Dr Sanjay Bhattacharya, born and brought up in Kolkata, did his basic medical training from the North Bengal Medical College near Siliguri in West Bengal. His interest in basic science led him to do his post-graduation in Medical Microbiology from JIPMER hospital in Pondicherry. In the field of medical research he has worked on the epidemiology of hepatitis C virus, antiviral resistance in hepatitis B virus, and had surveyed HIV viral load blips in patients on antiretroviral therapy, and compared diagnostic techniques in Influenza viruses.

Dr Bhattacharya received his training in Clinical Microbiology from the University Hospitals of Leicester, Coventry and Warwickshire and City Hospital Birmingham. Subsequently he has worked and trained in Clinical Virology at HPA West Midlands Public Health Laboratory and the University Hospitals Birmingham in the UK.

His areas of medical interest include molecular methods in the diagnosis of Infectious Diseases, medical education and teaching, closer integration of laboratory medicine with clinical sciences, and the application of clinical microbiology and virology in the Indian context. He has published several papers in Indian and international medical journals and is in the editorial board of the Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology and has received awards from Pondicherry University, University of North Bengal and other professional bodies (West Midlands Microbiology Group, England; and local, regional, zonal awards in Paediatric Quiz organised by Indian Academy of Paediatrics).

Selected papers and e-letters:
-Bhattacharya S. Laboratory to clinical Microbiology: are we ready for a transition? Indian J Med Microbiol 2009; 27: 97-99.
-Bhattacharya S. ESBL- from Petri dish to the patient. Indian J Med Microbiol 2006; 24: 20-24.
-Bhattacharya S. Blood culture in India: a proposal for a national programme for early detection of sepsis. Indian J Med Microbiol 2005; 23: 220-226.
-Bhattacharya S, O’Donnell K, Dudley T, Kennefick A, Osman H, Boxall E, Mutimer D. Antenatal screening and postnatal follow-up of hepatitis B in the West Midlands of England. QJM 2008; 101: 307-312.
-Smit E, Bhattacharya S, Osman H, Taylor S. Increased frequency of HIV-1 viral load blip rate observed following switching from Roche Cobas Amplicor to Cobas Taqman assay. Journal of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (in press)
-Bhattacharya S, Price N, Boxall E, Adu D, Lipkin G, Smith S, Osman H. Holiday Haemodialysis and Imported Hepatitis C virus Infection: A Series of Sixteen Cases in Two Large Haemodialysis Units. Journal of Clinical Virology (in press)
-Bhattacharya S, Chakraborti B. Medical Tourism: India and the UK. 20 November 2005. http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/331/7526/1157#121806
-Bhattacharya S, Weller TMA. Tackling infectious disease in South Asia: solutions on the horizon. 27 April 2004. http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/328/7443/807#57764