JNU’s SCMM silver jubilee event spotlights future of molecular medicine

New Delhi: The Special Centre for Molecular Medicine (SCMM), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), marked its Silver Jubilee and 26th Foundation Day on September 19, 2025, with a National Symposium on “Frontiers in Molecular Medicine.”

The event, coordinated by Prof. Rakesh K. Tyagi (Chairperson), Prof. Umesh C. S. Yadav (Convener), and Dr. Vijay P. S. Rawat (Organising Secretary), brought together leading scientists and young investigators working across infectious and non-infectious human diseases.

Since its founding in 1999, SCMM has been at the forefront of integrating basic science with clinical research, making notable contributions to cancer, infectious diseases, and metabolic disorders.

A key highlight was the B. K. Bachhawat Memorial Lecture by Prof. Anil Koul, an internationally renowned TB researcher. Prof. Koul, known for the discovery of Bedaquiline, the first novel anti-TB drug approved in over four decades, presented new research on targeting de novo purine biosynthesis in TB bacteria and underscored the transformative role of AI in drug discovery.

The symposium featured insightful talks: Prof. Ritu Gupta (AIIMS) on genotype-anchored LSC signatures in acute myeloid leukemia; Prof. Pankaj Seth (NBRC) on organoids in neurodegeneration; Dr. Shantanu Sengupta (IGIB) on India-specific cardio-metabolic risk models; Dr. Dinesh Mani Tripathi (ILBS) on metabolic reprogramming in sepsis; Dr. Rajesh Pandey (IGIB) on microbial roles in disease severity; Prof. Swati Saha (DU) on epigenetic regulation in Leishmania; Dr. Agam P. Singh (NII) on malaria vaccine advances; and Prof. K. Natrajan (JNU) on histone acetyl transferase complexes in Candida albicans.

Young researchers also presented their work on COPD, leukemia, lung cancer, and TB in the Young Investigators Awardsession, underscoring the promise of India’s next-generation biomedical scientists.

On this occasion, SCMM felicitated eminent faculty members Prof. Suman Dhar, Prof. Gobardhan Das, and Prof. Vibha Tandon. Special Guest Padma Shri Prof. R. N. K. Bamezai and JNU Rector Dipendra Nath Das graced the event, where participants strongly recommended upgrading SCMM into a full-fledged School.

The symposium concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Vijay P. S. Rawat, who called it a fitting celebration of science, collaboration, and 25 years of SCMM’s journey.