Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology is organising a "Short Course on Bioinformatics" from 12.04.2024 to 17.04.2024 (Online mode) at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai.
Teachers, especially in higher education, face some unreasonable expectations from students. Learning is seen as easy, requiring minimal effort; access to information is equated with acquiring knowledge; acquiring knowledge and skills is viewed as equivalent to gaining experience; and prosperity is thought to require no hard work or sacrifice – as R. Natarajan, former chairman of All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) aptly remarked during the 10-year celebration of Nirma University in 2013.
The decreasing reliance on textbooks, and easy access to bite-size content are a major concern for me as a biology teacher in postgraduate and PhD programmes. Automation of information processing, which bypasses the need for language proficiency adds to these concerns. With the advent of generative AI tools, the challenge is to identify the use of ChatGPT in students' assignments, and making students aware of the lacunae in using these sources viz., data covered in these algorithms are only till 2021, among others. Seeking some guidance, I came across a webinar hosted by the India Didactics Association.
The webinar, held on 31 July 2023, was tailored for higher education leaders on the topic "Future of Higher Education: Impact of Generative AI on Skills & Future Jobs in Higher Education". Engaging in the webinar by participating in the discussions and gathering insights from the panellists, several key takeaways emerged:
In addition, the webinar discussed challenges like infrastructure, bandwidth, connectivity, the need for feedback on student's tasks, and the necessity to tweak curriculum and modes of assessment
I shared my concerns about the increasing use of generative AI in students’ assignments with the panellists. To this, a panellist suggested giving such assignments to students that test their creative skills, where the use of ChatGPT, will only augment their learning. I implemented this suggestion by offering first-semester M.Sc students the following topics for class presentations:
Sure enough, a student remarked spontaneously and innocently, “We did not find Google or ChatGPT useful, we had to use the given material only!!” It was hard to hide the winning smile from listening to their candid comments!
Despite the satisfaction of seeing students engage with the assigned material, each time I identify ‘external help’, in their write-ups or email conversations, I can not help but feel frustrated over their reliance on shortcuts to learning. It is the collective responsibility of parents and teachers to nurture Generation Z to be good users of technology and not get used by technology. That technology is only as good as its user, is true to this day!
]]>The JNU has openings for faculty positions for Indian Nationals & Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) at the level of Professor, Associate Professor and Assistant Professor in the areas of Specialisation as indicated against each respective position. Applicants with good academic record, teaching/research experience and working in related areas of research are encouraged to apply. University also solicits applications from candidates with research interests that are interdisciplinary.
The essential qualifications/Pay Level for these positions will be as per the UGC Regulations, 2018, as amended from time to time.
The eligible and interested persons are required to apply online in the online link available on the University website https://curec.samarth.ac.in/in.... Only online applications will be accepted. Details of eligibility criteria, position number, and instructions for online application are given in the advertisement https://jnu.ac.in/sites/defaul...
RYIM Pune was unique for several reasons. The two-day meeting had the distinction of being the only RYIM to be held at a medical college, and with a focus on interdisciplinary medical research brought together medical doctors, life scientists, epidemiologists, students, and researchers under one platform. This diversity of disciplines was also reflected in the organising team: RYIM Pune was led by Shrish Raut, a medical doctor and researcher at Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College, with co-organisers Dhiraj Dhotre, a scientist at the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) and Priti Gautam, faculty at the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU).
A day before the meeting, I conducted a ‘Crafting Your Career’ (CYC) workshop for a pre-selected group of participants. The participants included students and researchers in public health, biotechnology, and medicine. The workshop started with me talking of the dynamic nature of science careers in the 21st century, after which I shared my own career journey which has seen several professional transitions across medicine, science and science facilitation. At the end of the introduction, I shared one line that sums up my professional choices:
After 20 years in a career that has spanned medicine, science and science facilitation, this is the closest it has ever got to my dream job.
Notably, this was the first time the CYC workshop had been conducted for a large group of medical or allied health professionals, and it was interesting to observe that the career exploration exercises built into the CYC workshop, such as identifying one’s skills, interests and values, and strength mapping of skills, were relevant and well-received by students of medical and public health.
Day 1 of RYIM Pune started with a keynote talk by Chittaranjan Yajnik, KEM Hospital Research Centre, Pune. He discussed his lifelong work on diabetes mellitus in Indian populations through multi-generational cohort studies, with interesting personal, philosophical and political anecdotes that peppered his research journey. Yajnik holds the distinction of becoming a case study for this own scientific theory, documented in the publication ‘Confessions of a thin-fat Indian’, where both authors (one of them Yajnik) reported the limitations of body-mass index as a measure of adiposity via measurements on themselves. In another interesting anecdote, Yajnik shared the possibility that modern diabetes mellitus in India could be an ‘epigenetic’ footprint of periods of starvation and famine across ancient and/or modern Indian history, a theory that underpins the less-studied sociopolitical and historical influences on health and disease.
In another talk on similar lines, Sundeep Salvi from Pulmocare Research and Education (PURE) also brought forth an interesting set of arguments on a modern lifestyle illness, as he discussed the role of cholesterol on heart disease. He shared that beyond binary distinctions such as ‘good and bad cholesterol’ and ‘high and low cholesterol’, the effect of cholesterol on heart disease in Indians might actually be more complex, with recent studies reporting cholesterol levels below a certain threshold might actually increase the risk of heart disease.
RYIM Pune also brought forth several other talks at the intersection of medicine and life science research. In his talk on the human gut microbiome, Dhotre fascinated the attendees with recent data on the role of condiments, spices and savories in shaping the dynamic gut microbiome of Indians, a project led by NCCS with support from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). Interestingly, savories had the most harmful impact on gut microbiota composition, so keeping an eye on your ‘snacking’ might be what both you and your gut need!
Albeit in a different context, another large-scale national project discussed was the role of clinical trials in HIV prevention and care, with Sheela Godbole, a dermatologist-turned-clinical trialist and Director, Indian Council of Medical Research-National AIDS Research Institute (NARI), Pune, laying out the challenges of building effective and ethical clinical trial structures. In another talk, Vineeta Bal, IISER Pune, also a physician-scientist, discussed her work on vaccines for typhoid fever.
In addition, RYIM Pune held a series of broad talks relevant to doing research in medical settings, which included a session on ‘Identifying research gaps’ by Aditi Apte from KEM Hospital Research Centre and ‘Implementation science in tackling healthcare challenges’ by Sampada Bangar from ICMR-NARI, Pune.
RYIM also hosted interesting panel discussions on ‘Medical research in clinical practice’ and ‘Integrating and nurturing research culture in medical schools’ which together highlighted the need to inform and educate medical trainees and doctors about research methods while underscoring the need to do so in a meaningful and sustainable manner. As a medical doctor and scientist myself, I was part of these discussions and shared these thoughts:
The mandatory inclusion of research methods in MBBS studies should not be to make 'doctors do research' but to facilitate an understanding of the science behind medicine. Further, anything 'mandatory' runs the real risk of becoming a 'sham'.
Possibly the ‘piece de resistance’ of the meeting were two virtual talks by Gagandeep Kang, currently Director, Global Health at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Raman Gangakhedkar, Former Head of Epidemiology and Communicable Disease at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Both physician-scientists, their contributions and career journeys serve as an exemplar representation of the impact that medical researchers can have in the life science ecosystem in India. As Kang said in her discussion:
Doing something for India … serving India was very strongly driven into me since my childhood.
Taken together, beyond my role as Executive Director, IndiaBioscience, RYIM Pune carried notable significance to me as a professional. As a physician-scientist myself, it was encouraging to see the meeting bring together medical doctors, scientists and epidemiologists in the city where I did my medical training and residency. Incidentally, it was during my residency in Pune that I embarked on a MD thesis research project for which I worked briefly with RYIM co-organiser Dhiraj Dhotre in the laboratory of Yogesh Shouche at NCCS. On that note, here’s to more long-standing connections across medicine and life science research in India!
]]>Applications on plain paper in the given format (Annexure- I refer to advertisement link) with complete curriculum vitae and scanned copies of all academic and research documents and publications, are invited from interested candidates for a research project position sponsored by Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi.
Age limit: 35 years
Area of Research: Alzheimer’s disease therapy
Rs. 56,000/- pm + HRA as admissible by GOI rules
First Class Postgraduate Degree in Biochemistry / Molecular Biology/ Biotechnology/ Bioinformatics having less than 3 years of research experience involving Bioinformatics as well as Molecular Biology domains such as running molecular dynamic simulation on various platforms and downstream data processing, and basic Molecular Biology techniques.
Desirable: Research experience demonstrated in publications applying both bioinformatics and molecular biology skills as mentioned above. Additional experience in handling laboratory animals will be considered favorably.
Applications in Annexure- I format (refer to advertisement link) with all relevant documents can be sent by email as a single document in PDF to the undersigned at asmitadgupta@yahoo.com on or before March 20, 2024. The project position is only on a temporary basis with no further obligation to the funding agency or the host institution.
Application Checklist: A single pdf containing the following–
For more details click link1 and Link2
Which YIMs have you been part of?
My first YIM was as a young faculty in 2019 at Guwahati. Then COVID hit, and I participated in the online YIM 2021 and YIM 2022 as the representative of IIT Gandhinagar. Further, I was one of the co-organisers of YIM 2023 at Gandhinagar.
Tell us about where you were in your career & research back in 2023.
I had finished four years at my institute and thankfully, I was tenured. I was in a stage of transition between Assistant and Associate Professor, moving on from the early-career to mid-career phase. By then, the scientist in me was craving exposure to the broader community. So when the opportunity came to organise a YIM in our campus, I took it.
I was actually still setting up a new stem cell lab. Though I started in 2018, it took me two years to do this and then COVID hit, which delayed grants. Things had just started resuming and I was in the process of setting up my BSL 2 lab when YIM was happening. IIT Gandhinagar really supported me. They offered me flexibility, and since the event was on our campus, and it was teamwork between the four of us organisers, it didn't take me away from my lab or teaching too much.
Tell us about where you are in your career & research today - how have things changed?
First of all, I got promoted to Associate Professor. YIM helped this happen because when we are evaluated, they also look at your experience hosting social networking events. The IITs consider not just what you contribute to research or your institute but also to society, or at least the scientific community. My students are graduating, my publications are coming out.
Another impact of the YIM has been the collaborations and the networks it has built with my peers.
Can you recall for us how you came to be involved with YIM?
I did my PhD from National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) from 2007 to 2013 with Yamuna Krishnan. That was the time when the seeds of IndiaBioscience and the YIMs were sprouting. Yamuna took part in some of the initial YIMs and she used to narrate her experiences to us. I used to wonder when I would get to be at a YIM. At the time there used to be these DST-supported YIM-like meetings in Cambridge and other European countries. I took part in one such, as a postdoc, in Barcelona in 2017. That gave me a good boost, and I understood what the bottlenecks in India were. It enabled me to move back to India the next year. When the YIM at Guwahati was announced shortly after, I applied and got to attend my first YIM.
Tell us about one meaningful connection you made at a YIM
As a postdoc, I was a Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) fellow. Funding agencies like HFSP give awards at different levels. If you are a postdoc, you can go abroad with this fellowship, and then when you return, you can apply for the HFSP career development award. If you're a mid-career fellow or experienced faculty, you can also apply for international HPSP grants. I was not so aware of the requirements of those kinds of fellowships. So to have people like Tamal Das from TIFR Hyderabad and Thomas Pucadyil from IISER Pune as mentors at the YIM was really helpful. This gave people like me crystal clear ideas of what these funding agencies are looking for, how we should present our stories and stories to these different organisations like HFSP or European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).
Can you tell us one memorable behind-the-scenes story from your time organising YIM 2023?
YIM 2023 was a huge experiment-cum-adventure. Until then, YIMs happened in places that were a bit isolated from the city, to enable more in-depth discussions, but this was the first time it was happening at an academic campus.
IIT Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad University were chosen to host it. The main motivation for this was to give the participants (young investigators and postdocs) a first-hand experience of what academic institutes look like, how labs are arranged, and address many questions they may have while transitioning into academia.
It was an adventure, but eventually, YIM 2023 was successful. I must give credit to people in my own department and institute. Though it was our faces on the website, we were just the monitors and there were many others who helped make it happen. Many of the faculty members had been to YIMs before and were super excited.
IIT Gandhinagar, being close to the airport, has a very robust system for booking the guesthouse, food, airport transits, etc. So it was not a very big struggle for us. Rather, it was a good learning exercise for students who came in as volunteers.
Describe for us one YIM 2023 session that made a strong impression on you?
I was on a panel discussing work-life balance with Rashna Bhandari and some others. This was extremely important, especially coming after COVID when we were returning from work-from-home to the labs and the real world. As scientists, we are passionate about our jobs and we tend to put so much effort into setting up our labs. These are, of course, important, as are getting grants and publications, but it’s equally important to look after our families and health. We discussed how we need to take breaks whenever possible. The world will not end if the proposal is submitted after two days, or a manuscript takes another week. The key is to start early and not wait to do tasks until the last moment.
If you could pick the brain of any scientist from the past, who would it be and what would you ask them?
My academic journey began at one of the best schools in India, NCBS. This is where many people like Obaid Siddiqui, Veronica Rodrigues and KS Krishnan worked. I got to spend some time with Veronica Rodrigues and she really left a mark on me. She always stood like a mother, a guide to us, whenever we needed help. There was so much to learn from her, not just the science but also managing laboratories and sensitive issues at the institution. I found her to be a very, very mature person. Sometimes, we get anxious over small problems in the lab, or a manuscript rejection, but Veronica would stay very calm even in the most turbulent situations. I wish I could have had more time to learn from her but unfortunately, she passed away soon after I started my PhD. .
If you could add one programme to the next YIM schedule, what would it be?
I’ve realised something over the last five years of my journey. As academics in elite institutes, we tend to complain about small things such as delayed flights. However, there are regions for example, in Jammu Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the northeast, Jharkhand, where academics face more fundamental problems. They may have ideas, they may even be much better scientists than us, but they don't even have offices, electricity, clean water... I think IndiaBioscience should reach out to these remote places and bring in people from there. Perhaps we can empower them, support them and get them connected with the rest of the country.
What message would you like to pass to someone who is attending their first YIM in 2024?
I would advise young investigators and postdocs to ask questions, no matter how trivial, and no matter how senior the mentors are.
Even if it is a matter of how to order a reagent, I am sure people like K VijayRaghavan will answer. At YIM 2019, I admired how Karishma Kaushik was so open-minded and asked so many questions, regardless of who it was in front of her - whether it was the director of an institute, a minister or secretary of a funding agency.
There is one more thing: Now that YIMs are happening in institutes, I would caution young postdocs from applying to the host institute after they get selected for the event. This is not a good practice and is not the way the system works.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most widespread neurodegenerative pathology in the world, representing an economic, societal and scientific challenges. The failure of current treatments is associated with the multifactorial nature of this disease, involving not only a proteopathy and a deficit in synaptic plasticity impacting cognitive functions, but also a dysfunction of mitochondrial homeostasis. Alterations of mitochondria structure and function occurs in early-stage AD brains likely contributing to disease development. Moreover, the specific process removing damaged mitochondria (mitophagy) is compromised in both sporadic and familial forms of AD and occurs in the brain and in peripheral cells, resulting in the accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria. However, the mechanistic insights and the cellular landscape of mitophagy failure in AD are unknown. An exploratory analysis using the "Nanostring" approach has identified a deregulation of a set of genes whose role in regulating mitochondrial dysfunction and mitophagy have not been studied yet in AD. The project aims to elucidate original molecular mechanisms leading to the alterations of mitochondria structure and function and the failure of the degradation process of dysfunctional mitochondria.
They will characterize regulations occurring at the transcriptional, translational and post-translational levels of novel signaling cascade implicating new genes likely related to mitochondria dysfunction and mitophagy failure in AD. They will study mitochondria dysfunctions and mitophagy process in a brain cell-type and spatio-temporal specific manner. This project will be developed using complementary AD study models including human-derived brain samples, induced-pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and murine study models mimicking AD (humanized knock-in AD mouse model). This is a multidisciplinary project involving neurobiology, mitochondrial biology, synaptic plasticity and neuroimmunology. The obtained results will contribute to advance our knowledge for AD pathogenesis, allowing the development of new therapeutic approach to prevent or revers AD pathology.
Dr. Mounia Chami
https://cvscience.aviesan.fr/c...
Co-PI: Dr. Kasturi Mitra
https://www.ashoka.edu.in/prof...
Candidates should have at least one first author publication in a relevant journal. Candidates with cell and molecular biology background with interest in neuroscience will be preferred. Expertise in handling primary neurons cultures, Confocal microscopy, animal experimentation would be a plus.
Candidates interested in applying for 2 competitive French fellowships should email their detailed CV and cover letter to mchami@ipmc.cnrs.fr and Kasturi.mitra@ashoka.edu by March 22nd, 2024. The chosen candidate(s) will write the fellowship in consultation with the PI and Co-PI and submit the application timely. If funded, the collaborative study would be carried out in the affiliated locations of the PI and co-PI based on project requirement.
]]>Towering Pine trees of the Pfynwald alpine coniferous forest enveloped me. Golden yellow specks flew around like stars sprinkled on a canvas. The golden spots are a visualisation of the volatile organic compounds released by trees, in the ‘Atmospheric forest’ exhibit at the ‘Critical Zones: In search of a common ground’ exhibition housed on the third floor of the Science Gallery Bengaluru (SGB). It is an adaptation of the exhibition ‘Critical zones: Observatories for earthly politics’, originally conceived and showcased at ZKM, Centre for Art and Media Karlsruhe (2020-2022). The exhibition was the brainchild of Bruno Latour, French philosopher and sociologist and Peter Weibel, an Austrian artist.
What is the critical zone?
"What is the critical zone?" a curious visitor asked. “It's the thin layer of Earth where all life exists," said the mediator. It is everything from the ground beneath our feet, the hidden world of underground rivers and tiny creatures, all the way up to the air we breathe. It is the ‘life support system’ of Earth that makes life on Earth possible. "Think of the earth as an orange - the critical zone would be just the peel", explained the mediator.
The critical zone may be thin, but it holds a surprising variety of landscapes and water forms – and these change rapidly over geological time. The Sahara desert, for example, was once a vast ocean. Thematic maps visualise these shifts which shows how a place's landforms have transformed over different eras. The "Physical Atlas" exhibit is a thematic map that represents the landforms of a location over different periods in horizontal sections. Although critical zones have always been changing due to natural forces, in the ‘Anthropocene’ era humans are the dominant force shaping geography, climate and ecology. The critical zone now faces unprecedented challenges as a result of our actions.
Health of the critical zone
Scientists are concerned about the health of our planet’s critical zone. Humans have altered over half of the Earth’s land surface, pushing the planet’s life support systems beyond sustainable limits. To assess the ‘health’ of the critical zones, scientists have made field stations that monitor various environmental parameters. The ‘Critical Zone Observatory’ (CZO) exhibit showcases artwork inspired by CZOs in France, Switzerland and the Indian Institute of Science.
At the CZOs instruments track measures like soil moisture, groundwater level, and streamflow. This data helps analyse how resilient the critical zone is to change.
The mangrove ecosystem has also become a site of destruction, as explained by the exhibit ‘Critical membrane’ by Sonia Mehra Chawla. The artist worked with scientists at the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in Chennai, India. They collected soil and water samples from mangrove ecosystems. Scientists at the MSSRF, known for their research on the role and preservation of mangroves, then grew microbiological cultures from these samples. The MSSRF is also studying traditional fishing techniques used in these areas, as these techniques create networks of canals that contribute to the health of the mangrove ecosystem.
Fransesca Romana Audretsch, art mediator at the Center for Arts and Media, Karlsruhe, says,
The exhibition is not about the climate crisis. It is about finding ways to coexist with all forms of life on Earth. It is about finding common ground, about how we can identify ourselves with living forms around us rather than as nations, and making people think.
The ’Cloud studies’ exhibit by Forensic architecture further underscores the vulnerability and interconnectedness of the critical zone. It captures the drastic changes clouds face due to air pollution and chemical emissions, highlighting the impact of human activities on even the seemingly distant sky.
We are all interconnected
The exhibition introduces the concept of ‘Ghost acreages’ and asks us an uncomfortable question- Do we live where we are? We depend on international trade, coal and oil sourced by displacing local communities for our sustenance. The land we live in is not the land we live from and there is profound interconnectedness in the critical zone. "Soil Affinities" by Uriel Orlow reveals the complex story of European food production relying on industrial farms in West Africa, established during colonialism. Meanwhile, "Raiz Aerea" by Edith Morales showcases an indigenous Mexican maize variety, uniquely capable of self-fertilization. This plant, with its nitrogen-fixing aerial roots, has been nurtured by indigenous communities for millennia. However, in 2018, scientists and corporations took notice, potentially putting its intellectual property at risk. This raises critical questions about biopiracy and the exploitation of indigenous knowledge.
Every element, from water and soil to gases and minerals, has been shaped by living organisms, exemplifying the concept of Gaia – how life forms create and sustain the conditions for other life to exist. Such interconnectedness can lead to profound experiences, as was the case with the artist Cemelesai Dakivali. Years ago, a group of young people from Dakivali's tribe in southern Taiwan fell ill with a strange disease after conducting research in their ancestral lands. This incident echoed the warnings of tribal elders who believed certain areas should remain untouched. Inspired by their wisdom, Dakivali created large-scale artworks depicting not invasive species, but the viruses and creatures unleashed from the wilderness in response to human intrusion. This powerful reversal of perspective challenges the traditional narrative, highlighting humans as the disruptive force facing retaliation from the natural world.
The exhibition introduces us to the concepts of critical zones, interconnectedness in the critical zones and the urgency to act to save our life support systems from reaching the tipping point. To do so, it proposes a paradigm shift- that humans should move away from national identities and focus on building a shared understanding of our place on earth. It invites visitors to join this ongoing process of finding new ways to exist and thrive on Earth.
By engaging with the "Critical Zones" exhibition and its message of interconnectedness and shared responsibility, we can collectively move towards a more sustainable and harmonious future for all life on Earth.
The critical zones exhibition is open to the public free of cost till 17 March 2024. More activities, talks, film-screenings and workshops are lined up as part of the exhibition.
]]>While heading to the venue at Mahindra University in Hyderabad, I overheard a conversation between a RYIM participant and my colleague, Arushi Batra. He posed the question, curious about the whereabouts of IndiaBioscience and our headquarters (and sub offices).
I chuckled, thinking about how IndiaBioscience, though based in Bangalore, has pan-India reach and impact with its strong digital presence, and diverse programs, grants and initiatives.
I shared this anecdote at the start of my presentation at RYIM Hyderabad, introducing IndiaBioscience and highlighting its role in bridging many gaps across the life science community in India, including that between academia and industry.
Further on in my talk, I shared the details of the diverse initiatives undertaken by IndiaBioscience, such as organising career development workshops, creating compendia focused on collaborations and varied career paths, and establishing external partnerships with biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries for several programs. I also urged the scientists and students in the audience to actively engage with the different programs at IndiaBioscience to maximise the impact of these initiatives.
In this report, I highlight the key takeaways from the various talks and discussions held during RYIM Hyderabad.
Genesis of RYIM Hyderabad
To commence the meeting and kick off the first day of RYIM Hyderabad, Bindu Madhav Reddy, University of Hyderabad, and Vivek Singh, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, who were also the organisers of the inaugural RYIM Hyderabad in 2018, discussed the genesis of regional YIMs. They highlighted the necessity to establish local scientific networks within India's major cities, leading to the genesis of the RYIMs at the tenth Young Investigators’ Meeting in 2018, with the support of IndiaBioscience.
In the true spirit of collaboration, RYIM Hyderabad 2024 was organised as a multi-institutional effort, by an incredible team led by Viswanadham D, IKP Knowledge Park; and Manjari Kiran from UoH, along with Sanjeev Kumar Choudhry, Pijus Kanti Barman, and Runa Kuley from Mahindra University; Sugunakar Vuree, National Institute of Nutrition; Manish Jaiswal, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research; Sandeep Kushwaha, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology; Kranti Kiran Reddy, Malla Reddy Dental College; Shibsekhar Roy, Osmania University, and Yathish Achar, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting Diagnostics (CDFD).
Bringing academia and industry together
Another talk aligned with the theme was by Rashmi Pimpale, Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad (RICH), who emphasised the compelling influence of collaboration in science. While an ideal scientific scenario envisions seamless partnerships among industries, institutions, academia, and government, the actual reality poses challenges. Initiatives such as RICH and other S&T city clusters, backed by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, play a crucial role in bridging such gaps and fostering a collaborative culture. Through these joint endeavours, diverse expertise comes together to tackle challenges and devise innovative solutions.
In another talk, Vinay Nandicoori, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), shared some learning points from his experiences with academia-industry partnerships. He said to ‘forget about the one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to science’, and urged young researchers to work in partnership with other (non-state) stakeholders. In line with this, Falguni Pati, IIT Hyderabad, shared his initial grant-related challenges, emphasising the importance of having clinicians involved in the early stages of translational research.
The panel discussion, ‘Unmasking the truth: Animal models vs. in vitro lab models,’ featured Janani Radhakrishnan, NIAB; Falguni Pati, IIT Hyderabad; B Kiran Kumar, CCMB; Suresh Poosala, OncoSeek Bio, Vinod Kumar, NIAB; moderated by Yathish Achar, CCMB. Pati emphasised effective communication between stakeholders with different perspectives, avoiding jargon, while Poosala suggested regular meetings for better team communication.
Janani highlighted the role of science communicators in teaching scientists how to engage with the public, citing events like RYIMs as beneficial.
Transcending boundaries through technology transfer
In his talk on strengthening the bridge between academia and industry, Bala Reddy, Provis Biolabs, emphasised the development of enzymes and proteins for pharmaceutical industries. He mentioned the significance of collaboration between industry and academia to drive innovation and create impact. Reddy suggested that industrial companies around research institutes should share facilities with the institutes, and placement cells should be set up within the institutes to establish engagement with the industry and drive collaboration between academics and the industry.
Ashwin Dalal, CCMB, talked about the 'Mission Program in Paediatric Rare Genetics Disorders (PraGed),' discussing the prevalence of rare diseases in India (1 in 20 Indians affected) and the urgent need to reduce the average diagnosis time of over seven days. Dalal proposed that collaborating with industry for drug manufacturing could significantly lower costs.
In an interesting approach to a breakout session, young investigators (YIs) were divided into four groups based on their areas of focus: cell-based and biomaterial therapy, infection and immunology, disease biology and biomarkers, and AI in health and disease. Discussions within these groups focused on exploring potential collaborators in Hyderabad and across India, as well as considering the formation of consortia for collaborative efforts, discussing funding possibilities, and identifying priority research areas for grants.
On grants and funding
In his discussion on the 'EMBO Global Investigator Network fellowship,' Santosh Chauhan, CCMB, encouraged researchers to possess strong writing and presentation skills. He highlighted that EMBO provides flexible funding for relocating labs and offers various perks, including childcare funds. Regarding grants in India, Chauhan advised researchers to focus on a well-crafted curriculum vitae (CV), include preliminary data, be cautious in budgeting, and prioritise concise yet impactful communication with more emphasis on visuals such as images and schematics.
Moving forward, Akash Chaurasiya, BITS Pilani, shared his experience through a talk on ‘Translating innovation: From bench to clinic.’ P. Nageshwar Rao, Bycusbio, shared his experiences transitioning from academia to industry, highlighting the importance of overcoming failures and the idea that scientists can aspire to become CEOs. Jaganmohan Reddy, UR Advanced Therapeutics, expressed the dream of being involved in innovation and founding an organisation, which led to the establishment of UR Advanced Therapeutics with a focus on building cell peptides. Reddy highlighted the significance of the journey itself, stating that ‘walking the talk’ is not just about success but also about the path taken.
Crafting careers with the CYC workshop
On Day 2 at RYIM Hyderabad, along with Arushi Batra, Program Manager-Digital Initiatives, IndiaBioscience, I conducted a 'Crafting your Career (CYC)' workshop, attended by around 50 masters and PhD students from various institutes around Hyderabad. Students appreciated learning practical tips for networking, gaining confidence to interact with individuals from different fields, and understanding how to upskill for enhanced scientific opportunities and networking. One student mentioned,
Being an introvert, I always struggle with networking. This workshop helped me get some easy-to-use tips and boosted my confidence to talk to people from different fields.
Key takeaways from the meeting
This marked the second RYIM in Hyderabad after the inaugural 2018 meeting, with a primary focus on bridging the gap between industry and academia. Here are some key takeaways from the meeting:
1. There is a need for collaborations in science, and initiatives like RICH and S&T city clusters facilitate industry-academia partnerships.
2. Academia-industry partnerships yield valuable learning points, including the importance of avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach, involving clinicians in the early stages of translational research, and effectively communicating your research.
3. Industrial companies and research institutes should collaborate to drive innovation in life science research.
4. It is important to share experiences of transitioning from academia to industry.
5. There is a growing demand for capacity building among PhDs to facilitate their careers beyond scientific academia.
Applications are invited from eligible candidates for the post of Project Research Scientist-I for 4 years at DSKC Biodiscovery Lab, Miranda House, University of Delhi for full-time research work in ICMR funded project
Principal Investigator: Dr. Monika Sharma, DSKC Biodiscovery lab and Department of Zoology, Miranda House, University of Delhi
Number of Positions: 2
Age limit: 35 years
4 years (Initial appointment is for one year. The appointment will be continued only after annual assessment of the progress of the work)
56000-p.m.+27% HRA= 56000+15120= Rs.71,120/- p.m. (5% increase in salary in 3rd year)
PG degree in Life Sciences with First class and three years experience in relevant field or PhD in Life Science, preferably in immunology with second class PG degree.
At least One publication in peer-reviewed journals in relevant area. The journal should be listed in the Science Citation Index (SCI)
Desirable: Animal handling, experience in expression of recombinant proteins, cell culture techniques, Immunological techniques such as Flowcytometry Molecular Biology techniques.
Interested candidates are required to submit the application along with their CV with full contact details and email ID, self-attested copies of certificates, mark sheets, publication, and proof of research experience. The cover should contain the title “Application for the post of Research Scientist-I” The application should reach the undersigned on or before 11th March 2024.
Additionally, applicants should send the application through email with all testimonials on the following email ID: monika.sharma@mirandahouse.ac.in. The selected candidates will be called for an interview which will be intimated through email. Candidates will have to bear his/her expenses for attending the interview.
]]>Which YIMs have you been part of?
Quite a few. It started with YIM 2013 in Jodhpur. Then I went to YIM 2015 in Kashmir, YIM 2018 in Trivandrum, and then I coordinated YIM 2020 in Mahabalipuram.
Tell us about where you were in your career & research back in 2013 when you attended your first YIM.
My career has taken a lot of turns. I did my postdocs at the National Institutes of Health in the US, but had to come back to Chennai for personal reasons. I landed at Madras Diabetes Research Foundation. So I was an immunologist forced to work on diabetes - I really was a fish out of water. The first time I attended a YIM, I was a scientist at Anna University - K. B. Chandrasekhar (AU-KBC) Research Centre. I had established a hypothesis based on the discovery that people infected with the disease filariasis are actually conferred protection against diabetes. Back then, I didn't have too many facilities and there was hardly a possibility of networking. I generally feel Tamil Nadu is a desert for biotechnologists, compared to other places.
Tell us about where you are in your career & research today - how have things changed?
Many foreign labs have started working on our filariasis-diabetes hypothesis. Now they are trying to use filarial antigens as therapeutics for diabetes. They are even exploring if we can develop a diabetes vaccine based on the filariasis antigen.
Since 2020, we have also published many papers on the interface of metabolic disease and infectious disease. We identified something very unique to the Indian population: an antagonistic relationship between insulin resistance and latent tuberculosis. Recently, we also had our first patent granted to us, for a diagnostic test to detect early gestational diabetes.
The YIMs played a very important role in shaping my career, especially with regard to scientific networking.
For example, my first PhD student just finished. For this we had to invite three examiners from Tamil Nadu, three from rest of India and three from other countries. All should be working in a field directly related to the candidate’s PhD thesis. It was no problem to identify people in Tamil Nadu, but to find others from India was difficult. This was the time I felt that the networking at YIM helped me a lot. I was able to contact them and they immediately agreed. Usually, it's a lot more complicated.
Can you recall for us how you came to be involved with YIM?
The YIMs started in 2009 and a colleague of mine had participated in that one. She recommended that I apply. I applied for a number of years but kept getting rejected. That’s when I wrote to a senior scientist associated with IndiaBioscience saying that if YIM wants to promote young investigators, I should be considered too. He immediately responded and at the last minute, my name was included for YIM 2013. At YIM 2015 in Kashmir, I pointed out to Nandini Rajamani, the then co-director of IndiaBioscience, that YIM had geographically covered most places in India except for Tamil Nadu. And Tamil Nadu really needs events like YIM. The biotechnology field is very shrunken. Maybe she spoke to Smita Jain, because one fine day, Smita approached me to coordinate YIM 2020 which was being planned in Chennai. I said I'd be very happy to do it.
Tell us about one meaningful connection you made at a YIM
I met SC Lakhotia from Banaras Hindu University at YIM 2018 in Trivandrum. It was a very, very productive interaction as he is a very senior person who had worked extensively on heat shock proteins. Though he was retired, he was able to give me some good advice about the dos and don’ts during the early stages of one’s scientific career.
He told me that doing science in universities demands a lot of patience. He advised me never to lose my cool. The moment you antagonise someone, it may endanger the future of your project.
Can you tell us one memorable behind-the-scenes story from your time organising YIM 2020?
Organising YIM involved such little stress that at one point I wondered if I really was organising it or if I was just attending one. IndiaBioscience is totally devoted to it and they have been doing it for so many years. So they know exactly what they want. The only time I remember being exhausted was the time we sat with Smita at IIT Madras and did the selection process for the participants. But apart from that, it was smooth sailing.
Describe for us one YIM 2020 session that made a strong impression on you?
I have always been very interested in discussing difficulties in science. I believe that unless we open up, there will be no solution. Initially, the participants were very reluctant; it was a heterogeneous crowd with senior scientists. But once we broke the ice, everybody started sharing their experiences. It went on and on and Smita actually had to enter to say that the next session had begun.
If you could pick the brain of any scientist from the past, who would it be and what would you ask them?
I'm a geneticist to start with, so it would have to be James Watson and Francis Crick. I would like to know their personal motivations and struggles as they went ahead deciphering the biology of DNA. It was a monumental thing!
If you could add one programme to the next YIM schedule, what would it be?
I would restrict the number of talks and have more interactive sessions. A direct interaction with funding bodies is an absolute must. If the YIMs are to be really useful to the scientific community, it must include policymakers and allow participants from various sectors to interact with them. The kinds of problems I face at a university will be very different from those faced by someone from IISc or an IIT, or someone from the industry. There is a huge communication lag between the policymakers and the end users. Only IndiaBioscience can bridge this.
One more point: right now at the YIMs, you have the young investigators and then the seniors. But they do not cover a huge group, the mid-career scientists, who are between 35 and 50. There could be a provision by which mid-career scientists who are interested in mentoring have an option of applying as well.
What message would you like to pass to someone who is attending their first YIM in 2024?
Go with an open mind. You may be shy or a little bit confused in your first YIM as you don’t have any idea what to expect. But you must come out of your shell at the first opportunity.
It may be because of language skills, but I personally feel that there is no language barrier in science. If you are good in science, you will be able to convince people and get their inputs.
GATC is one of the few platforms in India where high throughput genomics is routinely addressed to academia, clinics and industry with support from partner research institutes and hospitals. GATC brings together academia, clinicians, industry professionals, start-ups and policy makers in creating an ecosystem of mutual support and exploration in advancing research & development in this dynamically expanding field of specialization.
The 5th Edition of GATC is all set to explore the possibilities and future of clinical genomics, especially in the Indian purview. GATC will see a 4 days of extensive hands-on-dry workshop on omics analysis along with scientific talks, multiple round-table sessions and fostering a clinician-academician-industry-startup partnership and harmony. Our diverse speakers from National and International Universities will be delivering expository lectures on topics including Cancer Genomics & Precision Medicine, therapeutics etc. A pre-conference summit will be held on the 12th of April along with a Networking Dinner and we will be closing this chapter of GATC on the 14th of April on a high note.
]]>Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneswar, an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India invites applications from the Indian Nationals to join the Project Research Scientist-II position sanctioned under ICMR-funded project.
Age Limit: 35 years as on 15.03.2024. Age relaxation will be given as per the rules of Govt. of India
Three years
Rs. 67,000/- + @18% HRA per month
Ph. D. in Biotechnology/Life Sciences or any of the allied subjects.
Interested/eligible candidates may apply ONLINE through the link provided at the institute website (www.ils.res.in)
The list of shortlisted candidates' names and the date of the interview will be published on the ILS website. All the positions are purely temporary and coterminous with the project. No TA/DA will be paid for attending the interview. The decision of the Director regarding the selection of candidates will be final and no further correspondence will be entertained in this regard.
For more details click here
]]>IndiaBioscience is a program based out of the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bangalore that aims to catalyse the growth of biology within India, and to this end we work with academics, government, industry and the not-for-profit sector. The major funding of the program is from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India. As part of the DBT funded program, IndiaBioscience is looking to appoint eligible personnel to the position advertised on contractual terms.
Major activities at IndiaBioscience include running the IndiaBioscience website through the science and education communication programs, continually updating with the latest news and opinions on life sciences scenarios in India, building a database of people and organizations, organizing Young Investigators’ Meetings (YIMs) and Regional Young Investigators’ Meetings, networking meetings with Indian or International organizations, workshops on skill-building, gender parity, promoting Indian life science in various platforms all over the world, etc.
We consist of a small yet diverse and efficient team that works cohesively, efficiently, and dynamically to create an informed impact. Creativity, independence and teamwork are highly valued attributes of all team members. As part of IndiaBioscience, the appointed person will have the opportunity to collaborate with talented and dedicated colleagues and the research community across India and abroad while developing and expanding their career.
Role Summary: Operating under the guidance of the Executive Director, the Project Coordinator - Scientific Design and Content will be responsible for creating posters, graphics, and content that supports the development and execution of all IndiaBioscience activities and projects
Consolidated salary of Rs.42,000/- per month
Postgraduate degree in Science, Engineering or Technology with 2 years of relevant experience. A good understanding of the science and research ecosystem of India will be given preference.
Desired: A demonstration of collaborative skills and the ability to work effectively and accomplish goals in team settings will be advantageous.
For more details click here
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