The University of Westminster’s Gene Editors of the Future have co-organised an international Indo-UK conference on Translational Research in Biomedical Sciences in collaboration with Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology (SIST), Chennai, India.
The three-day conference was attended by more than 200 delegates and featured 40 lectures. This dynamic and highly productive event facilitated enriching discussions, knowledge exchange and meaningful collaborations within the areas of Gene Editing Technologies, Genome Integrity and Repair, Translational Immunology and Vaccine Research, Microbial Technologies, Multi-omics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Maternal Health and One Health, Bioeconomy and Sustainable Healthcare, and MedTech, Biopharma and Biomanufacturing.
A key feature of the conference was the Vertically Integrated Project session, which showcased student-led research. Harshana Chaurasia, an Applied Biotechnology MSc student, delivered a compelling presentation on the silent and global threat of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are often known as forever chemicals, and genetic vulnerability in breast cancer, exploring the dangers of PFAS and their genetic implications.
Next up was fellow Applied Biotechnology MSc student Julia Gorczynska, who spoke on developing students into researchers through the bioinformatics of CRISPR/Cas9 technology, demonstrating how computational biology enhances genome editing.
Finally, Biomedical Sciences MSc student Jolina Viessman discussed how the Gene Editors of the Future programme aligns with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting the programme’s contribution to global scientific sustainability.
Before the event took place the team also organised a pre-conference CRISPR workshop which welcomed participants from over 20 universities across India and was led by Harshana, Julia, Sneha Latha Rangan and Jolina. The event allowed participants to engage in cutting-edge scientific techniques, analyse results and discuss findings. The workshop was highly praised, with participants expressing enthusiasm for the opportunity to develop practical research skills.
The Gene Editors of the Future programme is a vibrant student community within Westminster and is the longest and largest extracurricular initiative that focuses on the technology CRISPR. The technology can be used to selectively modify the DNA of living organisms and has forever changed the landscape of genetic engineering across organisms.
Professor Andrew Linn, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, said: “The University of Westminster is a global university with London energy and is proud to welcome students from over 160 countries to our campuses in London. Working in close collaboration with our international partners, Transnational Education (TNE) is simply part of our identity, as is the inclusion of our students within our research community. The Gene Editors of the Future project at the University of Westminster is one of our flagship projects to engage students as researchers, and we are thrilled to be working with the Centre for Drug Discovery and Development at the Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology as we commit together to breaking down boundaries and hierarchies to find solutions to our world’s biggest challenges.”
Dr Kalpana Surendranath, Leader of the Genome Engineering Laboratory and Reader in Genome Engineering, added: “We are profoundly grateful to the University of Westminster and its visionary approach, which fosters and nurtures student-led initiatives both within the United Kingdom and internationally. We wish to express our appreciation to the Vice-Chancellor of SIST Dr T Sasipraba, Professor Krupakar Parthasarathy and Professor Radhakrishnan Manickam, as well as researchers and students at the Centre for Drug Discovery and Development for their dedication and tireless efforts in the weeks leading up to a successful event.
“We are grateful for the support of Professor John Murphy and collaborators Anusha Seneviratne and Prashanth Bajpe, PhD FHEA, for their insightful sessions, and to Dr Kanagaraj Radhakrishnan, for coordinating and channelling the activities between the two organisations. Finally, thanks to Dr Giuseppe Viola from Queen Mary University London for their informative session."
The work carried out by the Gene Editors of the Future programme directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3: Good Health and Wellbeing and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about the Gene Editors of the Future programme at the University of Westminster.
Learn more about studying in the School of Life Sciences.
Related articles
