The second conference of the Science Journalists’ Association of India (SJAI) was held from 4-5 December 2024 at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune. With the theme ‘The Underreported: Bridging Gaps in Science Journalism’, the meeting brought together an eclectic mix of science journalists, science communicators, scientists, researchers, and public engagement and outreach practitioners for discussions and conversations.

The discussion on the theme was facilitated by a range of session topics across the 2 days of the programme, and a striking feature was the use of various forms of engagement across the meeting. These included an interesting combination of one-on-one conversations, small group discussions, audience engagement, and larger spaces to facilitate networking.

Offscript sessions: The offscript sessions at SJAI 2024 focused on current science reporting approaches and strategies, with a blend of voices that included science journalists and scientists. The meeting started with an off script session on ‘Small stories in big science’ led by Amitabha Sinha from the Indian Express. This discussion focused on reporting for space science, quantum mechanics and artificial intelligence, and underscored the need for relatable stories that placed these disruptive technologies in the context of global achievements and endeavours.

The second offscript session discussed reporting at the intersection of science and law and was led by independent journalist Virat Markandeya; the panelists included scientists and journalists who shared examples from their professional experiences in forensic science and legal practice.

Panels: SJAI 2024 hosted three panel discussions on topics relevant to contemporary changes and challenges when reporting on science. The first discussion focused on how science journalists or communicators are using social media to engage newer audiences. Moderated by Kartik Chandramouli from Mongabay India, a dynamic group of science communicators shared how they were using newer visual and audio formats to engage audiences via Instagram, X and YouTube.

In another topic relevant to current reporting in science, the second panel on ‘Finding data: Sources to harness for evidence-backed reporting’ was led by Aditi Tandon from Mongabay India, with the panel including science journalists from leading dailies and a data journalist.

Along the same lines, the third panel discussion titled ‘Missing view: How to include ethnic community voices in science journalism’ was moderated by TV Jayan from Shaastra magazine, with a diverse set of discussants from the not-for-profit and social sector space.

Fireside Chat: At SJAI 2024, Jacob Koshy from The Hindu and Renny Thomas from IISER Bhopal sat down for a tête-à-tête on Religion and Indian Science. Thomas, a scholar of science and technology studies and the author of the book ‘Science and Religion in India: Beyond Disenchantment’, shared fascinating insights from his ethnographic study on the nature and practice of religious beliefs among scientists in the country (note: these findings are based on select scientists who were part of his study), which was followed by several audience questions.

Rockstar scientists: At SJAI 2024, this unique session put ten scientists, working across a range of STEM fields, under the ‘spotlight’ for short explainers on their research. Moderated by Shruti Sundaresan and paired with interludes of rock music, the scientists ‘rocked’ the job at hand! From studying the chemistry of rivers to climate change phenomena, who says scientists can’t be rockstars?

Debate: What is a journalists’ meeting without a debate? SJAI 2024 hosted a debate on ‘Should science serve the State?’, with Vivek Polshettiwar from TIFR Mumbai speaking for the motion and Aniket Sule, also from TIFR Mumbai, sharing his views against the motion. Moderated by Subhra Priyadarshini, the audience heard two sets of compelling arguments, interspersed with questions and clarifications. For a topic likely to evoke strong, often polarised views, the debate format lended itself very well for the discussion.

Open Mics: Another interesting feature of the programme was the inclusion of two Open Mic sessions. In the first Open Mic session, small groups of conference attendees brought forth their opinions on specially curated topics, facilitated by rapporteurs. The sessions included discussions on regional and urban biases in reporting, under-reported science disciplines, gender and intersectionality and unconventional knowledge systems and science history.

The second Open Mic session adopted a different format, where four science communicators were invited to share their winning moves in science communication. Peppered with questions from the audience, the communicators discussed their winning moves, which ranged from science podcasting, reporting on the science behind lavender farming in Jammu and Kashmir, creating science-art opportunities and introducing features as AI/VR in science storytelling.

Spaces to facilitate networking: To facilitate networking during the meeting, SJAI 2024 adopted diverse approaches such as a writing board and postcard exchange for participants, visual science art exhibit, short film screenings from the Global Science Film Festival, as well as a curated set of experiential tours. These spaces provided an opportunity for attendees to initiate interactions during the breaks between sessions.

The Science Journalists’ Association of India is a professional body of science journalists and communicators working in India, and following the first SJAI conference in 2023 at the National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, SJAI 2024 was led by Priyadarshini, along with a team of co-organisers and volunteers. Says Priyadarshini after the conference, “Our first conference looked at how science journalism connects with the communities it serves".

This year, we went deeper, exploring gaps where science journalism and communication can truly make an impact – I am very pleased with what we learnt and we hope to implement some of these learnings in the coming year.

In the past years, the breast cancer suceptibility genes, BRCA 1 and BRCA 2, have gained significant attention due to their role in hereditary breast cancer. These genes are essential for DNA damage repair, and mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 significantly elevate the risk of developing certain cancers, particularly breast and ovarian cancers. In some cases, BRCA1 mutations lead to the development of aggressive cancer subtypes, such as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which is characterised by the absence of estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors. This receptor deficiency renders TNBC resistant to conventional hormone-based therapies.

Researchers from the Rajiv Gandhi Biotechnology Centre, Kerala, have uncovered a significant link between β-hCG, a hormone commonly associated with pregnancy, and BRCA1-deficient breast cancers. This study, recently published in Heliyon, highlights β-hCG as a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target for aggressive breast cancer subtypes, particularly TNBC and high-grade metaplastic carcinoma.

“Our initial goal was to explore the molecular mechanisms that drive tumour development in BRCA1-deficient conditions, given the increased breast cancer risk associated with these mutations," explained Priya Srinivas, the principal investigator of the study. As the connection between BRCA1 mutations and TNBC became clearer, the team turned their attention to other molecular markers that could influence tumour behaviour in BRCA-mutated cancers. This focus eventually led them to study β-hCG (beta-human chorionic gonadotropin).

β-hCG is well-known for its role in pregnancy, where it supports the early embryo development. However, its potential role in cancer remains largely unexplored. Using various gene expression platforms, the researchers analyse β-hCG expression across different cancer types. They found that β-hCG is markedly increased in aggressive forms of breast cancer, like TNBC and high-grade metaplastic carcinomas, both of which have poor prognosis.

This suggests that β-hCG might play a key role in the growth and spread of BRCA1-related cancers.

The study further employed TIMER2, a tool used to measure immune cell activity in tumors, to examine BRCA1-mutated cancers. The researchers observed higher levels of immune cell infiltration in these cancers, indicating a potential interaction between β-hCG and the immune system, which could affect the tumor’s microenvironment and influence its response to treatment.

A major breakthrough in the study was identifying the precise location where BRCA1 binds directly to the β-hCG gene. This finding suggests that mutations in BRCA1 disrupt this interaction, leading to over-expression of β-hCG. Neethu Krishnan, the study’s first author of the manuscript, noted that these results align with their in-vitro experiments, which confirmed that BRCA1 directly regulates β-hCG levels.

The study found that the p53 gene, which helps prevent tumours, increases β-hCG production in breast cancer cells while also reducing BRCA1 levels through a feedback loop. This suggests that β-hCG could be a promising treatment target for cancers linked to BRCA1 mutations. However, the research was limited by the small amount of data on BRCA1 mutations, highlighting the need for further studies with larger datasets.

Srinivas stressed that more research is required to confirm whether targeting β-hCG could effectively treat breast cancer.

While β-hCG is well-known for its role in pregnancy and generally does not affect other bodily functions in non-pregnant conditions, its ability to suppress the immune system during pregnancy raises questions about its behaviour in cancer. To fully understand its potential as a treatment, further lab studies and clinical trials will be essential.

Revathy Nadhan, a postdoctoral researcher at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, USA, who was not involved in the current study, highlighted its potential impact, “Blocking β-hCG, an immune suppressor over-expressed in BRCA1-defective TNBCs, presents a promising therapeutic approach with broad clinical applications”.

Srinivas opined that ”Strategies like passive immunisation with β-hCG antibodies or antibody-drug conjugates could offer innovative and effective treatments, providing valuable leads for future clinical trials targeting these aggressive cancers”.

Our brains undergo constant change throughout our lives. As we age, brain regions and blood vessels change in size and vascularity, respectively. These changes are pronounced in individuals experiencing cognitive decline such as those with Alzheimer’s disease. However, not everyone ages the same way. Some people maintain their cognitive abilities well into their later years, while others experience decline earlier.

Understanding these patterns and the timing of changes in the brain determines whether someone is ageing normally or developing age-related health issues. This would allow the development of early and effective interventions, believes Vivek Tiwari, Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Berhampur, and Neha Yadav, PhD student, co-authors on the recent study on brain ageing published in Translational Psychiatry.

White matter hyperintensity (WMH), is a brain lesion resulting from cerebral small vessel diseases. It is a definitive marker of ageing. Tiwari’s research team found it intriguing that even cognitively normal individuals experience displayed higher levels of WMH in the brain.

This raised an important question to the authors: Why do some people show signs of brain damage but remain cognitively healthy, while others with similar damage experience cognitive decline? And can WMH be one of the defining features to be used to analyse brain age in individuals?

Tiwari believes quantitative neuroimaging together with estimation of small vessel disease load offers new insights into the biological underpinning of ageing and ageing associated cognitive disorders.

The researchers used MRI scans to measure brain features like neuroanatomical volume, cortical thickness, and WMH volume in individuals from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center
(NACC) cohort.

They found that WMH increased rapidly with age in cognitively normal individuals and was consistently higher in those with cognitive impairment, regardless of age. This led them to explore how WMH affects brain health. Their study showed that just three brain measures — total brain volume (gray matter + white matter), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and WMH volume — were enough to distinguish between brain health in individuals.

To further investigate WMH’s impact on brain health, Tiwari and his team created a Brain Age estimation model. This model used 178 brain features. Using these neuroanatomic features from healthy individuals without WMH, the researchers created a “Brain Age Index,” which estimates an individual’s brain age, indicative of brain health, relative to their chronological age.

From the cohort analysed in the study, the researchers found that individuals with higher WMH levels often had an elevated brain age, indicating an accelerated brain decline.

Arpan Banerjee, Professor at the National Brain Research Centre, Manesar, an expert in neurocomputation, commends the authors for including a larger sample cohort with equal gender representation. He also emphasises that the model could be further improved by incorporating additional features based on functional analysis.

Brain Age Index is not just a tool for cognitively impaired individuals. It offers a new tool for assessing brain health. It could help doctors identify individuals at risk for cognitive decline based on their brain age compared to their chronological age. As researchers continue to explore how brain structure affects cognitive function, findings like these become essential for shaping future strategies.

The study’s findings could have important implications for the early detection of cognitive impairments and Alzheimer’s Disease.

This research highlights the complexity of brain health and its impact on cognition. As the population ages, these insights will be crucial for addressing the challenges of cognitive decline and improving the quality of life for older adults. Integrating advanced neuroimaging findings with clinical practice will be key in our quest to improve brain health across the lifespan.

In a race, the person in the first position can’t simply stop running, thinking they’re in the lead—at least not until the race is finished. In a hypothetical never ending race, the runner has to keep running forever. Once they stop, they fall behind. As the Red Queen said to Alice in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass:

…it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place..

Something similar happens in the evolutionary race. Every organism must evolve, not just to survive, but to thrive against ever-evolving adversaries. The moment they stop, they are left behind. In the context of evolution, that means extinction. One master that has managed to stay in the race for millennia is Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacterium which causes tuberculosis (TB).

Tuberculosis is one of the deadliest diseases known to mankind. Humans, as hosts, have continuously worked to defend against it. Despite these defences, the bacterium thrives by utilising an enzymatic toolkit that enables it to withstand hostile environments.

Recent research published in eLife, led by Mehak Zahoor Khan, the first author of the study, from Vinay Nandicoori’s lab at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, reveals how this resilience may occur.

Central to this discovery are the enzymes CysM and CysK2, which catalyse cysteine synthesis, vital for the bacterium’s antioxidant defence system This neutralises harmful oxidative molecules produced by the host’s immune system. While the general functions of these enzymes were previously known, this study pinpoints the specific conditions under which they are activated. “The non-redundancy of cysteine synthesis under stress is notable,” explains Khan. “While CysK2 and CysM might seem non-essential for routine growth in-vitro, under host-induced stress, their roles become crucial as they upregulate sulphur metabolism to help the bacteria survive.”

This research reveals previously perceived redundancies in Mtb as strategic adaptations. These enzymes typically inactive, become crucial under attack, enabling the bacterium to persist within diverse human populations. Identifying how these enzymes function under certain conditions points towards novel treatments for TB, especially when the existing treatments are not effective. Nandicoori highlights,

Our study points to potential therapeutic targets within Mtb. By distinguishing the roles of CysM and CysK2, we pave the way for developing specific treatments that could be particularly effective against drug-resistant strains.

The significance of these enzymes reaches far back in the bacterium's evolutionary history, reflecting adaptations likely shaped by long-standing battles with human immune defences. "This research reveals a unique 'biological insulation' in cysteine biosynthesis, with three distinct pathways shaped by convergent evolution. Such redundancy is crucial for the bacterium's continued success in human infection," notes Luiz Pedro S. de Carvalho, a collaborator in the study from the The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute of Biomedical Innovation and Technology. This evolutionary process demonstrates how similar traits have independently evolved in different lineages, showcasing Mtb's remarkable ability to adapt to diverse environments.

"The redundancy in cysteine biosynthesis pathways underscores the hostile environment against which the bacteria must safeguard itself to establish infection and cause disease," adds Dhiraj Kumar, Scientist, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, who specialises in the Mtb host-pathogen interaction and is not related to the study.

Infections have always been a major force in evolution, pushing Mtb to constantly adapt and showcasing its ability to survive and evolve. As the global health community fights drug-resistant tuberculosis, insights from recent studies are crucial. They enhance our understanding of the bacteria's survival and aid in developing more effective treatments.

Ongoing research into the bacterium's adaptations could lead to better treatments and provide insights into other diseases, impacting public health globally.

The bacterium is never going to stop running the race. We should not either.

…If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!

The Infosys Prize, one of India’s top awards science and innovation, continues to be a beacon of inspiration for young minds to pursue research careers. Each year ISF announces winners across six categories: Economics, Engineering & Computer Science, Humanities & Social Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences.

This year the laurates were selected by an international panel of jurors comprised of renowned scholars such as, Akeel Bilgrami, Chandrashekhar Khare, Jayathi. Y. Murthy, Kaushik Basu, Mriganka Sur, and Shrinivasan Kulkarni. At the Bangalore ceremony on November 14, Infosys founder Narayan Murthy said,

Our hope is that this prize would be a good instrument to bring back the power of problem solving to young researchers in various areas in our country.

Laurates 2024

Arun Chandrasekhar | Economics

Professor, Department of Economics, Stanford University

Arun Chandrasekhar is awarded for his work on the crucial role of informal networks in rural India, particularly in facilitating information diffusion and economic interactions. Elaborating on his process, he adds, “The work my collaborators and I do on communication networks focuses on the idea that the structure of the community— who talks to whom, why, and how people make inferences— greatly influences whether valuable information diffuses well.”

This method of identifying influential individuals, which he calls the ‘gossip protocol,’ has had a significant ground-level impact, improving policy outcomes in areas such as healthcare, education and financial inclusion. In one striking application of this method, they observed 44% increase in immunization of children in over 2000 villages in Haryana.

Chandrasekhar hopes the award will foster stronger ties with Indian institutions and encourage policymaker partnerships to expand the use of network economics.

Shyam Gollakota | Engineering & Computer Science

Professor, School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington

Shyam Gollakota is awarded for his game-changing work on ‘programmable sound’ that has impacted multiple diagnostic areas. His research group pioneered transforming smart devices into active sonar systems for contactless physiological sensing. The invention his group developed that excites him the most is ‘Sound bubbles’.

“Imagine, you are at a restaurant and only want to listen to people on your table but not sounds and people elsewhere. Or, think of being in a conference room with simultaneous conversations, where a person can exclusively hear the discussion within their bubble. We’ve demonstrated for the first time how to create “sound bubbles” using smart headphones”, Gollakota explains. Check the real-time demo of this fascinating tech.

Gollakota thinks this award will help commercialise this auditory augmentation technology to make it accessible to billions in the near future.

Mahmood Kooria | Humanities & Social Sciences

Lecturer, School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh

Historian Mahmood Kooria is awarded for his profound research on maritime Islam, exploring the intellectual and cultural histories of ‘Shafi’i Islam’ across the Indian Ocean and its impact on the agrarian landscape of this region, from South Africa to Australia. Kooria says, “While much is known about European interventions, particularly in key areas such as dispute resolution, much less is known about the legal ideas and institutions that existed prior to or alongside the European ones in these regions”.

“I was drawn to exploring these complexities by reflecting inwardly on the Muslim community in which I was raised and outwardly on the broader African and Asian communities connected by the Indian Ocean,” he adds, explaining how Islamic ideas and institutions played a role in unifying the regions of South, Southeast and West Asia.

Siddhesh Kamat | Life Sciences

Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune

Siddhesh Kamat is awarded for his pioneering work on how bioactive lipids communicate signals in health and disease. “While it has been known for some time that these lipids regulate important processes in the human brain and immune system, we just discovered the biochemical and cellular basis of this and how their dysregulation causes several degenerative and autoimmune diseases,” explains Kamat.

He feels that this prize will bring more visibility and attention to bioactive signalling lipids, like the popularity of dietary lipids such as cholesterol, and they could translate their learnings into tangible clinical studies.

Neena Gupta | Mathematical Sciences

Professor, Theoretical Statistics and Mathematics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata

Mathematician Neena Gupta is awarded for her extraordinary work in solving one of the world’s greatest mathematical problems, the Zariski Cancellation Problem. The problem asks whether adding a variable to two geometric objects that then become identical implies the objects were identical to begin with.

Recalling the journey, she says her mentors, including Prof. Asanuma, had cautioned her that this project was very difficult to crack. “The full satisfaction of having solved a longstanding problem did not come at one stroke; it evolved over several days and through long discussions with my mentors. I cherish the memory of my talk at TIFR, where the hall was packed with leading mathematicians listening with rapt attention. The interest, enthusiasm, and encouragement shown by them at that formative stage of my career made it a memorable event, comparable to the receiving of a big award,” she adds.

For her work, which established deeper connection in algebraic geometry and commutative algebra, Gupta also received the prestigious Ramanujan award in 2021.

Vedika Khemani | Physical Sciences

Associate Professor in the Physics Department at Stanford University

Physicist Vedika Khemani is awarded for her contribution to understanding behaviours of complex non-equilibrium quantum systems, using advanced devices like atom, ions, and superconducting qubits. Unlike traditional physics, which looks at systems in a steady state, her research explores how these systems change over time, ‘time crystals’, and what happens when system keeps oscillating indefinitely without heating.

Khemani showed how these time crystals can exist in certain quantum systems, even proving it experimentally with the help of Google’s AI team. This work has opened new ways to understand how quantum systems behave in unusual, non-equilibrium situations.

In the new statuses announced this year, the winners of Infosys Prize, that do not reside in India, must spend 30 days at an Indian institute of their choice. They are also expected to give a lecture at an Indian institute within that year.

India and Sri Lanka have long shared a common diversity of species. In-situ diversification of species within various regions of the Indian subcontinent has led to high levels of endemism, particularly in biodiversity hotspots like the Western Ghats. Fluctuating sea levels gave rise to land bridges, which led to the natural dispersal of multiple taxa between the two countries.

In 2021, with the help of citizen science, naturalists and researchers stumbled upon an interesting skink species on the Indian west coast which was hitherto known only from Sri Lanka. Researchers from the National Institute of Science Education and Research, Odisha; Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad; and Wayanad Wild, Kerala, collected samples from Kerala, where multiple specimens were found. Eager to understand its origin, they started a project using an integrative approach, comprising morphological measurements, molecular phylogenetics, divergence dating analysis, and species distribution modeling.

Aided by the morphological comparisons along with the phylogeny researchers identified the specimens as Lankascincus fallax, which is endemic to Sri Lanka. Through their divergence dating analysis, a method that helps determine when two species diverged from a common ancestor, the researchers found that the genus Lankascinus diverged from its sister genus Ristella, which is endemic to the Western Ghats in India, in the late Palaeocene (56 million years ago). Lankascincus fallax is over 2.8 million years old and the Indian population, which was found in Kerala, split from a Sri Lankan counterpart over 1.7 million years ago.

To understand the journey of the species from Sri Lanka to the southwestern Indian coast, researchers used species distribution modelling using present and past climatic data. No suitable terrestrial corridor was found during the middle-late Pliocene to the present time that could have aided the dispersal of this species to mainland India. The occurrence of the species along the coasts and lack of evidence of a possible terrestrial corridor indicates that the dispersal is perhaps human-mediated.

Although the divergence date predates human presence in this landscape, researchers caution that the old divergence date is directly correlated with high levels of genetic divergence between the Kerala and Sri Lankan populations which originate from different source populations. Another possible reason for its dispersal could be transoceanic currents. While the species has also been recorded in the nearby islands of Maldives, there’s no evidence of an established population or whether it arrived there from India or Sri Lanka.

Such studies raise several questions: Does the species remain endemic to Sri Lanka, or could it potentially become invasive in its newly discovered range in India? “This is an interesting question, and I’ve reflected on it as well,” says Ghosh, lead author of the study.

Many believe the species is still endemic to Sri Lanka, though a better phrase would be 'endemic to Sri Lanka, but possibly accidentally introduced to India and the Maldives.

To understand the extent of invasion, Ghosh explains, one would need to show that the species not only survives but also has the tendency to become invasive —impacting local ecosystems—through a different method of investigation.

“Given the presence of multiple populations across a large area (spanning at least 275 km in length), it is reasonable to conclude that the species is breeding and spreading on its own in Kerala, which would classify these populations as invasive by definition,” says Nitya Prakash Mohanty, a Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris, France, and a scientist not associated with the study. The population in Kerala could be more widespread than currently recorded.

Without intensive biosecurity at the national or state level, the spread of non-native species into India (and from India) will likely increase.

Mohanty further adds, "Unscreened trade, unlike best practices in countries like New Zealand, will inevitably lead to multiple invasions, though there may be a delay in detection."

Antibiotic resistance (AMR) has become one of the world’s most pressing health concerns, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). While antibiotics have revolutionised medicine by treating countless diseases, their misuse and overuse, especially in the late 20^th century, have led to widespread resistance and the emergence of multi-drug resistant strains. With the advent of technology, antibiotic research has made significant strides, leading to the development of new drugs by scientists targeting proteins essential for cell survival.

Ramanujam Srinivasan, Associate Professor, National Institute of Science, Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneshwar, and co-author of the study, highlights the importance of this approach in scientific research. In a recent study, Srinivasan in collaboration with Gayathri Pananghat's lab at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune (IISER Pune), and their research team emphasise the role of understanding protein structures for developing antibiotics. They uncover subtle differences that alter the drug activity of PC190723.

PC190723 is a benzamide, a small molecule that stops bacterial cells from dividing by targeting the key protein, FtsZ (Filamenting temperature-sensitive mutant Z). FtsZ is an important protein, similar to tubulin, and without it, cells cannot form the Z-ring structure required for division, leading to cell death. This drug has been shown to effectively kill many types of harmful bacteria, including strains that are resistant to other antibiotics, such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). However, it doesn’t work against the Gram-negative class of bacteria like Escherichia coli.

This limitation prompted Srinivasan and his graduate student, Sakshi Poddar, to investigate further.

Although Gram-negative bacteria also possess the FtsZ protein for cell division, there are subtle intra-molecular interactions within its structure that are different from that of Gram-positive bacteria, making Gram-negative bacteria more resistant to the drug. Chakraborty investigated these structural changes and deduced that intra-molecular interactions, as speculated by others, played a role. To stabilise their protein structures, amino acids sometimes form salt bridges—electrostatic interaction between two oppositely charged amino acids.

This meant that in Gram-negative bacteria, FtsZ contained additional chemical bonds in the form of these salt bridges, located near the drug’s binding site. As a result, the drug could no longer bind effectively to the protein, allowing these bacteria to survive. To confirm that the salt bridge was responsible for the resistance, Poddar used genetic techniques to introduce mutations in the gene, altering the amino acids responsible for the salt bridge formation. These single mutations were sufficient to render the bacterial cells sensitive to the drug.

Bacterial cells develop resistance to antibiotics at a much faster rate than other organisms. Unlike higher organisms, bacteria exchange DNA from one bacteria to another through a process called horizontal gene transfer.

One of the major factors driving this resistance is the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. Therefore, careful antibiotic design plays an essential role in overcoming antibiotic resistance.

Nishad Matange, Assistant Professor, IISER Pune, who is not part of the study says, “In my opinion, attempting to look for a single or foremost cause is futile. It is as much a problem within the realm of biology and medicine, as public health and economics. Thus, studies showcasing wider approaches to solving the problem is a key to future research.”

Srinivasan rightly points out that their study sheds light on the structural features of FtsZ that must be considered when designing new antibiotics targeting specific binding sites. With this new insight into drug designing for antibiotics targeting cell division, he believes they have opened new avenues for pharmaceutical companies to explore, testing new derivatives with minimal resistance. He adds, “I am hopeful that at least one derivative of PC190723 will eventually prove to be an effective antibiotic”.

The study highlights the significant importance of differences in intra-molecular interactions within similar protein structures in drug design. Matange exemplifies the brilliant capture of the nuanced differences between the protein structures and their effect on the anti-bacterial studied by the authors.

Psychedelics, a class of chemicals known for altering consciousness, have been part of human society for ages. Historically used in alternative medicine and spiritual practices, their potential therapeutic benefits, particularly in mental health, have recently regained attention. Traditional treatments for anxiety, including therapy and medication, are effective but often have limitations.

This prompted researchers to explore alternatives, including psychedelic-inspired drugs, which may offer new hope for those struggling with anxiety. Psychedelic-inspired drugs like psilocybin and LSD are gaining traction for their therapeutic potential, according to Praachi Tiwari, the lead author of the paper published in Neuron.

Clinical studies have shown that psychedelics can significantly reduce anxiety symptoms. Still, they are not to be thought of as “magic bullets,” cautions Vidita Vaidya, corresponding author and Professor at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai. For instance, trials with psilocybin have demonstrated lasting effects beyond initial experience. Thus, researchers approach these substances cautiously, emphasising the need for extensive studies on their molecular mechanisms and target cells to ensure safety during drug testing and trials. A key aspect of their effects involves their interaction with serotonin or 5HT receptors in the brain.

The behavioural effect of these molecules is based on their affinity to the serotonin receptors. Thus, different drugs could pose different behavioural changes. Furthermore, the receptor interactions and the neural substrates involved in serotonergic psychedelics is not completely understood. The authors here have conducted an in-depth understanding of the effects of a specific drug called DOI on the neural circuits and its mechanism in relieving anxiety.

DOI is a synthetic psychedelic molecule. It acts on serotonin2 family of receptors. To explore the effect of DOI on anxiety, Tiwari and collaborators conducted behavioural tests on mice using the elevated plus maze and the open field test—both standard methods for assessing anxiety in animals.

A critical aspect of this research was identifying the specific brain region and the kind of neurons that are targeted by DOI to reduce anxiety. This work identified an important role of parvalbumin (PV) interneurons in the ventral hippocampus as the cellular trigger activated by DOI. DOI activates these interneurons, helping to regulate anxiety-related activity in the brain.

The team mapped the presence of serotonin2A receptors on these PV interneurons as playing a central role in modulating the response to DOI. Vaidya suggests this insight could pave the way to novel therapeutic approaches that may help treat anxiety.

Biju Viswanath, Additional Professor of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) and the Rohini Nilekeni Centre for Brain and Mind (CBM), in Bengaluru, who is an expert on neurobiology of mental illness, adds that understanding which additional circuits are also involved in addition to the ventral hippocampus would be useful to fully grasp how DOI mediates its behavioural effects.

The resurgence of interest in psychedelics marks a pivotal moment in mental health care. As researchers uncover their potential to alleviate anxiety and improve emotional well-being, the possibility of bench-to-bedside of these drugs becomes increasingly plausible. With further investigation and a deeper understanding of their nuanced effects, psychedelics may offer a much-needed alternative for treating anxiety and other mental health ailments when administered at the appropriate dosage.

The potential benefits of psychedelics extend beyond anxiety alone; they may also offer new solutions for depression and addiction.

However, psychedelics should not be considered magic bullets, given their hallucinogenic actions, it is vital to proceed further only based on careful preclinical and clinical research. While the study on DOI and its effects on anxiety represents a significant step forward in psychedelic research, it has a few drawbacks.

DOI has dosage-dependent effects and needs extensive clinical trials, which are absent as of now. Viswanath adds that while DOI might not be a magic pill for anxiety, the field of psychedelic-inspired drugs holds promise for improving overall mental health.

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disease that is triggered by both genetic and environmental factors, It affects 2-3% of the global population and based on the intensity of the disease, various treatments like ointments, pills, light treatments or biologics are prescribed to control the disease. However, in some cases, “the treatments tend to lose their effectiveness once they are discontinued, leading to the return of the disease” Priti Roy, Professor, Jadavpur University, West Bengal, points out.

In patients suffering from psoriasis, the immune system goes into overdrive. Primarily, an interplay between the antigen presenting dendritic cells that are found in skin tissue and T-cells, a type of white blood cell, leads to abnormal skin cell growth. The presence of antigens activates the T-cells, which in turn triggers the production of large amounts of cytokines, cell signalling proteins that regulate the immune response and inflammation. Some key factors such as TNF – α, interleukin− 17/22, and interferon− γ, act together to trigger the keratinocyte growth factor. This leads to the over growth of keratinocytes, the cells that make up the outermost layer of the skin, resulting in, thick, scaly plaques on the skin's surface.

For the last sixteen years, Roy has developed several mathematical models to find a cure for psoriasis. In the current model, developed along with Xianbing Cao, Professor at Beijing Technology and Business University,

we wanted to examine how mature Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) interact with the relevant cell populations through cytokine signalling pathways and aimed to capture the intricate dynamics of psoriasis progression and treatment.

MSCs are a type of adult stem cells that have the ability to regenerate and form different cell types. These are present in various tissues, including bone marrow and the umbilical cord. Recent studies have shown that MSCs therapy can suppress psoriatic inflammation and reduce the overgrowth of keratinocytes by secreting different cytokines that can inhibit the activity of T-cells and dendritic cells.

Although various factors contribute to the psoriasis progression, researchers simplified the model by focusing on only the cell-to-cell interactions between T-cells, dendritic cells, keratinocytes and additional population of MSCs. The goal was to observe the density of keratinocytes in the affected region. Biologic molecules such as TNF-α inhibitors (e.g., Etanercept, Infliximab, Adalimumab) are helpful in reducing inflammation and overgrowth of keratinocytes. However, in severe cases of psoriasis, TNF-α inhibitors also may not be enough to fully control the disease.

The mathematical model showed that starting with a high dose of TNF-α inhibitors was necessary to control the initial flare-up of psoriasis. As the disease became more manageable, the dose was gradually reduced. If the disease remained severe after 80 days of treatment with TNF-α inhibitors alone, MSC therapy was introduced.

The local MSC counts reduce significantly and often are not functioning in severe cases of psoriasis. To address this, administering healthy MSCs via external source is needed. “We combined MSC transplantation along with a TNF- α inhibitor, when treatment with a TNF-α inhibitor alone fails to achieve the desired therapeutic outcomes”, Roy added.

Researchers used the optimal control theory, to determine the most effective dosing schedule for TNF-α inhibitors and MSCs. It is a mathematical approach to design treatment strategies to individual patients that maximises therapeutic benefits while minimising side effects and costs. Roy further added, "This involves MSC replacement therapy with six pulsed infusions, each delivering a dose of 3 cells/mm³, administered every 10 days, alongside optimal control through a TNF-α inhibitor.”

Through numerical analysis it was determined that the addition of MSCs helped in suppressing the growth of keratinocytes in the affected region within two months of starting the combined treatment approach. Furthermore, the concentration of local MSCs and other cell types were also restored to normal level.

"Although the models are robust and offer valuable insights, one key limitation is that they rely on hypothetical data,’ said Sandip Banerjee, Professor at IIT Roorkee, who was not involved in the study. He adds, their biological relevance may remain limited unless clinical data is used to inform the parameters. However,

Roy believes that since parameter values were sourced from various published studies, the model can be validated with clinical data, making it viable for biological applications.

Cells in biological systems often face nutrient limitations and must rewire their metabolic processes to restore a balanced state. Given this, researchers have compared cell metabolism to an economy, capable of managing a metabolite’s supply based on its demand for different processes. Although this idea dates back to early 2000s, how cells prioritise the restoration of different resources—such as amino acids—on supply disruptions remains poorly understood.

Now, bridging this knowledge gap, research led by Sunil Laxman, Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine, Bengaluru, found that cells faced with nutrient limitation prioritise restoration of amino acids with higher demand and lower supply costs. Their results, published in Nature Communications, provide an economic framework for prioritisation strategies used by cells on facing nutrient limitation. Laxman says,

This work provides insights into resource allocation strategies employed by cells, and informs researchers how to more efficiently metabolically engineer cells.

Vijay Jayaraman from Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Thiruvananthapuram, who was not involved in the study, summarises the results metaphorically: The government will prioritise restocking cheaper, but more in-demand vegetables like onions over expensive and less demanded vegetables like beans if their stocks run out.

To understand prioritisation strategies employed by cells under nutrient starvation, Laxman and team first grew yeast cells in amino acid-rich medium. They then shifted these cells into medium lacking amino acids, which would disrupt external supply, leaving cells to rely on synthesising their own amino acids. Monitoring a transcription factor—Gcn4—involved in amino acid biosynthesis revealed its higher activity on moving cells into medium without amino acids.

The team wondered whether Gcn4 activity changes when specific amino acids are missing from the medium. They grouped amino acids together depending on their chemical structures and metabolic origins, and shifted yeast cells into medium lacking each of these groups. They observed different Gcn4 activity levels depending on which amino acid group was absent, indicating that cells prioritize restoration responses for different amino acids.

The researchers next investigated whether the extent of this response depends on the demand and biosynthetic cost of the missing amino acid. There is no established cost-scale for amino acid synthesis, so the team devised one by factoring components like phosphate bonds and metabolic precursors required to supply an amino acid. They further calculated the demand for each amino acid toward both metabolism and protein synthesis.

They observed that amino acids with the highest demand have low supply costs and vice versa. Moreover, removing the amino acid with the highest demand and lowest cost from the medium invoked the highest response as measured by Gcn4 activity.

As the results progressed, “it got more enlightening,” says Swagata Adhikary, a graduate student and co-first author alongside postdoctoral researcher Ritu Gupta, National Institutes of Health, USA. “It was like getting a perspective of cells as the economy,” as pieces of the puzzle started falling into place, Adhikary says.

“The novelty of the paper resides in the simplistic but profound model where they calculate the demand and supply of each amino acids,” says Jayaraman. However, Laxman notes that their current calculations estimate reasonable values for demand and supply cost, but they are ballpark figures.

Jayaraman further notes that the experimental design of transiently limiting amino acids may not capture the real-life scenario of nutrient deprivation. Nevertheless, the study provides a clear picture about responses to nutrient limitation, which opens up more questions to be answered, Jayaraman adds.

Laxman concurs. This has gotten us thinking about whether we can study these in more complex systems than yeast, he says.

I would love to go down that direction.

The first Regional Young Investigators’ Meeting (RYIM) of the 2024-2025 series, a flagship networking event by IndiaBioscience, took place in Visakhapatnam from 18th-20th September. Co-organised by GITAM Deemed to be University (GITAM) and Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone Pvt. Ltd. (AMTZ), RYIM Visakhapatnam, marked the first of its kind in the "City of Destiny." The first two days were hosted at GITAM's picturesque, seaside campus, while the third day unfolded at the AMTZ campus, the world’s largest medical technology manufacturing cluster.

The RYIM Visakhapatnam team brought together a dynamic group of young investigators (YIs) from bioscience disciplines, including neuroscience and cancer research at GITAM, along with key resource personnel from AMTZ. Notably, AMTZ’s Center of Excellence for Additive Manufacturing (CoE-AM) was a highlight, where cutting-edge ideas are continuously researched and prototyped for a wide array of medical device applications.

The synergy between AMTZ’s industrial ecosystem and the academic environment at GITAM created a unique platform to achieve the overarching goal and theme of the meeting: Bringing academia closer to medical technology innovation.

Building careers in science

The three-day event kicked off with a pre-conference workshop titled "Crafting Your Career (CYC)" for Masters and PhD researchers from regional institutes. This specially curated CYC workshop equipped participants with the crucial skills needed to confidently navigate their career paths in science. Arushi Batra, Program Manager-Digital Initiatives, IndiaBioscience, led the session, co-trained by Avijit Banik, Associate Professor, GITAM School of Science. They covered essential topics such as career development in science, skill-building, and effective strategies for job applications. Students actively participated in engaging activities, such as mock interviews and elevator pitches.

The trainers introduced the participants to alternative career avenues like scientific writing, patent applications, and science illustration, while emphasising the importance of mentorship in shaping successful scientific careers. The workshop received an enthusiastic response, with over 65 students and scholars attending from various institutes across Vizag, Vijayawada, Guntur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Trivandrum, and Wayanad. The hands-on approach and practical insights provided during the CYC workshop were highly appreciated by all the participants. One attendee remarked,

This workshop was very interactive, and I learnt a lot about myself. The CYC helped me think out-the-box.

Synergy between academia and industry

The following two days of RYIM Visakhapatnam centred around a series of invited talks, plenary sessions, structured panel discussions, and networking opportunities that highlighted collaborative strategies between academia and industry. YIs also showcased their cutting-edge, industry-aligned research through poster presentations and flash talks, fostering an exchange of innovative ideas. Additionally, participants toured the GITAM Analytical Research Facility and the AMTZ campus, encouraging further brainstorming and potential collaborations in medical technology innovation.

The event drew over 140 participants from seven cities across India, enhancing the scope for interdisciplinary networking and partnership.

The RYIM commenced with a unique “no garland” inaugural session, led by K. S. Krishna, Dean of the GITAM School of Science, who emphasised the importance of hosting this event in Visakhapatnam to foster collaborative research in the region. Following this, Arushi Batra from IndiaBioscience, talked about how various initiatives by IndiaBioscience are empowering YIs across the country. Batra also highlighted the IndiaBioscience-EMBO collaboration, noting that the RYIM meeting received support from EMBO through childcare grants provided to participants.

Archana Bharadwaj Siva, Senior Principal Scientist and Head of the Innovation Hub at The Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, delivered a plenary address that underscored the vital partnership between academia and industry in driving innovation. Siva urged YIs to embody resilience and rationality when seeking funding opportunities from both national and industrial organisations. She also highlighted the newly proposed BioE3 policy directions by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, aimed at providing innovation-driven support for R&D and entrepreneurship. This initiative is set to accelerate the development and commercialisation of medical technologies through the establishment of Biomanufacturing and Bio-AI hubs and Biofoundries.

In a mentor talk, Sunil Laxman, an EMBO Global Investigator at the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (DBT-inStem) in Bangalore, shared the journey of YIs navigating academia-industry collaborations.

Laxman offered invaluable insights on remaining open-minded in the early stages of these ventures and highlighted the funding opportunities available for industry-driven research, providing attendees with practical guidance for their future endeavours.

In another talk, Ravi Kumar Pallantla, Senior Scientist, Vantage Research, Chennai, addressed the academic responsibility of cultivating a skilled workforce for the med-tech industry. He proposed that the goals of higher education should encompass two overlapping, non-mutually exclusive categories: first, advancing fields like science, technology, policy-making, justice, and the arts to contribute to human progress—an aspiration often pursued through academia; and second, tailoring educational curricula to enhance job opportunities, growth, and career satisfaction within the medical technology sector. He cited the recently launched MBA program in Health Care & Hospital Management, developed in partnership with AMTZ, as a prime example of this industry-aligned approach.

Translational research and innovation

There were insightful presentations from three distinguished speakers representing various knowledge clusters across Hyderabad, Pune, and Visakhapatnam, all centred on bridging the divide between academia and industry on the second day of the RYIM. Priya Nagaraj, Pune Knowledge Cluster (PKC), discussed the process of nurturing biotech start-ups at PKC and emphasised the translation of industrial innovations from the laboratory to the marketplace. Viswanadham Duppatla, IKP Knowledge Park, Hyderabad, shared inspiring success stories illustrating how a Medical Technology Park can serve as a catalyst for industry innovations.

Suseela Branham, CEO, Bio Valley Incubation Council, AMTZ, highlighted the diverse platforms offered by AMTZ's incubation centres, particularly the cutting-edge and cost-effective medical devices developed during the pandemic. All the speakers underscored the importance of encouraging students and scholars to embrace and pursue industrial opportunities, even in the absence of immediate financial rewards.

They emphasised that engaging with translational Research and Development (R&D) in the industry offers unparalleled insights that can help close the gaps between academia and industry, ultimately paving the way for more fruitful collaborations in the future.

In addition to the formal sessions, networking dinners and city tours at scenic seaside locations facilitated informal and open exchanges between participants and invited speakers. These relaxed settings provided a wonderful opportunity for meaningful discussions, demonstrating how a welcoming environment can enhance engagement and learning over a shared meal.

Key takeaways from the meeting

The RYIM Visakhapatnam successfully delivered on the proposed objectives to accelerate biomedical innovations in the region in collaboration with academia and industry.

The meeting delivered on several important avenues in the area:

• How Govt initiatives are shortening the gaps between academia and industry

• Academic responsibilities for creating skilled workforce for med-tech industry

• Academic skill sets required in the students for industrial aspirations

• Need of industry curated coursework towards biomedical innovations

• How Medical Technology Clusters can foster the industrial innovations

• Networking sessions to enhance interactions between Young Investigators (YIs)

• Funding opportunities curated for industrial R&D fostering Make in India initiatives

• Showcasing core R&D infrastructures at GITAM and AMTZ to open up more collaborative research in the region

RYIM Visakhapatnam laid a strong foundation for ongoing academia-industry partnerships, with a clear focus on driving innovation and building stronger ties in the biomedical sector. This event has set a precedent for future meetings, underscoring the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to R&D in India.

In its 5th edition, the IndiaBioscience Outreach Grants (IOG) has been awarded to grassroot ideas addressing niche problems. The awardees cover six teams of early career scientists passionate about the impact of their research work and the ones stepping out of their work zones to address socio-scientific issues. Five teams have been awarded the grant for the first time and one team has received an extension grant.

Two projects were selected to educate and create awareness regarding local biodiversity and its status. Upasna Chetri and Basundhara Chetri from the Royal Global University and Sikkim University, respectively will talk about the near-threatened Himalayan salamander newt to the public. The newt, a resident of the northeastern Himalayan foothills, is threatened by habitat destruction and illegal pet trade. The awardees aim to address this problem by engaging the public to create awareness and urgency for its conservation. Chetri says, "This grant fuels my commitment to preserving biodiversity, ensuring this unique species has a fighting chance for survival in its native ecosystem". She adds,

This grant empowers me to educate, engage, and inspire local communities to act against habitat loss and pollution threats.

Ananya Mukherjee and Achyut Kumar Banerjee from the Azim Premji University, Bhopal, plan to create engaging board games for school students that gamify the genuine efforts of the Bhojtal lake restoration. Students will learn how the health of a lake is impacted by human activities and what can be done to grow a biodiverse lake. The project is an innovation in biodiversity awareness and pedagogy, as the awardees wish to include teachers from marginalised communities, who might benefit from this teaching tool. Mukherjee is optimistic about this opportunity, "We hope to make Bhopal a focus of science outreach, usually reserved for tier 1 cities."

In addition to an attack on biodiversity, anthropogenic activities have threatened crop health and, consequently, food security. Amey Redkar at National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) draws from his expertise in plant-microbe interaction to inspire students to design tough crops resistant to climate change. His teammates Rupsy Khurana, Science Communication and Outreach Lead, NCBS, and Vidha Srivastava, graduate student at NCBS, support this theme of inspiring innovation in agriculture. The team plans to communicate the plant-microbiome interaction and its modulation in response to climatic stress by creating a comic book and a tour of their lab.

Redkar says, “We aim to provide an informative journey into the often-overlooked, invisible relationships between plants and microbes. We hope to bring the wonders of plant-microbial interactions to appreciate how plants fight against harmful microbes. We expect our project to spark curiosity and appreciation for these unseen connections.”

Continuing the initiatives on mental health awareness, the screening committee has awarded Arun Kumar Upadhyay, Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai, and his team to disseminate information on postpartum depression and anxiety. Upadhyay stepped out of his familiar area of work and collaborated with a physician, Amrita Singh, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Nagpur, and Somya Mishra, MIT World Peace University, and Isha Parlikar, freelance science illustrator, to address a much needed and often ignored concern in the mental health space.

Their multilingual material would reach the audience as an illustrated magazine and digital resources. This aims to fill the gap about this clinical issue, especially in cities where it might be largely ignored. Upadhyay says,

Approximately 10-15% of women face physiological, psychological, emotional, and social challenges upon giving birth. We plan to highlight and normalise the challenges they face as a first step towards awareness about postpartum depression and anxiety.

Aswathy Raveendran, Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, and Ipsa Jain, science communication expert, plan to provide a glimpse of research life to school and college students. They will be harnessing the experience of doctoral students to tell stories about what it means to be a young scientist. The stories will present close first-hand accounts of days in the life of young scientists, their passions, aspirations, and difficulties. The outreach material will be boundless - with expectations of comics and illustrations as storytelling medium.

The team hopes to thus engage doctoral students to dabble in storytelling through workshops and webinars. This interaction could also serve as an opportunity for doctoral students to engage in digital networking. Raveendran says, “Our view also includes empowering doctoral students with creative tools to discuss their craft”.

The IOG grant continues to support scientists in their outreach ideas for 5 years now. More often than not, these grants have been an inspiring medley of scientists and science communicators with a spark for addressing social issues. Extension grant awardee, Pankaj Koparde, MIT-WPU, Pune, appreciates the collaborative freedom that the grant has provided. Koparde and Arjit Jere’s People of Nature podcast series of approximately 20 episodes featured some exciting perspectives from conservation front lines. Koparde is proud of his podcast guests,

Our guests were women scientists, people belonging to under-represented groups such as tribal community, economically marginalised, the LGBTQIA+ community, and those working in remote areas.

With support from the extension grant, the team plans to include a more extensive community by featuring regional stories in vernacular languages in the coming year.

Animal models have long been the cornerstone of drug development and toxicity testing, but they often fall short in accurately predicting human responses. This leads to drug failures during clinical trials, black box warnings (serious warnings on drugs that may cause harm or death) and even the withdrawal of marketed drugs. Moreover, due to the limitations of animal testing and efforts to reduce the use of animals in research, there is a need for human relevant in-vitro models to predict drug toxicity testing more accurately.

And as researchers seek alternatives to animal testing, a team led by Biman B Mandal from the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, has developed a new lab model called the ‘human physiomimetic liver acinus model (HPLAM).’ This model is designed to better detect various types of drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Their study published in Biomaterials, reported how they used advanced 3D printing and microfluidic technology to create this model, combining engineering with biological phenomena to mimic the human liver more accurately.

One of the reasons why animal models may incorrectly predict drug responses is the species-specific differences in drug-metabolising enzymes between animals and humans.

"This leads to variations in how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolised, and transported in these different species,” says Surat Saravanan, a senior strategist at the Humane Society International, India, who is not associated with this study. As per regulatory requirements for new drug development, in vivo animal testing data is required before initiating clinical trials in humans. However, due to genetic and metabolic differences, there is often low consistency between animal and human liver toxicity data, which increases the risk for clinical trial patients.

Researchers have created the HPLAM model using transdisciplinary approach combining stem cell biology, advanced micro-technology, and biomaterials. Mandal says, "These microfluidic models have the potential to effectively mimic the complex physiological functions of native human tissues and organs in a miniaturised scale".

For the 3D printing of hepatic (liver) constructs, researchers used special liver mimetic biomaterial ink made from regenerated B. mori silk fibroin (silk protein) providing ink strength and flexibility; porcine liver decellularised extracellular matrix creating a realistic liver microenvironment and gelatin, improving the ink’s flow and printing quality. The ink is designed to closely mimic real human liver tissue. They also developed a bioreactor platform that simulates the smallest functional units of liver (micro physiomimetic liver acinus), mimicking blood flow and stress effects on liver cells.

To accurately test diverse phenotypes of liver toxicity, the model includes three types of tissue specific stem cells that help maintain long-term physiological functionality and create a realistic liver microenvironment. This model, with its fluid flow system, maintained the necessary levels of key markers and drug metabolising enzymes, proving it to be a good representation of a real human liver. The researchers tested the model with various drugs to confirm its accuracy in detecting different types of liver damage.

Overall, the 3D printed liver model closely mimics the structure and function of a real human liver model. Mandal adds,

The platform can be an affordable tool for evaluating liver injuries caused by various drugs, helping researchers and pharmaceutical companies better determine safety and risks for human health.

Thus, the model holds significance for drug toxicity evaluation of human relevance. Further mechanistic and biomarker studies will pave way for assessing repeated drug dose as well as combined drug toxicities.

The threat of climate change is growing each year. With global temperatures rising, sea levels are knocking on our coastal doors. Carbon emissions, totalling 40 million metric tonnes annually, are a major contributor to this temperature rise. Governments worldwide are implementing measures to reduce carbon emissions by transitioning to clean energy sources. Another method to decrease carbon in the atmosphere is by enhancing its absorption into our environment.

Planting trees helps with carbon sequestration by removing carbon dioxide from the environment and storing it as biomass. However, trees can struggle to survive in low-rainfall regions. With this in mind, the Maharashtra Forest Department (MFD) decided to plant grasses instead of trees in the dry areas of Solapur District.

The question that emerged was whether these grasses are successful at capturing carbon. To explore this issue, MFD collaborated with researchers from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) to study the effects of ecological restoration with native grass plantations on soil carbon.

Under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) Act of 2016, the MFD has been planting indigenous grass species like Dichanthium annulatum, Chrysopogan fulvus, and Cenchrus setigerus since 2019 in the Malshiras Range of the Solapur Forest Division.

Researchers aimed to investigate the impact of a three-year ecological restoration with native grasses on soil carbon densities. Traditionally, this involves collecting soil samples annually to track changes over time. However, the researchers opted for an alternative method called space-for-time substitution. This approach involves collecting soil samples from sites that have undergone restoration for one, two, and three years. Additionally, soil samples were gathered from control sites with no restoration and from two reference sites where native grasses have naturally thrived for a long period of time. Manan Bhan, Fellow in Residence at ATREE and lead author of the study, says,

We need two things when measuring carbon stored in soil: soil organic carbon (SOC), which is the percentage of carbon in the soil, and bulk density, which is the density of the soil.

To measure SOC and bulk density, researchers obtained soil samples by digging up to 30 cm deep. SOC was estimated using combustion gas chromatography, while bulk density was determined by the soil's mass per unit volume. Using these values, researchers calculated the average SOC value per hectare, which will be compared across treatment and control sites.

"We found that restoration had a positive effect on soil carbon sequestration, with nearly a 50% increase in carbon after three years compared to the control sites," says Abi Vanak, Senior Fellow, Director of the Centre for Policy Design, and second author of the study. The results show that soil carbon sequestration increases over time. The oldest plantations, aged three years, showed the highest increase in SOC at 53%, followed by two-year plantations at 28%, and one-year plantations at 23%.

"Restoration efforts that focus on planting indigenous grasses not only enhance carbon sequestration but also support local biodiversity. This dual benefit can be extended to other grasslands, promoting ecological integrity and resilience," says P. C. Nath, a research associate at the Mobius Foundation, a sustainability think tank based in Delhi.

Highlighting the study's importance, Vanak adds,

Our study also examines the cost of carbon sequestration by comparing below-ground carbon sequestration by grass plantations in soil to above-ground carbon sequestration in trees. Planting trees can be costly, as it requires transporting water to these semi-arid and dry areas.

Cancer treatment has evolved from one-size-fits-all chemotherapy and radiation to precision medicine, which aims to tailor drug treatment to individual patient needs. This can be achieved by testing various drugs on tumour samples isolated from the patient. Forty percent of cancer cases in India are related to head and neck cancer, and very few reports are available on developing personalised medicine solutions for oral cancer. Viraj Mehta, a shared first author of the study, a former PhD student and currently a scientist at Sai Life Sciences Ltd, points out,

We felt there was a need to tap the potential of organ-on-chips and precision medicine with respect to oral cancer, which is very appropriate in the Indian context.

The aim of the study was to develop a drug-screening platform that will enable researchers a better understanding of how drugs interact with cancer cells. Subha Narayan Rath, Professor at Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), and his group developed a new device based on the principle of microfluidics, that can simulate the dynamic flow of fluids in the body.

The primary challenge in cancer treatment is the various subtypes of tumours and their ability to develop drug resistance, allowing them to survive chemotherapy. Therefore, instead of mono-drug therapies, using combinations of chemotherapy drugs can be beneficial.

The researchers found Formlabs clear resin to be the best 3D printing material for fabricating polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based spheroids-on-chip. The patented device features two layers consisting over a network of serpentine loops for mixing drug combinations, and arrays of cylindrical microwells for culturing patient-derived spheroids, and fluidic ports for interfacing with external pumps. The chip can test seven combinations of three anti-cancer drugs on patient-derived spheroids.

Spheroids are self-aggregating cancer cells. They are more beneficial than normal 2D culture of tumor cells because “They help in replicating diverse tumour population and conditions present within the body like oxygen and pH gradient and various cell zones,” Mehta said. To further mimic the in vivo tumour microenvironment, spheroids on the device are maintained at oxygen levels less than 5% and remain viable for 5 days.

For the study, the research team enrolled three patients whose biopsy samples were used to isolate oral tumour stem-like cells. The derived cells were further cultured to form spheroids on the designed chip to test against drug combinations. Three commonly used chemotherapy drugs against oral cancer-paclitaxel, 5-fluorouracil, and cisplatin-were tested on the patient-derived spheroids.

Researchers observed that spheroids formed from patients diagnosed with well-differentiated tumours exhibited high levels of E-cadherin expression, indicating increased cell-cell contact. On the other hand, spheroids from moderately differentiated tumours showed significantly lower E-cadherin expression.

The variation among patient tumours was clearly observed as the spheroids of patient 1 showed high drug resistance against all provided combinations, whereas other patients responded well to certain combinations of drugs or even mono-drugs. Thus, researchers could identify most-effective drug combinations and drug resistances for each individual patient through simple fluorescence readout from the chip.

However, the study did not include other cell types like fibroblasts, immune cells, and endothelial cells that affect drug responses. Also, pharmacokinetic profiling of spheroids, i.e how the drug is absorbed, distributed, metabolised, and excreted upon exposure was not included. In the future, the researchers plan to address these limitations and develop a more complex model for better reflection of the in vivo tumour microenvironment.

This is not the first time that combinatorial drug screening has been tested on 3D spheroids. However, “beauty of the work lies in combining patient samples, 3D tumoroids, and combinatorial testing of 3 clinically relevant drugs,” said Abhijit Majumder, Professor, IIT Bombay, an expert in the field and not associated with the study. He further added that,

The device can be used for other purposes also such as finding the hepatotoxicity of new drug molecules for combinatorial therapy.