LG lauds JU for  innovative programs - Int’l Conference on Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Reproduction: Exploring new frontiers 

• Scholars across world deliberate over key research issues

JAMMU:  The Executive Council of the Indian Society for Comparative Endocrinology today emphasized the crucial need of collaborative efforts by scholars across the world for advancing research in endocrinology, metabolism, and reproduction. The scholars held exhaustive deliberations with vivid PowerPoint presentations on day-two of the International Conference on Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Reproduction: Exploring New Frontiers held at the University of Jammu.

The 4-day conference was inaugurated yesterday by Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Hon’ble Mr Manoj Sinha, who is also the Chancellor of the University of Jammu here. In his inaugural address, the Lieutenant Governor lauded the University of Jammu for its visionary leadership and innovative programs aimed at setting new benchmarks for academic institutions across the Union Territory.

He appreciated the initiatives ‘Design Your Degree’ program, ‘College on Wheels’, and the sand Skill innovation Incubation Entrepreneurship Development Center (SIIEDC) Project, expressing the hope that these will immensely contribute towards a dynamic, interdisciplinary educational experience that promotes inclusivity, creativity, and social responsibility.

The Lt Governor exuded confidence that these innovative programs will continue to shape the educational landscape of the region.  The highlight of the second-day of the Conference remained insightful discussions and key presentations by leading scholars in five important sessions spread over the day.

The day began with a Technical Session V, chaired by Prof. Suraj Unniappan and Prof. Arun G. Jadhao. A plenary lecture by Dr. Malini Laloraya explored the link between polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and disruptions in circadian rhythms, offering new perspectives on this complex condition. Further presentations included discussions on reproductive regulation in fish models and the impact of dysbiosis on neuropeptide regulation in PCOS, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the conference. 

The morning continued with special lectures, including  Dr. Mamta Tripathy’s findings on the role of bone morphogenetic proteins in lizard reproduction followed by Dr. Vinay on the role of Nitric Oxide in ovarian functions of Indian Catfish. 

In the afternoon, Technical Session VI, chaired by Prof. N.P. Gramapurohit and Dr. Sarbjeet Kour, featured a plenary lecture by Prof. Sudipta Maitra delivering a plenary lecture on multifactorial role of Gonadotropins in Zebra fish oocytes. Dr. Raghav Kumar Mishra delivered an invited lecture on the effects of psychological stress on male sexual vigor, highlighting the potential of Ayurvedic interventions in mitigating stress-related reproductive issues. 

The second poster session of the conference (PP33-PP63) and a series of oral presentations addressed diverse topics, ranging from the role of aquaporins in fish reproduction to the effects of phthalates on ovarian development in fish. These sessions provided a platform for researchers to delve into the molecular and physiological aspects of reproductive and metabolic regulation. 

The day concluded with sessions chaired  by Prof. Shobha Bhargava and another session chaired by Prof. Vinod Kumar and Prof. Banalata Mohanty. The session has plenary lectures from Prof Jacques Balthazart who talked about the control of plasticity by steroids in the brain of songbirds. This was followed by an invited talk by Dr. Gagandeep Gahlay on the effect of SNP's on sperm oocyte binding. This was followed by oral presentations by Faculty members and post doc research scholars on various aspects of reproduction in fish and mice  The other session was followed by presentations on testicular functions, cortisol signaling, and melatonin’s role in inflammation and stress responses.