KIIT Organizes International Conference on Translational Research and Impact of Post-Covid-19 Pandemic on Society and Healthcare System

On Dec 22, 2021

KIIT Deemed to be University in association with Indian Society for Translational Research (ISTR), New Delhi organized the 6^th International Conference on Translational Research (6^th ICTR): Impact of Post-Covid-19 Pandemic on Society, Healthcare System and Bench to Bedside Research on 17^th & 18^th December, 2021 through hybrid mode.

Delivering the inaugural address, Dr. Renu Swarup, Former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt. of India highlighted how DBT is actively engaged in development of diagnostic, therapeutics and vaccine for the management of Covid-19 during the last two years (2020-2021). In his presidential address, Prof. N. K. Ganguly, Former Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Govt. of India and President of ISTR described various activities of ISTR and also elaborated the importance of vaccine and immunity for the control of Covid-19.

Prof. Ambika Mohanty, Principal, KIMS highlighted the role of KIMS for the treatment of Covid-19 patients during first and the second waves of this pandemic. Prof. H. Mohanty, Vice Chancellor, discussed the importance of translational research with special reference to Covid-19. Prof. Gopal C. Kundu, Director R&D, KIIT-DU and Organizing Secretary, 6^th ICTR-2021 & Executive Secretary, ISTR delivered the welcome address, while Prof. J. R Mohanty, Registrar gave the concluding remarks at the inaugural session.

Prof Gopal C Kundu, Organising Secretary

Thirty speakers including the speakers from USA, Australia, Singapore and India delivered their talks during the two-day meet and about 275 and 125 participants attended the conference on the 1^st and the 2^nd day respectively through hybrid mode.

Among an array of speakers, Prof. N. K. Mehra, Emeritus Scientist, ICMR, New Delhi; Lt. Gen. Dr. Ved Chaturvedi, Sir Gangaram Hospital, New Delhi; Dr. Bakulesh Khamar, Executive Director, Cadila Pharmaceuticals; Prof. Tapas K. Kundu, Director, CDRI, Lucknow; Prof. Dhrubajyoti Chattopadhyay, Vice Chancellor, Sister Nibedita University, Kolkata; Prof. Georg Weber, University of Cincinnati, USA; Prof. Marco Falasca, Curtin University, Australia; Prof. M. Suar, DG, R&D, KIIT and Prof Syed E. Hasnain, National Science Chair, IIT Delhi & Ex-Vice Chancellor, University of Hyderabad delivered elegant talks on Covid-19 related vaccine development, immunity and vaccine research, diagnostics and therapeutics and the mechanism of immune escape with special reference to Delta and Omicron variants of the virus.

To conclude, Dr Subhra Chakraborty, Director, NIPGR, New Delhi; Dr Srinivas Patnaik, Dean, KSBT; Mr Sujit Chakraborty, ISTR, New Delhi and Prof. Gopal C. Kundu highlighted the major issues and way forward to Indian Translational Clinical Research and Covid-19 management and delivered the concluding remarks at the valedictory session.

Prof. Kundu and the organizing team gratefully acknowledged the support of Prof. Achyuta Samanta, Founder, KIIT & KISS and Prof. Sasmita Samanta, Pro-Vice Chancellor to organize this international conference.