AMITY UNIVERSITY HARYANA

AMITY UNIVERSITY HARYANA

Amity University Haryana organized two days International Symposium

““Omega-3 Fatty acids help in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseas”

Prof Preston Mason of Harvard: Lipid Meeting 2019 at Amity University

Haryana

December 12-13, 2019:Amity University Haryana organized two days

International Symposium on “Lipid in the forefront: A lot more to discover”

under the patronage of renowned Biotechnologist of India Prof. Rajendra

Prasad, Dean, Research& Director, Amity Institute of Biotechnology and Amity

Institute of Integrative Sciences and Health in which scientist of global

outreach shared a common platform here in the university where they

brought together various facts and discuss their scientific findings on lipid

biology.

Lipids, commonly called “fats” are infamous for contributing to weight gain,

however lipids in optimum amount are a healthy and important part of our

diet. Prof Preston Mason of Harvard Medical School discussed the new

insights into mechanisms of action for Omega-3 Fatty acids in regulating the

cholesterol and heart disease. They play several important roles in our body

including providing energy and helping in proper digestion and absorption of

food. Lipidomics is the popular platform to identify and profile the entire lipid

repertoire in a particular cell, be it bacteria, plants or animals. The study of

lipids and their role in cell dynamics, signaling health and diseases are

emerging as frontal areas of research. We at Amity Lipidomics Research

Facility – ALRF are actively doing research on various aspects of Lipid Biology

pertaining to host pathogen interaction, drug resistance and debilitating

diseases such as cancer and tuberculosis.

In the continuation of the National Symposium held three years before, AUH

inaugurated the International Symposium in the presence of eminent scientist

Prof Preston Mason of Harvard Medical School, USA along with Prof. Judith

Berman of Tel Aviv University, Israel, Prof Robert Arkowitz, University of Nice

and Prof Martine Bassilana from Université Côte d'Azur, France joined hands

with the SERB Distinguished Fellow and Eminent Lipid ScientistProf.Amitabha

Chattopadhyay of CCMB, Hyderabadalongwith Prof. K. N. Balaji IISc.

Bengaluru, Dr. Saikat Bhattacharjee from RCB, Faridabad, Dr. Shailza Singh

NCCS, Pune, Dr Arvind Ramanathan, INSTEM, Dr Anand Bachhawat IISER,

Mohali, Dr Malathi Srinivasan, CFTRI& Dr Avinash Bajaj, RCB, with research

scholar from all over the country to discuss and work together which will

create an infusion of scientific creativity and will help the knitted ‘lipid

community’ at the international level where new ideas will bloom and

thoughts will be shared to serve a platform for interaction between scientists

and biotechnology industries to further research and innovation in this

promising field.

Prof. Judith Berman of Tel Aviv University, Israel gave her talk on cellular and

genetic consequences of azole antifungal treatment, including the role of

intracellular drug targeting, on pathogenic yeasts Candida, a causative agent

for many hospitals acquired infections.

Prof. Amitabha Chattopadhyay, CCMB, Hyderabad described the importance of

Cholesterol, the predominant sterol in higher eukaryotes, discussed its

crucialrole in maintaining the structure and organization of cell membranes,

and is involved in essential cellular processes in health and disease.

Prof Robert Arkowitz, University of Nice presented the role of acidic

phospholipids function and distribution in a fungal pathogen management. He

also discussed role of G proteins as critical component for filamentous growth,

antifungal drug sensitivity and virulence in the opportunistic fungal pathogen

Candida albicans

Prof Martine Bassilana from Université Côte d'Azur, France shared her finding

on the Candida albicans ability to switch between different morphological

states is associated with its adaptability and pathogenicity. She elaborated the

mechanism of active endocytosis to counterbalance exocytosis at the hyphal

tip and role of membrane lipids and proteins.

Prof. K. N. Balaji IISc. Bengaluru delivered a talk on the role of accumulated

lipids in mitigating the effects of anti-TB drugs against the intracellular

bacteria.

Dr Arvind Ramanathan, INSTEM, discussed the role of arachidonic acid

derived lipids in cellular senescence. He described how the senescence-

associated secretory phenotype (SASP) has been characterized for secreted

proteins that participate development, wound healing, inflammation and

many age-related pathologies during the senescence process and longevity.

While addressing the symposium Dean Research, Amity University Haryana

and & Director Amity Institute of Biotechnology said “This meeting developed

a successful lipid global research forum to discuss, think and plan about lipids

and beyond at Amity University Haryana. Many novel collaborative research

ideas developed among the scientists as an immediate outcome of this

meeting. This forum will also help not only international collaborative

research but for multi-consortium, bilateral international funds”.

Scientists and active researchers from several research institutes namely IISc,

CFTRI, NCBS, IISER, NII, CCMB, JNU, RCB, University of Hyderabad, NCCS were

brought together at Amity University Haryana to discuss the relevance of

lipids in cell organization and dynamics, signaling and various disease and

their role in potential therapeutic strategies. These biological and biomedical

scientists in our country including Dr Durba Sengupta, Dr Shobhan Sen, Dr

Jaydeep Bhattacharya, Dr Zeeshan Fatima and Dr Ashutosh Singh, among

others, shared their recent findings in the broad area of lipid metabolism and

dynamics with an eye towards future translational efforts.

Indeed, scientist visited recently developed “Central Instrumentation

Research Facility – CIRF” https://www.amity.edu/gurugram/central-instrument-research-

facility.aspxof the university.

Maj. Gen. B. S. Suhag (Retd.), Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof (Dr.) Padmakali

Banerjee, Pro Vice Chancellor, Maj. Gen. G S Bal(Retd.), Sq. Ld. S K

Singh(Retd.), Dr. Ujjaini Das Gupta, Dr Kaustav Badhyopadhay, Dr Amit Kumar

Pandey, Dr Machiavelli Singhwere present among other university faculty

member, staff and research students in the symposium.