One of the world's leading authorities on the development of viruses for gene therapy vectors, Dr. Verma uses genetically engineered viruses to insert new genes into cells that can then be returned to the body, where they produce the essential protein whose absence causes disease. He has also been conferred the NIH Outstanding Investigator Award (1988). Dr. Verma is a member of the National Academy of Sciences (US), Institute of Medicine, American Academy for Arts & Sciences, American Philosophical Society, Third World Academy of Sciences and a foreign associate of the Indian National Academy of Sciences. The Vilcek Foundation named Dr. Verma as the recipient of its 2008 prize in biomedical science. Dr. Verma is also the recipient of 2010 Spector Prize awarded by Columbia University and 22nd Annual Cancer Research Award of the Pasarow Foundation.