Keerikkattil Paily Joy received B Sc (1971) and M Sc (1973) degrees in Zoology from University of Kerala, Thiruvanathapuram, and earned Ph D in Zoology from Banaras Hindu University (1977). He conducted post doctoral research in University of Utrecht, The Netherlands under a UNESCO/IBRO-NUFFIC visiting fellowship (1985-86). He was appointed Lecturer (1977), Reader (1987) and Professor (1997) in Zoology and retired from BHU in 2015. He served the Department of Zoology, BHU as Head (2008-11) and Programme Coordinator, Centre of Advanced Study of UGC-SAP during 2005 to 2010 and 2011-15. After retirement, he joined department of Biotechnology, CUSAT as INSA Senior Scientist (2015-18) and currently continues as INSA Emeritus Scientist.

Academic and Research Achievements: As a faculty member, he was involved in teaching of undergraduate and post graduate courses for 40 years. Dr. Joy has conducted research on neuroendocrinology and reproductive endocrinology of catfish to understand the basic mechanisms of regulation of reproduction with a view to strengthen fish culture in India and abroad. His research work focused on morphological to molecular correlates of the brain-pituitary-gonadal axis. His research work yielded some novel findings such as on the role of catecholestrogens and arginine vasotocin in fish oocyte maturation and ovulation. He made the novel finding that 2-hydroxyestradiol is a potent endogenous inhibitor P450 aromatase. A novel nonapeptide gene Sevatocin was cloned and characterized in catfishes. He has published over 150 original full length research papers, 19 reviews/book chapters, and edited 5 books/special issues. He has supervised the Ph. D thesis of 18 students, dissertations of many postgraduate students and summer training students. Twenty three gene sequences related to hormones/receptors/enzymes/transcription factors were cloned and the sequences were submitted to NCBI database. The research work of Dr. Joy were funded by grants from University Grants Commission, Council of Scientific and Industrial research, Indian Council of Agricultural research, Department of Environment and Department of Science and Technology. He has led an Indo-French research project with multi-centric participation from India and France (INRA).

Professional Contributions: As member of Policy Planning Committee of Department of Zoology and Faculty of Science and Departmental Research Degree Committee, he was associated with various academic and research activities of BHU. As Head, he supervised administrative, academic and research activities of Department of Zoology. As Coordinator of UGC-CAS, he supervised the research activities for two consecutive terms (2005-10 and 2011-2015).

Awards and Honours: Jawaharlal Nehru Award of ICAR (1979); UNESCO/IBRO-NUFFIC fellowship (1985-86); Associate Editor, Fish Physiology and Biochemistry (Springer), 2007- ; Editor, Journal of Translational Neurosciences, iMEDpub, 2016-; Visiting Professor, Okazaki Research Institutes of Monbusho, Japan, 2000 for 5 months; INSA (New Delhi)-RNAAS (Amsterdam) Exchange of Scientists Visit Award, 1997; INSA- Israel Academy Bilateral Exchange visit of Scientists, 2015; Member, International Advisory Committee of International Symposium on Reproductive Physiology of Fish (2003, 2007, 2011, 2014); Member, International Advisory Board of 27th Congress of European Comparative Endocrinologists, 2014, Rennes, France; Member, International Neuroendocrine Federation Council, 2008- ; Member, Program Organizing committee of 7th Congress of Neuroendocrinology, Rouen, France (2010); Chairman, 9th International Symposium on Reproductive Physiology of Fish, Cochin, August 2011; Chaired sessions: GnRH Neurons in the 7th Congress of Neuroendocrinology, Rouen, France (2010); Reproductive Endocrinology (Symp 1), 7th AOSCE Congress, Kuala Lumpur, 2012; 7th AOSCE Intercongress, NTOUT, Keelung, Taiwan, 2014; delivered Plenary Lecture, 10th ISRPF, Olhao, Portugal, 2014; Member, UGC-SAP Visiting Committee to Department of Zoology, Jaipur University, 2005; Chairman, UGC-SAP Visiting Committee to Department of Zoology, Visvabharathi, Santiniketan, 2012; Member of Advisory Committee, UGC-DRS, Department of Zoology, Burdwan (2012-17); Member, Research Advisory Committee of CIFA (ICAR), Bhubaneswar (2016-19); Visiting Professor, CIFE (ICAR), Mumbai (2015-); Vice President, Society of Biotechnologists (India), Kochi (2016-).

Awards, Honours and Recognitions

A. Fellowship of National Academies
Elected Fellow of Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi- 2012 -

B. Editorial Boards
i) Associate Editor, Fish Physiology & Biochemistry (Springer), 2007-
ii) Editor, Journal of Translational Neurosciences, iMEDpub, 2016-
iii) Editor, Journal of Bioscience and Biotechnology Discovery, Integrity Research Journals, 2016-
C. National Committees
i) Chairman, UGC-SAP Visiting Committee to Department of Zoology, Visvabharathi, Santiniketan, 2012
ii) Member of Advisory Committee, UGC-DRS, Department of Zoology, Burdwan (2012-17)
iii) Member, Research Advisory Committee of CIFA (ICAR), Bhubaneswar (2016-19)
iv) Visiting Professor, CIFE (ICAR), Mumbai (2015-)
v) Vice President, Society of Biotechnologists (India), Kochi (2016-).
vi) Member of Advisory Committee, UGC-DRS, School of Life Sciences, JNU, New Delhi
vii) Member of Sectional Committee-VIII, INSA, New Delhi (2015-17)
D. Membership of Societies
i) Life member, Society of Reproductive Biology & Comparative Endocrinology, Chennai
ii) Life member, Society of Biotechnologists (India), Cochin
iii) Asia & Oceania Society of Comparative Endocrinology, 2014 for 10 years.
iv) International Neuroendocrinology Federation, 2008 onwards

E. Selected publications

1. Banerjee P., Chaube R., Joy K. P. 2018. Molecular cloning and characterisation of an isotocin paralogue ([V8] isotocin) in catfishes (superorder Ostariophysi): Origin traced likely to the fish‐specific whole genome duplication. J. Neuroendo-crinology. doi: 10.1111/jne.12647
2. P. Banerjee , K.P. Joy , R. Chaube. 2017. Structural and functional diversity of nonapeptide hormones from an evolutionary perspective: A review. Gen Comp Endocrinol 241, 4–23
3. Acharjee, A., Chaube, R., and Joy, K. P 2017. Ovaprim, a commercial spawning inducer, stimulates gonadotropin subunit gene transcriptional activity: A study correlated with plasma steroid profile, ovulation and fertilization in the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis. Gen Comp Endocrinol. 251 66–73 doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.10.001.
4. Chaube R. Rawat A., Joy K. P. 2015. Molecular cloning and characterization of brain and ovarian cytochrome P450 aromatase genes in the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis: Sex, tissue and seasonal variation in, and effects of gonadotropin on geneexpression. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 221, 120-133.
5. Banerjee P. Chaube R. and Joy K. P. 2015. Molecular cloning, sequencing and tissue expression of vasotocin and isotocin precursor genes from Ostariophysian catfishes: phylogeny and evolutionary considerations in teleosts. Front. Neurosci., 15 May 2015 |9:166.
6. Chaube R, Joy K P and Acharjee, A. 2015. Catfish gonadotrophins: cellular origin, structural properties and physiology. J. Neuroendocrinol. 27, 536-543. doi: 10.1111/jne.12286
7. K.P. Joy and, R. Chaube, 2015. Vasotocin – A new player in the control of oocyte maturation and ovulation in fish. Gen Comp. Endocrinol. 196, 91-99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.02.013
8. Chaube R. , Singh R. K. and Joy K. P. (2014). Effects of ovaprim, a commercial spawning inducer, on vasotocin and steroid hormone profiles in the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis: In vivo and in vitro studies. Gen Comp. Endocrinol. 195, 190-200.
9. Joy K. P. and Chaube R. (2013). Ovarian catecholestrogens; role in final oocyte maturation. In: Sexual plasticity and gametogenesis in fishes, Ed. B. Senthilkumaran, Nova Science Publishers, Inc. New York. pp.115-130.
10. V. Singh and K. P. Joy (2011). Vasotocin induces final oocyte maturation and ovulation through the production of a maturation-inducing steroid in the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol.174,15-21.

Pubmed link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=joy+k+p