31st Annual Conference
Association of Medical Biochemists of India
Hosted by AMBI Gujarat Chapter
Brief Report

The 31st Annual Conference of the Association of Medical Biochemists of India (AMBICON 2024) was held in Ahmedabad at The Forum Convention center (Club O7) from 19th to 21st December 2024. The conference had the theme “Advancing Medicine, Breakthrough Innovations” and ten hands on pre-conference workshop were held at various locations on 18th December. The organizing secretary of the event was Dr. Ramesh Pradhan along with Dr. Shilpa Jain and Dr. Kirankumar Chauhan as joint Organizing secretaries.

Highlights of the Pre-Conference Workshops

  1. LC-MS, MS QTOF & MALDI-TOF – Conducted at Gujarat Biotechnology & Research center (GBRC), Gandhinagar.
  2. Nucleic acid extraction and PCR techniques: Conducted at Gujarat Biotechnology & Research center (GBRC), Gandhinagar.
  3. Isolation, enumeration & Characterization of Umbilical cord and cord derived stem cells – Conducted at Gujarat Biotechnology University, Gift City, Gandhinagar.
  4. Basic Genomic techniques – – Conducted at Gujarat Biotechnology University, Gift City, Gandhinagar.
  5. Proteomics and Metabolomics characterization of body fluids for biomarker discovery using high resolution Mass spectrometry – Conducted at Gujarat Biotechnology University, Gift City, Gandhinagar.
  6. Instrumentation – Photometry and Potentiometry : GCS Medical College, Ahmedabad.
  7. Electrophoresis – Conducted at GMERS Medical college, Sola, Ahmedabad
  8. Entrustable professional activities – Conducted at GMERS Medical college, Sola, Ahmedabad. This workshop was specifically for mid senior faculties only.
  9. HPLC for HbA1c estimation and Hemoglobinopathies screening – Conducted at GMERS Medical college, Sola, Ahmedabad
  10. Internal Quality control (IQC) in Clinical laboratory – Conducted at GMERS Medical college, Sola, Ahmedabad

Conference Proceedings

The conference had the theme “Through the lens of a Biochemist: Advancing Medicine, Breakthrough Innovations”,” emphasizing the role of Biochemistry in advancing medicine. The event clocked 505 registrations from across India. The conference was held under the aegis of IFCC and APFCB and featured four international speakers through the IFCC visiting lecturer program. Another international speaker was Dr. Tejas Kalaria from the United kingdom.

The conference opened with the Dr. C Sita Devi oration delivered by Dr. Malavika Barman followed by the scientific talks. The conference was inaugurated by Dr Aruna V Vanikar, Ex-President, Undergraduate Medical Education Board, NMC. During the ceremony, Dr. Soma Gupta was installed as the new President of AMBI. Fellowship of the association was awarded to members who have worked for the cause of AMBI. Similarly organizing secretaries of state CME’s and workshops under aegis of AMBI were feted.

Orations

  • Dr. Akhouri S Sinha oration: Use of quizzes and games as teaching learning tools in Biochemistry – Dr. Ramesh Pradhan, President AMBI 2023-24.
  • Dr. S. Gopalakrishnan Oration – “Outcome of studies of electrocardiographic and biochemical changes in primary hypothyroidism” by  Dr.Biswajit Saha
  • Dr. Ajith Singh Saini Oration – “Mass spectrometry in clinical laboratory – Where to from here?” by Dr. Mahesh Hampe.
  • Dr. C. Sitadevi Oration – “Interference in laboratory testing and how advancements in laboratory technology help to tackle this perpetual problem”. by Dr. Malavika Barman.
  • Dr. B. Sadasivudu Oration – “Salivary analysis: advancing non-invasive diagnostics for systemic disease” by Dr. Himanshu Madaan.
  • Dr. Sheela Devi Kodliwadmath Oration – “Innovative breakthrough screening of early hepatic cancer: GALAD vs HES-V2 serum biomarker model” by Dr. Shilpa Jain.

Scientific Sessions

Four parallel sessions were taking place most for most part of the three day conference. The sessions were diverse in format – plenary, symposium, talks, IFCC visiting lecturer program, free and award paper presentations, poster competition and PG Quiz – and covered a diverse range of topics spanning laboratory medicine, instrumentation, quality control, genetics, research, marker discovery etc. The Post graduate Quiz for the first time had five Quizmasters.