Manju Ray facts for kids

Manju Ray was a brilliant Indian scientist. She was an expert in studying tiny parts of cells. Her work helped us understand how cells work. It also helped in finding new ways to fight cancer. She won a big award called the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology in 1989. She was only the second woman to win it for Biological Sciences.

Her Early Life and Learning

Manju Ray studied at a famous college in India. It was called Rajabazar Science College. This college is part of Calcutta University. She earned two important degrees there. In 1969, she got her Master's degree in Physiology. Then, in 1975, she finished her PhD in Biochemistry.

Amazing Discoveries and Research

Manju Ray started her science career at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science. Later, she became an Emeritus Scientist at Bose Institute in Kolkata. Her main research focused on something called methylglyoxal. This is a natural chemical that cells make. It's a side-product from how cells get energy.

Dr. Ray and her team worked hard to understand methylglyoxal. They found and studied many enzymes related to it. Enzymes are like tiny helpers that make chemical reactions happen in our bodies. Her work also looked at how methylglyoxal could fight cancer. They even saw good results in early tests with patients. This research helped us learn more about how to develop new medicines.

Awards and Recognition

Manju Ray received several important awards for her scientific work:

• 1975: Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Young Scientist Medal in Biological Science
• 1989: Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology in Biological Science
• 2003: Dr. I.C. Chopra Memorial Award
• Dr. Jnan Chandra Ghosh Memorial Award

See also

In Spanish: Manju Ray para niños