International Virtual Conference On Plant Specialized Metabolism and Metabolic Engineering Underway At CIMAP

LUCKNOW || A three-day International Virtual Conference on Plant Specialized Metabolism and Metabolic Engineering (PSMME-2020) being held Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), Lucknow was inaugurated on Wednesday by Dr Sekhar C. Mande, Director General, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR, Govt. of India.

During the inauguration, Dr Prabodh K. Trivedi, Director, CSIR-CIMAP welcomed the chief guest and participants virtually. He also told that, in this difficult times, this international conference is an attempt to connect the international and national scientific community working in the area of plant metabolites to exchange their scientific findings to the young researchers and help in long term research bondage.

He also told that during the conference, about 15 young researchers would be presenting their research work and also an e-Poster session would also be held.

Dr Dinesh Nagegowda, Senior Principal Scientist and Convener of the conference briefed that In this conference, about 14 international experts from USA, Germany, Israel, Australia, Singapore and France and 21 national speakers from various national research laboratories and academic institutions will be deliberating for 03 days on specialized metabolites from plants, including their biosynthesis and regulation, involvement in plant growth and development, different strategies for their overproduction by metabolic engineering or synthetic biology, and their applications to human health.

More than 450 participants have registered to attend the conference. The conference aims to encourage the participating delegates to undertake innovative research in the field of Plant Specialized Metabolism and associated disciplines

In his inaugural address, Dr Sekhar C. Mande welcomed the international and national participants to the first of its kind program International Virtual Conference. In his address he urged the participants to explore the role of secondary metabolites for the benefits to the humankind. He also applauded the great contributions of CSIR-CIMAP in revolutionized the menthol mint oil production in the country over last three decades that has made India number one country.

He further praised the efforts of the CSIR-CIMAP in CSIR Aroma Mission, which has helped in enhancing the farmer income. During this event, he also released the e-abstract book of the conference virtually.

The inaugural lecture was given by Prof. Natalia, Dudareva, Honorary Professor of Biochemistry, Purdue University, USA, wherein she unraveled the newer insights on plant volatile compounds. She told that pants synthesize an amazing diversity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that facilitate interactions with their environment, ranging from attracting pollinators and seed dispersers to protecting themselves from pathogens, parasites, and herbivores.

She stressed upon her research work in the isolation of genes encoding enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of many VOCs and contributed to the understanding of their regulation.

Dr Ajit Shasany concluded the inauguration ceremony by presenting vote of thanks and Dr Abha Meena coordinated the program.