INTERVIEW

Bhimanagouda Patil

Interviewed by David Bradley

Posted July 20, 2001 · Issue 107

Background

Biography
Bhimu Patil was born on February 21, 1962, in Damabal, India. He got his B.S. in agriculture from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India, in 1984, and a horticultural M.S. in 1986. He then moved to the United States to study for his Ph.D., which he obtained at Texas A&M University at College Station in 1994. He stayed at Texas A&M as a research assistant until a position at the IMPACT (International Marketing Program for Agricultural Commodities and Trade) Center at Washington State University took him to the Northwest from 1994 to 1996. Patil then traveled down the West Coast to work at the Kearney Agricultural Center at the University of California at Riverside from March 1996 to May 1997. He then took on the role of assistant professor of plant physiology at the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Citrus Center in 1997.

Current Research Interests
Patil is currently involved in studying the health benefits of citrus fruits and of onions, and the nature of nutraceuticals (substances obtained from food that have health benefits). He and his colleagues have, for instance, demonstrated that pectin, the complex carbohydrate found in most plants but abundantly in citrus fruits, can get cancerous cells talking to each other again and so stall tumor formation. Their work could potentially lead to a new treatment for preventing prostate and other cancers. Patil is also involved in researching the postharvest physiology of fruits.

What was the key event that pushed you into research?

When I lost my father to cancer, I started thinking about trying to find any natural compounds that might help in preventing the disease. I believe that one approach that will yield positive results is to explore the benefits of consuming fruit and vegetables in their natural form rather than extracting active components for production as additives and dietary supplements. This will be, I think, a much more fruitful approach.

Who was your most influential teacher?

Dr. Bandakanavar and Texas A&M's Dr. Leonard Pike. Pike was, as my Ph.D. supervisor, most helpful in many ways during the whole of my time with him. He is also very good at linking people together and in mentoring.

Which research paper has had the most effect on your work?

Our citrus pectin and limonoid work, recently published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and Nutrition and Cancer, has had the most impact on me in that the experiments it describes were my idea. I discussed them with collaborators, we tried them out, and it worked out very well.

Who awarded you your first grant and what was it for?

The USDA provided me with the funds to develop a multidisciplinary course entitled Phytochemicals in Fruits and Vegetables to Improve Human Health. I think the fact that there was a good degree of collaboration already established, and that this was the first course of its kind in the country, helped persuade them. We have 16 interdisciplinary scientists teaching one class, and the class is taught through videoconferencing with our students being located all over Texas at five major universities.

What was your best experiment?

That would have to be uncovering the relationship between citrus pectin and prostate cancer. We found, for the first time, that citrus pectin can inhibit fibroblast growth-factor interaction.

Which scientific idea do you regret the most?

The clinical trials that are being carried on functional components. Before we go too far with any of the benefits of phytochemicals, we need more clinical research by the medical scientists.

What qualities do you need to be a successful researcher?

Dedication and the ability to surround yourself with a good team of collaborators. Collaboration is, after all, the key to scientific success. It is very important only if we start learning how to become selfless. Although every human being is selfish to some extent, including myself, we need to learn how to not bring selfishness into science.

If you could work with any scientist, who would it be?

I have several collaborators in the United States as it is, but there are many big name scientists, and it is very hard to decide with whom one might wish to work.

What is your greatest unanswered scientific question?

To understand the different modes of action of the same pectin in inhibiting different growth-factor signaling mechanisms. We now know that pectin works in inhibition, but we need more studies to discern which particular component of pectin is responsible. At present, we suspect that the rhamnose constituent in pectin may be the responsible factor but need more research to prove this is the case.

What scientific plans do you have for the next five years?

We hope to completely understand the health benefits of citrus fruits. Currently, we are focusing on citrus limonoids and four particular biological activities - the elevation of glutothione transferase enzyme activity, protection against the formation of preneoplastic lesions in colon cancer, specific enzyme activity of cytochrome P450, and the effect on carcinogen-induced oral carcinoma.

Indeed, it was just confirmed yesterday that we will be receiving a USDA-IFAFS grant for $1 million to allow us to conduct this research. Again, it would not have been possible to obtain this grant if I had not planned such a clear focus for the research and to ensure that it is collaborative work. We also hope to investigate other biological activity in fruit and vegetables over the next few years.

David Bradley, a freelance science writer, lives on the edge of the fens north of Cambridge, United Kingdom. Elemental Discoveries is his Webzine of science news.