The BRIC-National Institute of Immunology (BRIC-NII) hosted a symposium on January 20, 2025, focussed on structural biology, to honour the contributions of Prof M Vijayan to the field. The event featured leading experts presenting their cutting-edge findings and methodologies, offering valuable insights into this dynamic field.
The first keynote, titled "The rise and fall (?) of X-ray crystallography," delivered by Prof. MRN Murthy traced a journey of more than 150 years through the history and evolution of crystallography in the world of science. The day continued with diverse sessions such as "Structure-guided identification of protein function" by Prof. Dinakar Salunke and "Introducing a tag-based approach to new drug discovery" by Prof. T. P. Singh. Prof. Shekhar Mande spotlighted the relationship between structure and function in his talk "How atomic view has enhanced our understanding of biology"
The afternoon schedule delved deeper into structural biology with Prof. Manidipa Banerjee, Prof. Madhumalar Arumugam, and Dr. Debasisa Mohanty presenting talks on topics ranging from the use of electron cryomicroscopy of macromolecules to protein structure dynamics to the applications of AI/ML in protein prediction and design.
The event offered a unique opportunity to network with peers, engage with groundbreaking research, and understand the transformative role of emerging technologies in biology. The symposium was followed by a two-day workshop exploring the theoretical as well as practical aspects in macromolecular X-ray crystallography and structure prediction.