Combat AMR via genomics-driven drug

Drug Discovery and Development workshop - Day 16

Hyderabad: The Day 16 of the workshop on ‘Drug Discovery and Development’ being organised by the FABA Academy, in partnership with the University of Hyderabad and Science Gurus started with a discussion on career guidance, CV and resume writing, and networking tips for job seekers.

Prof P Reddanna, Executive President of FABA gave his advice on career guidance and introduced many opportunities; later Dr Ajith Kamath an industry leader provided other inputs to participants to build their careers.

Dr Jagadeesh Gandla, COO of FABA emphasised on how to make a strong CV and resume that accurately reflects one’s skills, experience, and achievements. He provided tips on how to tailor a CV or resume to a specific job opening and how to effectively showcase one’s strengths. Dr Jagadeesh also discussed the importance of networking and building professional relationships to advance career. He provided strategies for networking, such as attending industry events, joining professional organisations, and using social media platforms like LinkedIn.

The participants were engaged in lively discussions and shared their own experiences and strategies for job searching and networking. Later, Dr Mamta Sajwan Khatri, Academic Coordinator of FABA advised participants about different scholarships and guided women researchers on how to approach government funding bodies like DST, DBT, DST-WISE and ICMR-DHR.

Overall, the presentation was a valuable resource for job seekers who are looking to improve their career prospects. The participants left the session feeling more confident and equipped with practical strategies for finding their next job opportunity. A group of participants were engaged in fruitful discussions and shared their ideas.

During the latter part of the workshop, Dr Santanu Datta, Co-founder and CSO, Bugworks

Research Inc, presented the current trends in genomics-driven anti-infective drug discovery.

During his talk, he covered the basics of drug development, including how to identify targets and screen for potential anti-infective compounds.

Dr Datta emphasised the importance of using multiple approaches to identify targets and discussed various methods for doing so, such as genetic and chemical knockdown, antisense inhibition of Ftsz, and target screening. He also talked about the challenges of developing

broad-spectrum antibiotics and cited the initial failure of the Bugworks company as an example. One of the key takeaways from Dr Datta’s presentation was the potential of genomics-driven drug discovery to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Overall, Dr Datta’s presentation provided valuable insights into the world of anti-infective drug discovery and highlighted the potential of genomics-driven approaches to identify new targets and develop more effective drugs.

The day concluded with a presentation by Dr Triveni AG, Dept of PG Studies and Research in Microbiology, Gulbarga University, which focused on Staphylococcus Aureus. The workshop provided a platform for sharing innovative ideas. Participants got to learn from the experts, enrich their knowledge and skills, and exchange ideas about drug discovery and development.