The 18th Workshop on Molecular Modelling and Drug - Protein Interactions was organised by the Bioinformatics Centre, department of Biochemistry and Jamnalal Bajaj Tropical Disease Research Centre at Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, on January 11 - 12, 2016. The Department of Biotechnology and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, sponsored the workshop.
Bioinformatics has created an immense opportunity for researchers to design novel leads and therapeutic molecules. Today, computational techniques used in the drug discovery process have drastically reduced the time and cost of drug development. The research studies have enhanced our understanding of molecular properties and the specific behaviour of drug-receptor interaction at the molecular level. This workshop focused on the current techniques of Molecular Modelling and drug designing that are being used by researchers for predicting the 3D structure of proteins and in designing of drug molecules through guided practical training.
Dr. S. Sreekumar (Scientist E, JNTBGRI, Kerala), Dr. Soma Marla (DBT Task Force Member & Principal Scientist, NBPGR, New Delhi), Mr. Suryanarayan Rath (Assistant Professor, Bioinformatics, OUAT, Bhubaneswar), Dr. Dibyabhaba Pradhan (Scientist II, National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi), Dr. Satish Kumar(Professor, Biochemistry and Dy Coordinator, Bioinformatics Centre) and Mr. Lingaraja Jena (Information Officer, BIC, MGIMS, Sevagram) and Dr. GD Mogli (CEO & MD, Mogli Healthcare Management) delivered lectures during the workshop.
The themes included Identification of lead molecules in plants through in silico methods using open access tools, Genome Annotation, Challenges in protein structure determination and prediction Methods, Streamlining Next Generation Sequencing data analysis and Molecular modelling for precise disease diagnosis and Targeted Therapeutic Design, Bioinformatics techniques as applied in drug designing, and Health Economics to contain cost. In addition, hands-on-sessions were also conducted on Molecular modelling, Protein-ligand docking, Novel drug discovery and Health economics.
Twenty-five delegates attended the workshop and found practical sessions quite practical and wished to have more such sessions in future workshops. The faculty and the delegates appreciated the overall proceeding of the workshop.