Organised between 19 – 21 March 2025, this three-day meeting took place at two institutions the National Brain Research Centre (NBRC) in Manesar and Ashoka University in Sonipat. With the broad theme of ​“Building networks and collaborations in interdisciplinary science,” the conference hosted more than 100 participants comprising faculty, early-career researchers, PhD, postgraduate, and undergraduate students.

A platform to ignite collaboration

Conceptualised by IndiaBioscience, RYIMs aim to strengthen regional scientific communities by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and discussion among institutions. With sessions ranging from plenary lectures, young investigator talks, mentor discussion sessions, industry perspectives, and poster displays, the event was an opportunity-rich crucible for the exchange of ideas. The deliberations were not limited to a formal structure to encourage open conversations and informal mentorship, including peer mentoring. This facilitated richer conversations and networking beyond organisational silos.

The RYIM Delhi-NCR 2025 received involvement from more than 20 national and international institutions, including research and academic institutions and those involved in health science and public health research. The institutes included All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS, New Delhi), Ashoka University, Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru (IISc Bengaluru), Central University of Punjab, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi), International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), National Brain Research Centre (NBRC), National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS-TIFR), National Institute of Immunology (NII), University of Delhi, and overseas institutes like Harvard University and the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

Of the 100+ participants, about 40% were women. The attendance consisted of 30 faculty staff, 17 young scientists, 45 PhD students, and 7 postgraduate students. A total of 30 posters were presented by young researchers during the meeting.

Highlights of the event

During the event, presentations given by mentors established the tone for interdisciplinary thinking. Topics discussed ranged from brain science and molecular biology to public health and biotechnology, providing a rich tapestry of ideas and collaborative possibilities.

On the first day of RYIM, LS Shashidhara (Centre Director, NCBS-TIFR, Bengaluru) delivered a plenary talk titled, ​“Indian biology — are we at a crossroads? But aren’t all roads equally challenging and exciting?” A panel discussion on navigating research careers in India, featuring Gautam Menon (Ashoka University, Sonipat), Kavita Isvaran (IISc Bengaluru), Pankaj Seth (NBRC, Manesar), Renee Borges(Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc Bengaluru), SC Lakhotia (BHU, Varanasi) delved into the challenges and opportunities in interdisciplinary research in India. The event ended with a plenary talk by Renee Borges (IISc Bengaluru) titled ​“Life within small worlds,” which investigated ecological networks of wasps.

Mentor talks by Arpan Banerjee (NBRC), Dipyaman Ganguly (Ashoka University), Kavita Isvaran (Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc Bengaluru), Saman Habib (CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow), S.C. Lakhotia (Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi), Shinjini Bhatnagar (Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad), and Swati Diwakar (University of Delhi) offered insights into various and ongoing studies in the life sciences in India.

One of the impactful sessions was the Crafting Your Career (CYC) workshop, a flagship initiative by IndiaBioscience, conducted by Moumita Mazumdar (IndiaBioscience) and Manvi Sharma (Ashoka University). CYC workshops are designed for Master’s students, PhD students and post-doctoral fellows pursuing their life sciences career paths. With carefully designed and interactive content, CYC workshops enable participants to identify their strengths, interests, and values; and align them with their career choices. The interactive CYC workshops also empower participants with techniques to develop CVs and resumes, network efficiently using in-person and virtual media, and create an elevator pitch.

The meeting has drawn some encouraging responses from the participants and experts.

It’s always enjoyable to attend meetings of this scale, as they offer the opportunity to connect with many people. However, this meeting felt particularly special because of the diversity of backgrounds represented. We often don’t get the chance to hear from individuals working in other scientific subdomains, and that made the experience intellectually rewarding. It also helped me realise that this community is filled with people who are genuinely willing to support and help one another.”, 

says one of the RYIM participants, Jithesh Vijayan from University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The success of the RYIMs is truly reflected in the networks built and ideas shared during the events but also those that last beyond them. Events like RYIM are building a new culture for Indian science — one of community over competition, and conversation over hierarchies. We are hopeful to create more such spaces at four new cities in the next phase.

While we prepare to announce the next call of RYIM grants at IndiaBioscience, do read reports about this phase of RYIMs:

RYIM Chennai 2025: Innovation and collaboration in health sciences

Accelerating Indian science through private investments

Visakhapatnam hosts the first RYIM 2024 – 2025: A milestone in academia-industry synergy