This month, we're thrilled to present an array of events and initiatives crafted to empower the life science community. With immense gratitude, we're elated to announce the closure of YIM 2024 registrations, with an overwhelmingly positive response. We are also excited to share that applications are open for two forthcoming Regional Young Investigators' Meetings (RYIM) in Bhubaneswar and Kolkata, and registrations for a webinar for educators on teaching scientific temper in classrooms.
Last month, our team actively participated in NPDS 2023 and conducted two engaging Crafting Your Career (CYC) workshops at Ashoka University, Sonipat. Moreover, we're proud to unveil a series of new releases, including a new podcast series, a research ethics infographic, a compelling interview series highlighting the last 15 years of YIMs, and our much-awaited compendium for science outreach in India . Additionally, we bring forth new resources from the Data and Policy vertical.
We're eager to continue this journey with you and share the stories, experiences, and opportunities that lie ahead. To stay connected and informed, make sure to follow us on social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube) and subscribe to our mailing list.
If you have an inspiring story to share, an insightful article to contribute, or a collaborative event idea, we invite you to reach out to us at hello[at]indiabioscience[dot]org. Your active participation contributes immensely to our shared journey.
We express our gratitude for the tremendous response to the 16th Young Investigators' Meeting. Registrations have now been closed. YIM 2024 is scheduled to take place in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, from 11 to 15 March 2024. The announcement of selected participants will be made by the end of November. Please stay updated by visiting the YIM 2024 website.
If you have any questions, get in touch with us at hello[at]indiabioscience[dot]org.
The Regional Young Investigators’ Meeting (RYIM) Kolkata will be held from 06 to 08 December 2023. The event will be hosted at Presidency University, Kolkata as a multi-institutional effort with organisers from Presidency University, IISER Kolkata, CSIR-IICB, Bose Institute, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, and Jadavpur University. With the theme ‘Education, Research and Translation: The triple helix of collaboration’, this 3-day meeting will bring a series of scientific talks, poster presentations and professional development discussions. The IndiaBioscience team will lead a Crafting Your Career (CYC) workshop on 06 December 2023.
You can find more details about the meeting here. The last day to register is 01 December 2023. So, apply soon. We look forward to seeing you at RYIM Kolkata 2023!
The Regional Young Investigators’ Meeting (RYIM) Bhubaneswar will be conducted across two days from 04 to 05 December 2023, followed by a Crafting Your Career (CYC) workshop on 06 December 2023. With the theme, ‘Opportunities in academic and industry research in the Eastern region of India’, the event is being organised at the DBT-Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar as a multi-institutional effort with the organisers from DBT-Institute of Life Sciences and CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology.
You can find more details about the meeting here. The last day to register is 24 November 2023, apply soon. We look forward to seeing you at RYIM Bhubaneswar 2023!
Karishma Kaushik from IndiaBioscience talked about the various ways IndiaBioscience facilitates interactions between science and society. You can read more about NPDS 2023 here. Also, Ankita Rathore, Arushi Batra and Karishma Kaushik conducted Crafting Your Career (CYC) workshops at Ashoka University, Sonipat.
COMMUNITY BUILDING
Dhvani - A compilation of resources for science outreach in India
We released our latest compendium - 'Dhvani' - a comprehensive resource for science outreach in India. Packed with contributions from scientists, communicators, journalists, and outreach professionals, the e-book explores the landscape of science outreach in the country, offering insights into best practices, sustainable models, interviews with scientists doing outreach in regional languages, skill-building guides, and curated resources for outreach funding. 'Dhvani' also features the impact of the IndiaBioscience Outreach Grants (IOG) program, providing a closer look at the intricacies of initiating and sustaining outreach efforts. You can download this freely available resource compendium from here.
Our next YI Huddle is around the corner. We will host V. Premnath from NCL-Innovation Park, Pune, along with interlocutor Vishal Bhardwaj from C-CAMP, Bangalore, to discuss, "A lab beyond the lab: How can YIs leverage common research infrastructure and incubation parks in India?” So, get ready and mark your calendars for 24 November 2023, from 4:00 to 5:00 P.M. IST.
While this webinar series is primarily intended for Young Investigators in India, it is open to everyone. To register, click here. We are eager to engage with you!
We released our first podcast from the new series, ‘Carbon Chronicles’, which delves into the fascinating world of Science Gallery Bengaluru (SGB), exploring how it bridges the gap between natural, human, social sciences, and the arts. In this podcast, titled, ‘Meet Team SGB’, we talk about the science behind SGB's ever-changing exhibitions, mentorship programs, and more, all aimed at empowering young adults through research-based engagement. You can listen to the entire podcast here.
SKILL BUILDING
‘Crafting your Career’ workshop at Ashoka University and NPDS 2023
We conducted two ‘Crafting Your Career’ (CYC) workshops last month at Ashoka University.
One was for the Masters’ students and PhD researchers on 11 October 2023, and the second was for postdoctoral participants at NPDS 2023 on 12 October 2023. The CYC program was started at IndiaBioscience in 2019, with a goal to raise awareness among life science students and postdoctoral researchers about the different science careers in India and to help them develop skills to navigate career paths.
Do you want us to conduct this workshop at your institute? Write to us hello[at]indiabioscience[dot]org.
iGAP Dispatches
We at IndiaBioscience have been building a community of Indian researchers interested in international opportunities via our International Grants Awareness Program (iGAP). iGAP envisions to improve the quantity and quality of applications from India to international funding opportunities through awareness and education. In this new series, we will disseminate information about international funding schemes via a curated list for our life science community.
We are excited to announce 'Write On—2023', the science writing competition by IndiaBioscience. We're calling for diverse styles of popular science writing: storytelling, fiction, book reviews, or interview articles. To submit your science article, fill the google form. Last date to apply for the competition is 05 January 2024. So hurry up, we are excited to read your science articles.
COLUMNS
In our science communication vertical, we published several columns and news articles last month.
Scroll down to get a glimpse of these articles below!
Aditi Kothiyal, Assistant Teaching Professor, Creative Learning, at IIT Gandhinagar, discusses her passion for understanding how people learn through making things and the role of social robots in education. In this interview, Aditi also shares her experiences and offers advice to young women aspiring to pursue careers in STEM, encouraging them to adapt and grow through diverse interests and roles.
In this PhD café article, Aditi Jain, Development Editor, ACS Publications, emphasises the importance of empathy in academic settings, particularly research labs, for fostering a supportive and innovative environment. Cultivating empathy enhances relationships, supports colleagues during challenging times, and ultimately contributes to a positive and successful academic experience.
The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (NRF) Bill 2023 in India aims to enhance research funding in universities and colleges, yet concerns persist regarding its autonomy and operational effectiveness. In this article from our current conversation series, Joel P. Joseph discusses the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of the NRF bill.
Candida infections, caused by pathogenic fungi, pose a significant threat, especially to vulnerable individuals. Researchers from Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, have developed a gelatin-based platform that closely mimics human skin, aiding in the study of Candida biofilm formation and potentially speeding up drug development to combat these infections.
A team of researchers at the SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, identified a natural compound, cordycepin, to be protective against cadmium-induced toxicity in zebrafish. They found that cordycepin alleviates the gut inflammation, tissue damage, and developmental deficits caused by cadmium exposure in zebrafish. This work holds therapeutic potential for cordycepin in treating cadmium-induced toxicity.
In this new series, leading up to Young Investigators’ Meeting (YIM) 2024, researchers who have attended YIMs from the past tell us about what it was like for them back then, what they took away from the experience, how things have changed, their ideas for future YIMs, and tips for the newest generation of life scientists gearing up for their first meeting.
Anil Challa is a molecular geneticist with a special interest in education and outreach. He attended the first ever YIM in 2009 and shared his experience with Nandita Jayaraj.
Shubha Tole is a neuroscientist at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai, and in this interview, she shares her YIM experience with Nandita Jayaraj.
DATA AND POLICY
#PolicyWednesday on first Wednesday of every month
This is the second post from our latest initiative to engage policy enthusiasts on social media, called #PolicyWednesday. On the first Wednesday of every month, we will post a question for you on all of our social media handles. We invite you to post your answers, see responses by others, and enjoy the thread of conversation.
The question for November is about the ‘National One Health Mission’. The National One Health Mission is being spearheaded by the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor. What do you think should be the objectives and priority areas for this mission? In your opinion, what will be crucial steps to implement this mission?
We released our first Data and Policy video from the ‘IndiaBiosnippets’ series last month. In this video, Moumita Koley from DST-Centre for Policy Research speaks about exploration of Open Science. You can watch the entire video here on our YouTube channel.
Infographic: Science and Technology in India's Union Budget
We also released a new infographic from the Data and Policy vertical, which analyses India’s Science and Technology budget across five years. A multi-part analysis from previous union budgets, this report studies expenditure allotments, trends in capital and revenue expenditures, and priority areas in the Ministry of Science and Technology. You can access the full infographic and report here.
A mention of ‘neuroscience’ might stir up thoughts of cutting-edge brain scanning and imaging techniques and other complex, expensive and highly specialised procedures. However, such techniques might be inaccessible to undergraduate students and educators of basic sciences due to financial constraints or challenges in technical training. This article describes a simple, budget-friendly assay that can be used in such a setting.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 proposes actively seeding research in universities and colleges for a multidisciplinary ecosystem. In this article, Ragothaman M Yennamalli a faculty at the Department of Bioinformatics, SASTRA Deemed to be University, details the possibilities and significance of including research experience in undergraduate studies.
Scientific progress is not above ethics. In the fast pace of scientific advancements, it is crucial to know where the ethical boundaries lie. Our latest infographic highlights some of the key aspects of doing research ethically.
We recently concluded a giveaway campaign to distribute free print copies of the infographic across India. If you missed it, don’t worry! You can still download the high-resolution printable file here.
On the last Monday of every month, we post a question for educators on all of our social media handles. We invite you to post your answers, see responses by others, and enjoy the thread of conversation. The question for the month of October 2023 is: Should research work be mandatory for undergraduate students?
Feedback on the compendium (edited for conciseness):
"Having briefly skimmed through the book for now, I love how the content has been curated and built meticulously. [...] I introduced the compendium to a couple of faculty. In fact, we decided to include a brief talk about this resource in our subsequent workshops for high school and degree college teachers."
- Gayatri Ramachandran, University of Hyderabad.
"I liked many chapters especially the one on usage of memes and also on misconceptions (genetics & metabolism)."
- Ravindranath G, Royal College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Thane
Even after several years since their inception, faculty fellowship programmes in India are struggling to find a place within the mainstream scientific enterprise. Karishma Kaushik writes for The Hindu in this third article of the series.
INDIABIOREADS
Journey Of Young Investigator (JOYI) compendium 2021-2023
The JOYI compendium celebrates the stories of young investigators in attendance at the virtual YIMs (2021, 2022) and YIM 2023. Hailing from widely different backgrounds and with varying research interests, these researchers are united in their passion for science and their ability to persist in spite of challenges in their path. We hope that these stories will serve as inspiration for other young investigators in India as well as for those hoping to launch their scientific careers in India in the near future. You can freely download the book here.
OTHER ACTIVITIES AT INDIABIOSCIENCE
IndiaBioscience at a team lunch
Embracing the festive spirit, the IndiaBioscience team gathered for a delightful lunch, fostering moments of togetherness and shared celebration.
