In this reflection, Manoj Saxena revisits conversations sparked during YIM 2026 and a train journey afterwards to examine India’s evolving innovation ecosystem. From team science and biomanufacturing ambitions to fragmented execution, funding gaps, and barriers faced by returning scientists, the piece explores the tension between collective aspiration and structural reality.
Breakout sessions at the Young Investigators’ Meeting 2026 revealed that building a lab goes beyond science; it is also about defining one’s identity, nurturing people, and sustaining momentum amid constraints. Accompanied by visual notes, this piece is a collation of insights on the role of culture, collaboration, and persistence in shaping resilient research ecosystems and crafting meaningful scientific careers in life sciences.
The global pandemic served as an eye-opener for the need to learn about navigating public health crises. From this crisis emerged a lesson that cannot be ignored: building a robust ecosystem that enhances communication amongst all the relevant stakeholders, especially at the city level, is crucial to mitigating public health challenges. Among the many efforts that emerged to address this need, Pune Knowledge Cluster (PKC) has taken significant strides in developing pathways towards building a comprehensive public health management framework for Pune district.
Posted on in Health & Medicine, Other, Training & Interdisciplinarity
Aditi Jain, an India-based publishing professional discusses how scientific communication thrives at the intersection of culture, clarity, and community. Drawing from her interactions within the global research ecosystem, she highlights why being culturally sensitive is necessary to disseminating research—to turn feedback into learning, communication into collaboration, and science into a genuinely inclusive and meaningful undertaking.
Posted on in Other, Education, Training, Personal Experience, Outreach & School Education
The IISER Kolkata Alumni Association's Short Summer Courses (SSC) programme fills gaps in traditional science education by bringing together Indian university students and early-career researchers from around the world. In July 2025, SSC hopes to promote academic innovation and democratise scientific knowledge throughout India by offering engaging, state-of-the-art courses.
Posted on in Education, Training, Career Development, Research & Education
Citizen science is research conducted with the help of the general public, where amateur, non-professional, and passionate individuals are provided with an opportunity to contribute to science. It serves as a medium to foster scientific curiosity and collaboration between scientists and society, enabling individuals to contribute to data collection, organisation, and analysis—which are key elements in evidence-based decision-making and addressing community challenges through research and policy initiatives. Additionally, it also helps alleviate the workload and conserve the bandwidth of scientists and experts, allowing them to focus better on advancing research and innovation.
Posted on in Education, Science Communication, Training, Teaching, School Education & Education
India's National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) envisions an education system that aligns with the aspirations of 21st century learning. It highlights the importance of nurturing human potential, strengthening institutional capacity, and fostering regional ecosystems for education, research, and innovation. The policy also aims to promote inclusivity and equitable quality education while cultivating a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Posted on in Education, Science Communication, Training, Teaching, School Education & Education