=Siglecs and their roles in the immune system |journal=Nature Reviews Immunology |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=255–66 |date=April 2007 |pmid=17380156 |doi=10.1038/nri2056|s2cid=26722878 |doi-access=free }}

External links

[http://healthsciences.ucsd.edu/som/cmm/faculty/Pages/Ajit-Varki.aspx]
[http://grtc.ucsd.edu/ Glycobiology Research and Training Center]
[https://carta.anthropogeny.org/ Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny]