The Department of Biosciences at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL), in collaboration with the Institution’s Innovation Council, successfully celebrated International Microorganisms Day on 16 & 17 September 2024 at Prasanthi Nilayam. The two-day event featured a hands-on workshop, a prestigious memorial lecture, and an engaging exhibition.
Day 1 focused on a workshop in microbial handling and biosafety, teaching participants key microbiological techniques like media preparation, bacterial streaking, Gram staining, and antibiotic testing. A special session on microbial art allowed students to design bacterial cultures creatively. The workshop saw an active participation of 65 enthusiastic students from Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School, Smt. Eswaramma High School, and Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Whitefield, enriching their technical skills and practical knowledge.
Day 2 included the Dr. K. Gopinatha Rao Memorial Lecture by Prof. V. Nagaraja who discussed the challenges of drug-resistant tuberculosis followed by a talk from Prof. D. Narasimha Rao on the human microbiome. The day concluded with the exhibition “Into the Microbial World,” featuring posters and live demonstrations of microbial cultures and innovative microbial technologies like Microbial Fuel Cells.
The event successfully fostered an appreciation for microbes’ roles in health, environment, and research, inspiring future exploration in microbiology.
Watch Recording: Dr. K. Gopinatha Rao Memorial Lecture
