An eminent and award-winning Indian-origin immunologist has been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences in recognition of his “distinguished and continuing achievements in original research”.

Sankar Ghosh is the Silverstein and Hutt Family Professor of Microbiology and Chair of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University.

He was among the 120 newly elected members announced by the Academy last week, a statement by Columbia University Irving Medical Center said.

It said Ghosh’s research examines the connection between the immune system and various diseases, from cancer to sepsis to diabetes and more.

He has a deep interest in deciphering the complexities of transcriptional regulation – the ways by which a cell regulates the conversion of DNA to RNA – to better understand the mechanisms of the immune system and the pathological changes that occur to its pathways in many diseases, the statement added.

Ghosh and members of his lab recently uncovered new clues to sepsis that may speed diagnosis.

“Their findings suggest the two microRNAs could inform a test to help physicians classify patients into those with milder infections versus others with organ failure who are at high risk of sepsis and death, it said.

Ghosh joined Columbia in 2008 and was previously a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. He is also a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution that was established under a Congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863.

It recognises achievement in science by election to membership and – with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine – provides science, engineering and health policy advice to the federal government and other organisations.