The International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Hyderabad has appointed Prof U Deva Priyakumar as its new Dean of Research and Development, marking a leadership transition from Prof CV Jawahar, who served two consecutive terms.

Prof Priyakumar is also the Founding Project Director of IHub-Data, a national technology innovation hub hosted at IIIT Hyderabad. He previously led the Centre for Computational Natural Sciences and Bioinformatics (CCNSB), where his work focused on artificial intelligence (AI) applications in chemistry, biology, and healthcare.

A leading researcher in computational sciences, Prof Priyakumar has authored more than 150 papers in international journals and received several prestigious honours. His accolades include the Chemical Research Society of India Medal, the Indian National Science Academy Medal, the Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award, and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Invitation Fellowship.

Congratulating him, IIIT Hyderabad Director Prof Sandeep K Shukla said Prof Priyakumar’s “leadership and research excellence have been instrumental in shaping IIIT Hyderabad’s interdisciplinary research culture”, adding that his vision “makes him the ideal choice to lead our R&D efforts into the next phase of innovation and societal impact.”

On his appointment, Prof Priyakumar said he was “honoured to be given the responsibility to lead the institute’s research efforts from the front,” adding that he looked forward to “expanding research capacity, engaging in initiatives for solving real-life problems, and intensifying research translation.”