The 4th Conference of the Indian Society of Evolutionary Biologists

Jointly organised by the Indian Society of Evolutionary Biologists (ISEB) and Ahmedabad University, the 4th Conference of the Indian Society of Evolutionary Biologists (ISEB4) was held at Ahmedabad University on February 9-11, 2023. It was attended by about 200 renowned evolutionary biologists, researchers, and students worldwide. Delivering the keynote address, Raghavendra Gadagkar, DST Year of Science Chair and Professor, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and Founding President of ISEB, said, “Nobody lets students and young researchers think independently and at leisure. But it is crucial to let them. After all, science is a work in progress, not built in a day, and research must be allowed at its own pace. We could do in-depth research because we gave it time and challenged what we read in scientific literature and not merely accepted it.” He urged young students and researchers to question everything.

Subhash Rajpurohit, Convenor of ISEB4, said, “In India, evolution as a subject is still in its nascent stages, and public engagement is lacking. However, once we broadly accept it and start using its applications in the real world, many complex problems can be solved effectively. The ISEB Conference is a step in this direction.”

ISEB4 had interesting sessions lined up with plenary speakers Allen Gibbs, Professor, University of Nevada, USA; Paul Schmidt, Professor, University of Pennsylvania, USA; Renee M Borges, Professor, Indian Institute of Sciences, Bengaluru, India; Amitabh Joshi, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), India; and Jun-Yi Leu, Distinguished Research Fellow, Academic Sinica, Taiwan. 

Besides 40+ invited and selected talks, there were 83 posters as well, which ranged from evolution, ecology, climate change, pandemic, phenotypic plasticity, behaviour, taxonomy, flower colouration, physiology, and rapid evolution. 

In his address, LS Shashidhara, President, International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), warned about the possible impact of climate change on life and future biological challenges. He also shared the body’s science outreach initiatives. The Conference was supported through conference support grants from the Gujarat State Biotechnology Mission (GSBTM) and the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) of the Government of India. 

Best Poster Awards

• Bhavya Dharmaraj (National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru)
• Sonawane Shraddha V (Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala College, Mumbai)
• Sanghmitra Kumar (Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai)
• Srijan Seal (Ashoka University, Sonipat)
• Medha Rao (Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur)
• Harsha Kumar (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupati)

"Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution."- Theodosius Dobzhansky, Ukrainian-American geneticist and evolutionary biologist.

Dobzhansky’s statement not only captures the crux of the Darwinian synthesis, but goes further to underline the importance of evolutionary biology in connecting seemingly disconnected disciplines in biology. Considering the current global crises, the tenets of evolutionary biology can be stretched to several walks of life.

The 4th Conference of the Indian Society of Evolutionary Biologists (ISEB4) invites evolutionary biologists, from all sectors (academia/industry/forest), both within and outside India, to adjourn and collectively reflect on the role of evolutionary biology in cross-talks with (but not limited to) medicine, immunity, and ecology of organisms. At ISEB4, Ahmedabad University aims to push the envelope with deep discussions and resource sharing in the space of evolutionary biology. The three-day conference aims at stimulating discussions, fostering collaborations, and establishing local networks. The Conference will have talks delivered by global evolutionary biologists. Students and Early Career Researchers are strongly encouraged to apply. The best posters and talks will be granted rewards.

ISEB has constantly endeavored to incorporate global participation to foster the exchange of thoughts and ideas, collaborations, and the sharing of resources. To encourage student participation, we welcome abstracts from diverse areas related to evolution, with the broad approach of 'molecules to ecology'. Although evolutionary biology is an overarching discipline of biology, talks and presentations on topics relevant to current global crises would be appreciated. These topics may include but are not limited to:

• Evolutionary medicine: How did human immunity/disease susceptibility evolve? Why are humans more prone to cancer, diabetes, and metabolic disorders now as compared to the past?
• Conservation strategies: How do species respond to environmental heterogeneity? Can species adapt to rapid climate change? If so, can we predict the rate of species loss and implement measures to conserve them?
• Climate change and food crisis: Feeding the ever-growing populace is a challenge. How do we optimise food quality and quantity in the face of over-burdened agricultural systems, pathogen attacks, and disease outbreaks in crops? An evolutionary perspective could help in tackling core issues of food management.

For queries, please send an email to [email protected]

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Important Dates

About ISEB

The Indian Society of Evolutionary Biologists (ISEB) was founded in 2018 with the aim of providing a common platform for communicating advancements and stimulating discussions among Indian evolutionary biologists. Since its inception, ISEB has successfully conducted three Conferences, the first two in Bangalore, Karnataka, and the third in Patiala, Punjab. Soon after the 1st Conference, ISEB's endeavour attracted international delegates. In 2019, the Consulate General of Switzerland, Swissnex in India, joined hands with ISEB to fund the 2nd Conference comprising Indian and Swiss evolutionary biologists. The 3rd Conference, which was held online due to the Covid-19 pandemic, had virtual presentations by researchers from across the globe. Both, student participation at the ISEB Conferences and faculty involvement from the evolution field in the country, are increasing every year.

About Ahmedabad University

Ahmedabad University is a leading private, non-profit research university offering students a liberal education focused on interdisciplinary learning, practice orientation, and research thinking. The University, established in 2009, is rooted in the vision of one of India’s finest educational foundations, the Ahmedabad Education Society, which was founded in 1935 by nationalist leaders. Programmes at the University range from bachelors to doctoral levels in humanities and social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and management through its 10 Schools and Centres.

An urban university, Ahmedabad promotes independent-mindedness and diversity across all dimensions of its activity and helps students mature into critical thinkers who are analytically equipped, practically oriented, and contextually aware global citizens. The University provides a contemporary educational framework that brings liberal arts, sciences, and the professions to engage together in creating new knowledge for addressing complex challenges of the society and in offering majors that merge the boundaries of disciplines to prepare students for the new economy.