Chennai, August 21, 2026: SRM College of Pharmacy, SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), organised a two-day National Conference on ‘Frontiers in Drug Discovery: A Medicinal Chemist’s Perspective’ at its premises. Over 500 academicians, researchers, industry professionals, and students participated in the conference, engaging in discussions on recent advances and emerging trends in drug discovery and development.

The conference was organised under the leadership of Dr. V. Chitra, Dean, SRM College of Pharmacy, and Conference Convenor, with Dr. N. Damodharan, Vice Principal, SRM College of Pharmacy, and Dr. M. K. Kathiravan, Professor and Head, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, serving as Co-Convenors. Their dedicated efforts and guidance played a key role in the successful organisation of the conference, fostering academic collaboration, research exchange, and innovation in the field of pharmaceutical sciences.

The conference provided a platform for scientific exchange on medicinal chemistry, drug design, target identification, computational approaches, natural product-based drug discovery, translational research, and emerging therapeutic strategies. It sought to bridge the gap between fundamental research and clinical applications by highlighting innovative approaches shaping the future of pharmaceutical sciences and equipping pharmacy students with insights into evolving areas of drug discovery.

The conference featured discussions on advances in medicinal chemistry and drug design, natural products chemistry, analytical chemistry, drug discovery for metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders, and emerging trends in pharmaceutical research and development.

Dr T Mythili, Additional Registrar, SRMIST, in the inaugural address highlighted the importance of creating strong connections between academic learning, research, and real-world healthcare needs. She said, “Conferences such as this provide an important platform for students and researchers to engage with emerging scientific developments, exchange ideas, and understand how advances in pharmaceutical research can ultimately translate into better healthcare outcomes.”

Addressing the gathering, Dr Sunil K Narayan, Dean, Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, emphasized the role of interdisciplinary research and innovation in advancing healthcare. He said, “The future of drug discovery lies in bringing together diverse disciplines, technologies, and scientific perspectives. Platforms like this encourage meaningful collaboration and help transform promising research ideas into solutions with clinical relevance.”

Dr Meenakshi Munshi, Former Advisor, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi, spoke on the importance of strengthening the research ecosystem and nurturing scientific talent. She said, “India has a strong pool of scientific talent and an expanding research ecosystem. The next step is to encourage young researchers to pursue innovative, translational research that addresses real healthcare challenges and contributes to the development of new therapeutic solutions.”

The scientific discussions were complemented by oral, poster, and e-poster presentations, providing participants with an opportunity to showcase their research findings, methodologies, innovations, and scientific ideas. The conference also encouraged interaction between academicians, researchers, industry professionals, and students, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration in the field of pharmaceutical sciences.

The two-day conference reaffirmed the importance of multidisciplinary research and continued scientific dialogue in advancing drug discovery and development, while providing students and young researchers with valuable exposure to emerging opportunities in medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutical research.