To mark National Science Day 2026, Ph.D students at TIGS, through the TIGS-AcSIR Science Club, hosted an inspiring session with Prof. Alok Bhattacharya, a trailblazer in Indian life sciences whose journey spans fundamental research on Entamoeba histolytica to the frontiers of rare disease genomics and patient advocacy.
As a researcher, educator, and Managing Trustee of World Without GNE Myopathy, Prof. Bhattacharya exemplifies how science can meaningfully bridge laboratory discovery and real-world medical impact.
The session covered:
🔬 A compelling historical perspective, from building India’s early bioinformatics infrastructure in the 1990s to witnessing the transformative rise of Machine Learning in life sciences.
🚀 Practical, grounded insights for PhD scholars and postdocs on launching independent labs and startups within the Indian research ecosystem.
🍳 A refreshing philosophy of “science in the kitchen,” encouraging students to see scientific thinking embedded in everyday problem-solving.
He concluded with a powerful call to action: align research with society’s most pressing needs and carry science from the bench to the patient’s bedside.
