Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw interacts with SBS students and faculty

SBS hosted an inspiring interaction with Dr. Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, founder of Biocon and one of India’s leading biotechnology pioneers, at the Kasturirangan Auditorium, Chanakya University.

Students from all batches of the B.Sc. Biotechnology, B.Tech. Biotechnology & Bioengineering, and M.Sc. Bioinformatics & Biotechnology programmes participated in an engaging interaction with Dr. Mazumdar-Shaw. Drawing from her own journey, she spoke about her early years, the challenges she encountered, and the perseverance that was essential in building her career and creating a biotechnology enterprise in India.

A central theme of her interaction was the need for India’s young scientific community to contribute to the country’s growth in science, technology and innovation. She highlighted that India possesses substantial scientific talent and resources and encouraged students to reflect on how these strengths can be translated into greater scientific impact, and innovation. She urged students to be curious, persistent and willing to take on challenging problems. Dr. Mazumdar-Shaw also highlighted the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence, computational biology and data-driven approaches in modern biosciences. With biological research increasingly generating large and complex datasets, she encouraged students to develop computational and interdisciplinary skills that can enable them to address emerging challenges in biology, healthcare and biotechnology.

Eager to hear about her journey and experiences, students engaged enthusiastically with Dr. Mazumdar-Shaw and posed several questions on science, innovation, careers and the future of biotechnology. She further visited the SBS research laboratories and engaged with SBS faculty members on their ongoing research programmes and areas of expertise. She shared perspectives and suggestions on strengthening research, identifying impactful scientific questions, leveraging emerging technologies, and translating research into meaningful applications.

The visit was an important milestone for SBS, bringing together students, faculty and a leading figure in India’s biotechnology ecosystem.