Special Seminar
L. S. Shashidhara
NCBS, Bangalore
Special Seminar · 9 December
AICBC-2026
The 49th All India Cell Biology Conference and Symposium is the annual meeting of the Indian Society of Cell Biology, co-hosted this year by IISER Pune and BRIC-NCCS Pune, 9–12 December 2026.
With a theme centred on “Architecture of Life”, the conference explores how cellular life is organised across space and time — from molecules and biomolecular condensates to organelles, cells, tissues, and the dynamics of development and ageing. It asks a single question across every scale: what design principles keep a living system organised, robust, and alive?
The programme is organised around six themed sessions — the Shape of the Cell, Function without Membranes, Lipids and Metabolism, Spotlight on the Nucleus, Organelles and Trafficking, and Host–Pathogen Interactions — together with named endowment lectures, special seminars, and short talks by students and post-docs. It opens with pre-conference workshops at both host institutes on 9 December and closes at BRIC-NCCS Pune on 12 December.
The Shape of the CellFunction without MembranesLipids and MetabolismSpotlight on the NucleusOrganelles and TraffickingHost–Pathogen InteractionsPoster SessionsPre-conference Workshops
About the Indian Society of Cell Biology (ISCB)
Founded in 1976, the ISCB promotes research and education in cell biology across India — running conferences, workshops and training programmes, and supporting young scientists. Membership is open to researchers and students: see iscb.co.in.
Endowment awards and travel grants are open to ISCB members only. If you intend to be considered for either, join the Society before you submit your abstract.
About IISER Pune
The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, established in 2006, integrates research and education in the basic sciences and is recognised as an Institution of National Importance.
Its cell and molecular biology community works across genome organisation, biophysics, microbiology, development and ageing, supported by extensive imaging and microscopy facilities on the Pashan campus.
About BRIC-NCCS Pune
The BRIC-National Centre for Cell Science (BRIC-NCCS), established in 1986, is an institute of the Department of Biotechnology’s Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), Government of India, and one of the country’s principal centres for research in cell biology. It is located on the Savitribai Phule Pune University campus.
It hosts the National Cell Repository, among India’s largest collections of authenticated cell lines, and its research spans chromatin biology, immunology and infection, cancer biology, stem cells and regenerative medicine, and microbial diversity.
Register for AICBC 2026
Registration and payment are a single step through SBI Collect. Registration is open until 20 November 2026, with a lower rate if you are not taking campus accommodation.
Fee Structure
| Category | Accommodation | Fee Registration closes 20 Nov |
|---|---|---|
| Student | Hostel, shared | ₹7,080 |
| None | ₹5,310 | |
| Post-doctoral | Guest House, shared | ₹9,440 |
| None | ₹7,552 | |
| Faculty | Guest House, single | ₹14,160 |
| None | ₹11,328 | |
| Industry | Guest House, single | ₹16,520 |
| None | ₹13,216 | |
| International | Guest House, single | US$250 |
| None | US$200 |
Fees cover all scientific sessions, meals and tea. Rows showing a room type include accommodation on the IISER Pune campus for the nights of the meeting; rows showing None do not. GST is already included in every amount above, so there is nothing further to add at the payment screen.
ISCB membership is encouraged for non-members, and is required for endowment awards and student travel grants — join via iscb.co.in.
Venue
Days 0–2 — IISER Pune
Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan, Pune 411008
Day 3 — NCCS Pune
SPPU Campus, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007
✈ Pune International Airport (PNQ) — ~17 km · 🚉 Pune Junction — ~9 km
Campus accommodation is optional and, if taken, is included in the fee. A shuttle will transfer delegates to BRIC-NCCS on the morning of 12 December.
Pleasant December climate (~12–28 °C).
Important Dates
Registration is open — closes 20 November
RegistrationUntil Nov 20
Abstracts — talk selectionSep 30, 2026
Abstracts — postersNov 20, 2026
Workshop applications closeOct 31, 2026°
Superresolution workshopDec 7–9, 2026
Other pre-conference workshopsDec 9, 2026
ConferenceDec 9–12, 2026
Organisers
Contact Us
Department of Biology
IISER Pune, Pashan
Pune 411008, Maharashtra
IISER Pune, Pashan
Pune 411008, Maharashtra
Registration
Register here
Registration & payment in one step
SBI Collect takes your details as you pay, so completing the payment completes your registration. Keep the receipt and transaction number — you will be asked for them at the registration desk.
Register & Pay →
Scan to pay & register
Fees are listed in full under Fee Structure, near the top of this page.
Conference Venues
The meeting runs across two campuses. The first three days are held at IISER Pune, with all talks in Raman Hall, Lecture Hall Complex, and poster sessions and meals in the Dining Hall Complex. The final day (12 December) moves to NCCS Pune for Sessions 5 and 6, the endowment lecture and the award ceremony.
IISER Pune on Google Maps → · NCCS Pune on Google Maps →
Pre-conference workshops run at both IISER Pune and NCCS Pune. The Superresolution Microscopy workshop runs 7–9 December and is applied for separately; other workshops run on 9 December. Places are limited.
Accommodation
Campus accommodation is optional. If you take it, it is bundled into your fee and allocated on the IISER Pune campus — students in shared hostel rooms, post-docs in shared guest-house rooms, faculty, industry and international delegates in single rooms. No separate booking is needed.
Making your own arrangements? Register at the lower rate for your category.
Childcare & Daycare
The IISER Pune campus daycare facility can be made available to delegates on request. Places are limited and must be arranged in advance — write to daycare@iiserpune.ac.in with the dates you need and the age of the child, and copy aicbc2026@acads.iiserpune.ac.in so the organisers can follow up.
Getting between the campuses
A shuttle will be provided to transfer delegates from IISER Pune to BRIC-NCCS Pune on the morning of 12 December.
The organisers do not arrange transport to or from the airport, railway station or bus terminals. App-based taxis (Uber, Ola, Rapido) are readily available at all of these and reach the IISER Pune campus in about 30–45 minutes.
How to Reach IISER Pune
By Air
Pune is well connected by air through Pune International Airport (PNQ), located approximately 17 km from the IISER Pune campus (~45 minutes by road, depending on traffic). It receives direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata.
By Train
Pune Junction Railway Station (PUNE) is well connected to major cities across India through frequent express and superfast trains. It is about 9 km from the campus (~30 minutes by road). The Pune Metro Aqua Line reaches Vanaz, the nearest station to campus, from where a taxi is a short ride.
By Road
Pune is well connected by several major national highways and expressways. The Mumbai–Pune Expressway links Pune to Mumbai in approximately 3 hours. Long-distance buses run from Mumbai, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad), Hyderabad and Bengaluru, via MSRTC and private operators. The campus is reached from anywhere in Pune via Pashan Road.
Weather Advisory for December in Pune
December in Pune is dry and sunny, roughly 28 °C by day and 12 °C at night. Bring a light jacket for the early-morning and evening sessions.
Programme & Abstract Book
The Programme and Abstract Book will be published here before the meeting.
QR code
coming soon
coming soon
Published with the abstract book
49th AICBC · Symposium
Architecture
of Life
of Life
Indian Society of Cell Biology (ISCB)
Available closer to the meeting
Platform and Poster Presentation Schedule
The day-by-day schedule, with every invited speaker and the award lectures, is under Programme at a Glance. Poster Session A (odd-numbered posters) runs 14:00–17:00 on Thursday 10 December and Poster Session B (even-numbered posters) at the same hours on Friday 11 December, in the lobby of Raman Hall. Board numbers and a printable schedule will follow closer to the meeting.
Poster size — 3 ft wide × 4 ft high, portrait. That is approximately 91 cm × 122 cm. Boards will not take a wider or taller poster, and landscape posters cannot be accommodated. Please bring your poster printed; mounting material is provided at the venue.
Abstracts
There are two deadlines, and only the first is a hard cut-off:
30 September 2026 — to be considered for a short talk. Talks are selected from the abstracts received by this date, so a late abstract cannot be considered for the podium.
Short talks are open to students and post-doctoral researchers only. Abstracts from faculty, industry and other delegates are welcome for poster presentation.
20 November 2026 — for a poster. Poster abstracts are accepted right up to the registration deadline.
Submission instructions will be published here; until then, prepare your abstract in the template below and email it to aicbc2026@acads.iiserpune.ac.in.
Download the abstract template Word (.docx) · one pageName the file Surname_FirstName_AICBC2026.docx and keep the abstract body to 300 words. Mark the presenting author with an asterisk.
Pre-conference workshop · Indian Society of Cell Biology
Superresolution MicroscopyFrom Principles to Practice
7–9 December 2026 · IISER Pune & BRIC-NCCS Pune
Hands-on with Lattice SIM and STED · limited places, by application
An intensive, advanced-level programme for researchers, imaging scientists and facility professionals who already work with microscopy. It takes imaging past the confocal — through the principles, experimental design, acquisition, optimisation, validation and quantitative analysis of superresolution, with extended hands-on time on STED and Lattice SIM.
The workshop is deliberately small and highly interactive: twelve participants work in two batches of six that rotate between the STED system at the BRIC-NCCS Imaging Facility and the Lattice SIM system at IISER Pune, with expert discussion, practical problem-solving and the possibility of imaging their own prepared samples. Full-time participation throughout the workshop is mandatory.
Past the diffraction limit
Structures that conventional imaging cannot separate. There is more than one way past it; this workshop teaches two of them in full.
Diffraction-limited
Superresolution
Below the diffraction limit, two sources are recorded as one. The profile runs along the dashed line, and the dip between the peaks is the resolution criterion — earning it on the instrument, rather than sharpening an image until it appears, is most of what the workshop teaches. Scale bar 100 nm. Simulation.
Diffraction-limited
Superresolution
Identical sample and label. What is recorded as a single filament is two, 150 nm apart — and what is resolved is what may then be counted, traced and compared. Scale bar 1 µm. Simulation.
Two approaches — Lattice SIM at IISER Pune, STED at BRIC-NCCS. Taught in batches of six by the scientists who operate them. Every participant works on both.
Applications
Apply for a place
Places are limited and allotted by selection, not first-come-first-served. Eleven questions, three of them written answers — about fifteen minutes. Answer them from your own bench practice.
Applications opening shortly Poster A3 · PDFWorkshop applications are separate from conference registration. Selected participants must also be registered for AICBC 2026.
Dates7–9 Dec 2026
VenuesIISER Pune & BRIC-NCCS
Participants12 · two batches of six
Applications close31 Oct 2026
Decisions by15 Nov 2026
Fee₹5,000 students & post-docs
₹10,000 faculty & professionals
₹10,000 faculty & professionals
IncludedAll meals · two nights’ shared accommodation
Eligibility — please read before applying
This workshop is intended for participants who already have a foundation in microscopy and practical experience with image acquisition and analysis. Prior hands-on experience is mandatory.
Applicants working in research laboratories or imaging core facilities where light microscopy is central to the research — and who provide access to, maintain, or deliver training in light microscopy for their institution or the wider community — are particularly encouraged to apply.
Applicants without prior hands-on experience in microscopy and image analysis may not be considered for selection.
Why attend
Go beyond conventional microscopy. Develop the knowledge and practical skill to decide when, why and how to use superresolution — and how to turn high-resolution images into meaningful quantitative biology.
Take your imaging from resolution to understanding.
What is covered
Fundamentals of superresolutionAcquisition & hands-on optimisationExperimental designSample preparationQuantitative image analysisSTEDLattice SIMExpert discussionsBiological & biomedical applications
Workshop schedule Three days · 7–9 December · separate from the conference programme
Select a day. Timings follow the convenor’s working schedule and may shift by a few minutes on the day.
IISER Pune · foundations of superresolution
13:30 – 14:35
Registration, welcome & workshop overview
Introductions and the learning objectives for the three days.
14:35 – 16:00
From conventional fluorescence to superresolution · fundamentals of STED
Where the diffraction limit comes from, and standardising the system for STED. Tea at 16:00.
16:30 – 17:15
Fundamentals of Lattice SIM
Principles, and standardising the system for Lattice SIM.
17:15 – 19:00
Image analysis
20:00 – 21:00
Dinner
Guest House, IISER Pune.
IISER Pune & BRIC-NCCS · hands-on, in two batches
07:30 – 08:30
Breakfast
IISER Pune guest house. The first batch leaves for BRIC-NCCS at 08:30.
09:00 – 13:00
Hands-on demonstrations — parallel sessions
Batch 1 · BRIC-NCCS — confocal to STED: imaging parameters, fluorophores, labelling and controls.
Batch 2 · IISER Pune — point scanning to Lattice SIM: optimisation and experimental design. Tea at 11:00.
Batch 2 · IISER Pune — point scanning to Lattice SIM: optimisation and experimental design. Tea at 11:00.
13:00 – 14:00
Lunch · transport between campuses
15:00 – 19:00
Hands-on demonstrations — batches exchange
Batch 2 takes the STED programme at BRIC-NCCS; batch 1 takes Lattice SIM at IISER Pune. Tea at 17:00.
IISER Pune · analysis and your own samples
09:30 – 13:00
Image analysis
Hands-on analysis using Aivia, and analysis of SIM superresolution data.
13:00 – 14:00
Lunch
14:00 – 17:00
Imaging your own prepared samples
On any one system. Arranged with selected participants in advance.
17:30 – 18:00
Discussion, key takeaways & valedictory
The workshop closes in time for the conference’s opening evening the same day.
° Marked figures are provisional and awaiting confirmation by the organisers.
Instrument partners
Questions about the workshop: aicbc2026.workshop@gmail.com
Anything about the conference itself: aicbc2026@acads.iiserpune.ac.in
Awards & Endowment Prizes
Students and post-doctoral researchers presenting posters or platform talks are eligible for the Society’s endowment awards — a certificate and a cash prize each. A limited number of travel grants may be available to student members. The prizes, their namesakes and every awardee since 1982 are listed on the Society’s Student Awardees page.
Journal of Cell Science, published by The Company of Biologists, sponsors a prize for the best short talk and a prize for the best poster presentation at the meeting.
Award lectures at AICBC 2026. The Prof. Rita Mulherkar Award Seminar — Nitin Gupta, IIT Kanpur, on 10 December; the Special WWGM Seminar — Raghu Padinjat, NCBS Bangalore, on 11 December; and the S. P. Ray-Chaudhuri 75th Birthday Endowment Lecture — Amitabha Chattopadhyay, on 12 December at BRIC-NCCS. Each sits at 10:50 in the programme.
Eligibility rules, prize values and the travel-grant application route will be published here. Enquiries: aicbc2026@acads.iiserpune.ac.in.
Dr C.M.S. Dass PrizeDr S.R.V. Rao PrizeDr V.C. Shah PrizeDr A.S. Mukherjee Memorial PrizeDr A.N. Bhisey PrizeBest Poster AwardsJCS Short Talk PrizeJCS Poster PrizeTravel Grants
Invited Speakers
Leaders across the spectrum of cell biology — from chromatin and organelles to host–pathogen interactions and ageing.
24 speakers
Special seminars & award lectures
Award Seminar
Nitin Gupta
IIT Kanpur
Prof. Rita Mulherkar Award Seminar · 10 December
Special Seminar
Raghu Padinjat
NCBS, Bangalore
Special WWGM Seminar · 11 December
Endowment Lecture
Amitabha Chattopadhyay
CSIR-CCMB, Hyderabad
S. P. Ray-Chaudhuri 75th Birthday Endowment Lecture · 12 December
Invited speakers
Invited Speaker
Ajazul H Wani
University of Kashmir
Invited Speaker
Amitabha Majumdar
BRIC-NCCS, Pune
Invited Speaker
Bama Charan Mondol
JNU, New Delhi
Invited Speaker
Bidisha Sinha
IISER Kolkata
Invited Speaker
Chandrima Das
SINP, Kolkata
Invited Speaker
Mainak Bose
IIT Kharagpur
Invited Speaker
Minhaj Sirajuddin
InStem, Bangalore
Invited Speaker
Mohammed Saleem
NISER, Bhubaneswar
Invited Speaker
Ravi Manjithaya
JNCASR, Bangalore
Invited Speaker
Richa Rikhy
IISER Pune
Invited Speaker
Saikat Chowdhury
CCMB, Hyderabad
Invited Speaker
Sandhya Ganesan
IISER Thiruvananthapuram
Invited Speaker
Satish Khurana
IISER Thiruvananthapuram
Invited Speaker
Sheetal Gandotra
IGIB, New Delhi
Invited Speaker
Shirisha Nagotu
IIT Guwahati
Invited Speaker
Shweta Tyagi
CDFD, Hyderabad
Invited Speaker
Sona Rajakumari
IISc, Bangalore
Invited Speaker
Sourav Datta
IISER Bhopal
Invited Speaker
Sudha Kumari
IISc, Bangalore
Invited Speaker
Varadharajan Sundaramurthy
NCBS, Bangalore
Programme at a Glance
Four days across two campuses: Days 0–2 at IISER Pune, the final day at NCCS Pune. Select a day to view its schedule.
IISER Pune & BRIC-NCCS Pune · workshops, registration and the opening evening
10:00 – 16:00
Pre-conference Microscopy & Imaging Workshops
Running in parallel at IISER Pune and BRIC-NCCS Pune, 15 students each — separate selection and registration. The Superresolution Microscopy workshop runs 7–9 December and closes on this day.
16:00 – 19:00
Registration
Raman Hall, Lecture Hall Complex (LHC).
16:30 – 17:30
Careers in Science: Beyond Academia
Two speakers confirmed, a third to be announced. Raman Hall (LHC).
The speakers
- Dr Anuya NisalLinkedIn profile
- Dr Priya NagarajLinkedIn profile
- Third speakerTo be announced
17:30 – 18:00
Tea Break
Raman Hall (LHC).
18:00 – 19:00
Special Seminar
L. S. Shashidhara, Director, NCBS. Title to be announced. Raman Hall (LHC); chairperson TBA.
19:00 – 20:00
ISCB Executive Committee Meeting
Board Room, ground floor of the Guest House. Open to EC members only.
20:00 – 22:00
Dinner for registered participants · registration desk open
Dining Hall, first floor.
IISER Pune · Raman Hall, Lecture Hall Complex
08:00 – 20:00
Registration
Lecture Hall Complex until 17:00, then the Dining Hall Complex.
09:00 – 09:30
Welcome to AICBC 2026
Secretary ISCB, the Organising Secretary and the Director of IISER Pune. Raman Hall (LHC).
Session 1The Shape of the CellChairperson TBA
09:30 – 10:00
Bidisha Sinha
IISER Kolkata
10:00 – 10:30
Minhaj Sirajuddin
inStem Bangalore
10:30 – 10:50
Tea / Coffee
Raman Hall (LHC).
10:50 – 11:40
Prof. Rita Mulherkar Award Seminar
Awardee: Nitin Gupta, IIT Kanpur. Raman Hall (LHC).
11:40 – 12:40
Short Talks — Students & Post-docs
Six talks selected from the submitted abstracts. Raman Hall (LHC).
The six speakers
- Gowhith KuppiliBRIC-NCCS Pune
- Mayank SainiAshoka University
- Sayantan JashIIT Bombay
- Amrita RoyIISER Pune
- Sampurna PalIISER Mohali
- Sreelekshmi KumarUniversity of Keralam
12:45 – 14:00
Lunch
Dining Hall Complex.
14:00 – 17:00
Poster Session A · odd-numbered posters
Lobby of Raman Hall (LHC). Tea and coffee at the boards from 16:30.
Session 2Function without MembranesChairperson TBA
17:00 – 17:30
Saikat Chowdhury
CCMB Hyderabad
17:30 – 18:00
Amitabha Majumdar
BRIC-NCCS Pune
18:00 – 18:30
Mainak Bose
IIT Kharagpur
18:30 – 19:30
ISCB General Body Meeting
Raman Hall (LHC).
19:30 – 21:00
Dinner
Dining Hall Complex.
IISER Pune · Raman Hall, Lecture Hall Complex
Session 3Lipids & MetabolismChairperson TBA
09:00 – 09:30
Satish Khurana
IISER Thiruvananthapuram
09:30 – 10:00
Sona Rajakumari
IISc Bangalore
10:00 – 10:30
Sourav Datta
IISER Bhopal
10:30 – 10:50
Tea / Coffee
Raman Hall (LHC).
10:50 – 11:40
Special WWGM Seminar
Awardee: Raghu Padinjat, NCBS Bangalore. Raman Hall (LHC).
11:40 – 12:40
Short Talks — Students & Post-docs
Six talks selected from the submitted abstracts. Raman Hall (LHC).
The six speakers
- Diya ChattopadhyayIISER Berhampur
- SoumyaIIT Kanpur
- Madhurima ChoudhuryETH Zurich
- Suneha MukherjeeIISER Pune
- Sayan AcharjeeIISER Kolkata
- Sumana PaulIIT Bombay
12:40 – 14:00
Lunch
Dining Hall Complex.
14:00 – 17:00
Poster Session B · even-numbered posters
Lobby of Raman Hall (LHC). Tea and coffee at the boards from 16:30.
Session 4Spotlight on the NucleusChairperson TBA
17:00 – 17:30
Chandrima Das
SINP Kolkata
17:30 – 18:00
Ajazul H Wani
University of Kashmir, J&K
18:00 – 18:30
Bama Charan Mondol
JNU, New Delhi
18:30 – 19:00
Shweta Tyagi
CDFD Hyderabad
19:30 – 21:00
Dinner
Dining Hall Complex.
BRIC-NCCS Pune · buses from IISER Pune at 08:30
08:30 – 09:15
Breakfast, then travel to BRIC-NCCS
Buses start at 08:30 from IISER Pune.
Session 5Organelles and TraffickingChairperson TBA
09:30 – 10:00
Ravi Manjithaya
JNCASR Bangalore
10:00 – 10:30
Richa Rikhy
IISER Pune
10:30 – 10:50
Tea / Coffee
BRIC-NCCS Pune.
10:50 – 11:40
S. P. Ray-Chaudhuri 75th Birthday Endowment Lecture
Awardee: Amitabha Chattopadhyay.
11:40 – 12:40
Short Talks — Students & Post-docs
Six talks selected from the submitted abstracts.
The six speakers
- Gargi DeyNISER Bhubaneswar
- Sudarshana ChakrabortySINP, Kolkata
- Devika S KumarUniversity of Hyderabad
- Sandhya MaratheBITS Pilani
- Papri DasBHU, Varanasi
- Shrutika PadwalCDFD, Hyderabad
12:40 – 14:00
Lunch
BRIC-NCCS Pune.
Session 6Host–Pathogen InteractionsChairperson TBA
14:00 – 14:30
Sheetal Gandotra
IGIB New Delhi
14:30 – 15:00
Sandhya Ganesan
IISER Thiruvananthapuram
15:00 – 15:30
Shirisha Nagotu
IIT Guwahati
15:30 – 15:50
Tea / Coffee
BRIC-NCCS Pune.
15:50 – 16:20
Sudha Kumari
IISc Bangalore
16:20 – 16:50
Mohammed Saleem
NISER Bhubaneswar
16:50 – 17:20
Varadharajan Sundaramurthy
NCBS Bangalore
17:20 – 18:30
Award Ceremony and Close
Endowment prizes, best poster and short-talk awards, and closing remarks.
18:30 – 20:00
Dinner
BRIC-NCCS Pune.
Posters stay up across both conference days. Odd-numbered posters are presented in Session A on 10 December and even-numbered posters in Session B on 11 December, 14:00–17:00 in the lobby of Raman Hall.
Schedule of 3 November 2026. Chairpersons and the third careers-session speaker are still to be announced; timings may shift slightly.
Grant Support & Sponsors
Awarded a meeting grant
The 49th AICBC has been awarded a meeting grant by The Company of Biologists — a UK charity and not-for-profit publisher, which publishes Development, Journal of Cell Science, Journal of Experimental Biology, Disease Models & Mechanisms and Biology Open, and supports the biological community through grants, travelling fellowships and workshops.
Prize sponsor
Journal of Cell Science sponsors a prize for the best short talk and a prize for the best poster presentation — see Awards & Endowment Prizes.
Commercial sponsorship & exhibition
Manufacturers of instruments and reagents will exhibit throughout the meeting. Sponsorship and exhibition enquiries are welcome at aicbc2026@acads.iiserpune.ac.in.
Platinum — availableGold — availableExhibition Booths — available