FULL PROGRAM
Venue: K N UDUPPA AUDITORIUM, IMS, BHU, VARANASI
Keynote lectures are 30 minutes, and invited talks are 15-20 minutes.
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
08.00-8.45 Registration, Breakfast & Exhibition
SESSION-I:BACTERIOPHAGES:THE LIVING ANTIBIOTICS
Chairpersons:
Prof. Rama Chaudhry, AIIMS, New Delhi, Dr. B. N. Tripathi, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Jammu
| Timings | Type | Speaker | Talk Title | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 AM–09:30 AM | Keynote Address-1 | Prof. Martha Clokie | UTI Phages: Ecological Insights, Antibiotic Synergies, and Bladder Models | University of Leicester, UK |
| 09:30 AM–09:50 AM | Invited Talk-1 | Prof. Bipin Nair | Bacteriophage-Based Affordable Point of Care (PoC)/Point of Testing (PoT) Devices for Monitoring and Diagnostics of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) | Amrita School of Biotechnology, Kerala |
| 09:50 AM–10:10 AM | Invited Talk-2 (Virtual) | Dr. Jessica Sacher | Finding Phage-context fit: Making Phage Therapy Work Across the Personalised-to-Cocktail Spectrum | Stanford University, USA |
| 10:10 AM–10:25 AM | Invited Talk-3 | Dr. Ramesh N. N. | Characterization of Salmonella phage of the Genus Kayfunavirus Infecting Clinical Strains of Salmonella enterica | Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore |
SESSION-II: PHAGE REPOSITORIES,GENOMICS AND DOSING STRATEGIES
Chairpersons:
Prof.C.P.Mishra, Banaras Hindu University; Prof. Aditi Singh, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, AUUP, Lucknow Campus
| Timings | Type | Speaker | Talk Title | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10:25 AM–10:45 AM | Invited Talk-4 (Virtual) | Prof. Justyna Kowalska | Hidden I Phage Directory and Phage Repository | University of Warmia and Mazury, Poland |
| 10:45 AM–11:10 AM | Invited Talk-5 | Prof. Thomas Sicheritz-Pontén | Hidden in Plain Sight: Bacterial Genomes Reveal Thousands of Lytic Phages with Therapeutic Potential | University of Copenhagen, Denmark |
| 11:10 AM–11:30 AM | Invited Talk-6 | Dr. Mayank Gangwar | Regulatory Hurdles in Bacteriophage Development: Strategies for Overcoming Challenges | ICMR, DHR, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, New Delhi |
11:30 AM-11:40 AM ☕ Coffee & Tea Break
Oral Presentations
| Session | Timings | Venue | Theme & Chairpersons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session 1 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Hall–2, ILT–1 |
Theme: Bacteriophages – Miscellaneous Aspects
Chairpersons: Mr. Pranav Johri, Vitalis Phage Therapy, New Delhi
Dr. Ankush Gupta, IS, BHU |
SESSION-III:Bacteriophages: Status Quo and Emerging Trends Toward One Health Approach
Chairpersons:
Prof. Anil K Gulati, Banaras Hindu University, Prof. Anjay, Bihar Animal Sciences University, Patna, Prof. Pradyot Prakash, IMS, BHU
| Timings | Type | Speaker | Talk Title | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:40 AM–12:00 PM | Invited Talk-7 | Dr. B. N. Tripathi | Phage Research and Therapy in India: Current Landscape, Future Directions, and Regulatory Frameworks | Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu |
| 12:00 PM–12:15 PM | Invited Talk-8 | Dr. Soni S. Bhonchal Bharadwaj | Bacteriophage Applications in Mitigating Oral Diseases | Panjab University, Chandigarh |
| 12:15 PM–12:30 PM | Invited Talk-9 | Prof. Vinodkumar C. S. | Integrating Bacteriophage Therapy into One Health Frameworks for AMR Mitigation | S.S. Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Davengere, Karnataka |
| 12:30 PM–12:45 PM | Invited Talk-10 | Dr. Aradhana Vipra | Bacteriophage-Derived Antibacterial Protein Therapeutic to Target Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus | GangaGen Biotechnologies Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru |
| 12:45 PM–1:00 PM | Invited Talk-11 | Dr. Santa Sabuj Das | The Immunological Landscape of Phage Therapy: Friend or Foe | ICMR-NIRBI Scientist, Kolkata |
1:00 PM–2:00 PM | 🍽️ Lunch & Networking
2:00 PM–5:30 PM | 🧾 Poster Presentations
5:30 PM–6:30 PM | 🏆 Evaluation of Poster Presentation
SESSION-IV: BACTERIOPHAGES AND ECO-MANAGEMENT
Chairpersons:
Dr. Sanjay Mehta, Varanasi, Prof. Sumi Nandwani, PGICH, Noida; Dr. Sandhya Srivastav, Mumbai
| Timings | Type | Speaker | Talk Title | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:00 PM–2:20 PM | Invited Talk–12 | Dr. Prashant K. Dhakephalkar | Rust Busters: SRB Lytic Phages as a Novel Tool to Mitigate Microbe-Induced Corrosion and H2S-Induced Hazards in the Oil Industry | MACS Agharkar Research Institute, Pune |
| 2:20 PM–2:35 PM | Invited Talk–13 | Dr. Sanjay Pal | Phage-Mediated Microbiome Engineering for Sanitation: A Complementary Approach to Bioremediation | Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kollam, Kerala |
| 2:35 PM–2:50 PM | Invited Talk–14 | Dr. Hiren Joshi | Stress-Tolerant Bacteriophages for Effective Biocontrol of Foodborne Pathogens | Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Chennai |
| 2:50 PM–3:10 PM | Invited Talk–15 | Dr. Vasudha | Bacteriophages: A Promising Alternative to Antibiotics for Combating Bacterial Infections in Poultry | Aristogen Biosciences, Bangalore |
SESSION-V: MYCOPHAGES & MYCOBACTERIOPHAGES
Chairpersons:
Dr. Taruna Anand,Hisar;Prof. Ragini Tilak, IMS, BHU; Prof. Munesh K Gupta, IMS, BHU
| Timings | Type | Speaker | Talk Title | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:10 PM – 3:30 PM | Invited Talk–16 | Prof. Urmi Bajpai | Structural and Functional Diversity in Mycobacteriophage-encoded Endolysins | Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi |
| 3:30 PM – 3:45 PM | Invited Talk–17 | Dr. Ankush Gupta | Engineering Mycobacteriophages: Precision Tools for Next-Generation TB Therapies | Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, BHU, Varanasi |
Oral Presentations
| Session | Timings | Venue | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session 2 | 14:00 PM – 15:00 PM | Hall–2, ILT–1 |
Theme: Human Health and Bacteriophages
Chairpersons: Prof. Pradyot Prakash, IMS, BHU and Prof. S.K. Bhartiya, IMS, BHU
|
| Session 3 | 15:00 PM – 16:00 PM | Hall–2, ILT–1 |
Theme: Bacteriophages in Animal and Environmental Health
Chairpersons: Prof. Deepak Gautam, IMS, BHU & Prof. Deepak Kumar, IMS, BHU
|
Opening Ceremony
| Timings | Presided by | Chief Guest | Guest of Honour | Patrons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM |
Prof. Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi, Vice Chancellor, Banaras Hindu University |
Prof. B.N. Tripathi, Vice Chancellor, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, Jammu |
Prof. Saroj Chudamani Gopal, Distinguished Professor, BHU |
Prof. S.N. Shankhwar, Director, Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, Varanasi |
HIGH TEA
Welcome Reception Dinner
Thursday, November 13, 2025
08:00 AM –08:45 AM Breakfast
SESSION-VI:Bacteriophages:Bench-to-Bedside
Chairpersons:
Prof. Bipin Nair, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Prof. Rajesh Bansal, Faculty of Dental Sciences, BHU
| Timings | Type | Speaker | Talk Title | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 AM – 09:25 AM | Keynote Address–2 | Prof. Gopal Nath | Bacteriophage Therapy: Clinical Insights | Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, Varanasi |
| 09:25 AM – 09:50 AM | Invited Talk–18 | Prof. S.K. Bhartiya, IMS, BHU | Bacteriophages: A Possible Therapeutic Approach to Curtail Multi-Drug Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria | Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, Varanasi |
| 09:50 AM – 10:05 AM | Invited Talk–19 | Dr. Sangita S. Ahivale | Understanding the Concept of Phage Dosing and Phage Therapy: Mathematical Approach | Pune University, Pune |
Panel Discussion
| Timings | Moderator | Panelists |
|---|---|---|
| 10:05 AM – 11:15 AM |
Prof. Urmi Bajpai Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi |
|
10.30 - 10.40 COFFEE & TEA BREAK
SESSION-VII:BACTERIOPHAGE PRODUCTS AS ANTIMICROBIALS
Chairpersons:
Prof. Sumi Nandwani, PGICH, Noida, Dr. Meenakshi Singh, Medicinal Chemistry
| Timings | Type | Speaker | Talk Title | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:25 AM – 11:40 AM | Invited Talk–20 | Dr. Kiran Kondabagil | Phage life history traits and infection dynamics | IIT Bombay, Mumbai |
| 11:40 AM – 12:00 PM | Invited Talk–21 | Dr. Sudhir K. Singh | Endolysin expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression platforms | VRDL, IMS, BHU, Varanasi |
| 12:00 PM – 12:20 PM | Invited Talk–22 | Dr. Taruna Anand | Bacteriophage encoded lysins: A novel approach adding a new dimension to antimicrobial alternatives | ICAR – National Research Centre on Equines, Hisar |
| 12:20 PM – 12:40 PM | Invited Talk–23 | Dr. Sutharsan Govindarajan | From Mechanism to Medicine: Translating Jumbo Phage Biology into Clinical Potential | SRM University, Andhra Pradesh |
| 12:40 PM – 1:00 PM | Invited Talk–24 | Prof. Malabika Biswas | Silent Killers and Arrested Growth: Reprogramming Phi11 Holin Activity via Domain Deletion | BITS Pilani, K.K. Birla Goa Campus, Goa |
1:00 PM–2:00 PM
Lunch & Networking
01:00PM–04:30PM
Poster Session
02:35PM–03:30PM
Poster Session
SESSION-VIII:PHAGES–INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES
Chairpersons:
Dr. Sangeeta Ahiwale, Pune University, Dr. Deepak Kumar, IMS BHU
| Timings | Type | Speaker | Talk Title | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2:00 PM – 2:20 PM | Invited Talk–25 | Dr. Manoj Kumar | Environmental Viromics Uncovers Bacteriophages Targeting Acinetobacter baumannii to Counter AMR | NIPER, Mohali |
| 2:15 PM – 2:35 PM | Invited Talk–26 | Dr. Adelene Song Ai Lian | Phage Enzybiotics: New Weapons in the War Against Antimicrobial Resistance | University Putra Malaysia, Malaysia |
SESSION-IX: PHAGE QUIZ
Chairpersons:
Prof. Neelam Taneja, PGIMER, Chandigarh, Dr. Alok Kumar Singh, Allahabad University,
Dr. Alka Shukla , VRDL, IMS BHU
Coordinators:
Dr. Hiren Joshi & Mr.Atif Khan
Timing: 2:35 PM– 3:35 PM
Concluding Session
| Timings | Details |
|---|---|
| 3:35 PM – 4:00 PM | Executive Council Meeting |
| 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | General Body Meeting (GBM) |
| 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Valedictory Function, Followed by High Tea |