Thiruvananthapuram: The CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST) here on Friday hosted a national conclave on “Emerging Trends in Bio-manufacturing and Healthcare - 2025” as part of its Golden Jubilee celebrations.

The day-long event brought together scientists, industry leaders, researchers and students to deliberate on recent advancements in bio-manufacturing, sustainable healthcare solutions, and the evolving bio-economy.

Inaugurating the conclave, CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) Director Dr Vinay K Nandicoori emphasised the need for science-based interventions to tackle healthcare challenges in both urban and rural India. He also highlighted the importance of defining genetic health standards suited to the Indian population for the development of personalised therapies.

Presiding over the event, CSIR-NIIST Director Dr C Anandharamakrishnan underlined the need to translate bio-based innovations from lab scale to industrial applications. He also reiterated the institute's commitment to the national BioE3 policy — focused on Economy, Environment and Employment — and to the vision of Viksit Bharat through impactful research.

Delivering the Guest of Honour address, Dr Eugene Raj Arulmuthu, Vice-President, Manufacturing Gene Therapy, Reliance Life Sciences, Mumbai, stressed the need to make gene therapies affordable and accessible, and lauded the capacity of Indian biotech industries to deliver scalable solutions.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on the occasion between CSIR-NIIST and the Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, Thrissur, to collaborate on research in cancer diagnostics and biomarker development.

The conclave also featured keynote addresses, technical sessions, poster presentations and flash oral sessions by students and young researchers, providing a platform for interdisciplinary exchange and showcasing emerging talent in the field.