Dr. Harbans Lal, Ph.D.

Dr. Lal began his long and profitable career in India at Punjab University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences. He later migrated to the United States where he completed first a Masters degree from the University of Kansas and then his Doctoral degree from the University of Chicago.

Over the years, Dr. Lal held various teaching and research positions at the University of Kansas, University of Chicago and University of Rhode Island. In 1980 he accepted his last position of Professor and Chairman, Department of Pharmacology and Neurosciences at the medical college of the University of North Texas Health Science Center.

Dr. Lal is known for his research in the areas of behavioral medicine, prevention and healing of nerve cell injury, and prolongation of health span.

Dr. Lal wrote the fist book on neuro-protection, a term he popularized to refer to modes and mechanisms employed for the prevention of acute or chronic nerve cell injury, in addition to neuro- regeneration as a strategy for promotion of healing and sprouting of the surviving brain cells upon the death of their neighboring neurons. Neurons are selectively vulnerable to injury and death due to high demand for energy and specific chemical composition that makes them preferentially susceptible to free radicals, primarily oxyradical, damage. These radicals originate in the cellular environments as a result of food digestions and many continuous biochemical processes. Damage to nerve cells is the basis of several disabling diseases such as, stroke related disabilities, Alzheimer's dementia, senile dementias, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and many chronic mental disorders, particularly schizophrenia. Further, it is the basis of many disabilities simply related to the processes of aging of all body organs.

He serves on many national and international advisory boards including serving for 14 years as the Editor of a monthly journal, Drug Development Research. During his career, he has published over 400 research papers, 26 books, several research reviews and 56 chapters in technical books.

Dr. Lal remains active in many civic activities related to health, culture and community services. He is an avid public speaker to community groups. In 1988, he was elected as the national president of Association of Scientists of Indian Origin in America. In 1995, he was awarded a Doctor of Literature, Honoris Causa, from the Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India.