Organizing the 30th Annual Conference of AMBI “AMBICON 2023” has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my professional journey. The conference was awarded to Maharashtra and hosted by the Department of Biochemistry, LTMMC & GH, Mumbai under my chairmanship. Held at the prestigious CIDCO Convention Centre, Navi Mumbai, from 13th to 16th December 2023, the conference was more special as it marked three decades of AMBI’s annual scientific gatherings.
Our theme, “Decoding the Complexity of Biomolecules: Exploring Clinical Biochemistry for Advanced Healthcare,” captured the essence of the evolving role of biochemistry in modern medicine.
In the pre-conference, we conducted 10 workshops across Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. These sessions were thoughtfully designed to address the current needs of medical biochemists and covered diverse topics—from quality control and mass spectrometry to immunofluorescence, cytogenetics and advanced molecular genetics. All workshops provided hands-on experience, sensitizing delegates to cutting-edge laboratory technologies.
The conference was inaugurated by Dr. Mohan Joshi, Dean of LTMMC & GH, Mumbai. Although a surgeon by profession, he has a deep interest in all medical disciplines. His visionary thoughts on the future of biochemistry in undergraduate teaching, laboratory services & research offered valuable inspiration to young biochemists.
Being an affiliated association of IFCC, AMBI had the privilege of inviting three IFCC speakers, who had to deliver their lectures online due to last-minute changes in their schedules. Another significant highlight was the inclusion of IFCC and APFCB logos on all conference branding and certificates, which was made possible through special permissions obtained from IFCC.
Day one of the conference, featured orations by eminent biochemists and a symposium on epigenetics. A personal wish of mine was to honour AMBI members who have authored widely read biochemistry textbooks. This was fulfilled through a special panel discussion featuring Dr. D. M. Vasudevan, Dr. S. K. Gupta, Dr. Indumati, and Dr. Poonam Agrawal. Seeing these renowned authors share a stage was a memorable moment, especially for young participants.
Days two and three included invited lectures, panel discussions, oral paper presentations, and poster sessions. The ever-popular postgraduate quiz, conducted by Dr. Ramesh Pradhan and Dr. Ashish Agrawat, was once again a major highlight.
Throughout the planning process, we made a conscious effort to promote our own AMBI fellows, particularly young members, by giving them opportunities to present their work. Except for the overseas speakers, all other speakers were AMBI members—making this conference uniquely representative of our association’s academic strength.
This event would not have been possible without the consistent support and guidance of our association’s office-bearers, especially Dr. Shanthi Naidu madam and Dr. Govindraju sir. I also extend my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Pooja Rai, Dr. Vaishnavi Shalunke, my departmental faculty, post graduate students and the entire AMBI team across Mumbai and Maharashtra. I must also acknowledge the invaluable contribution of our organizing secretaries, Dr. Barnali Das and Dr. Anita Kale Chalak.
Organizing a conference of this scale is undoubtedly a herculean task, filled with continuous challenges and responsibilities. Yet the successful culmination of AMBICON 2023 brings immense pride, joy, and a deep sense of accomplishment. Long live AMBI.
Dr. Pramod Ingale
Organising Chairperson
