The CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu hosted the prestigious NASI Dr Mridula Kamboj Memorial Lecture at the C K Atal Auditorium. The memorial oration was delivered by eminent scientist Dr Madhu Dikshit, JC Bose National Fellow, Distinguished Scientist Chair (Ministry of AYUSH), National Science Chair of ANRF, and former Director of CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow. The lecture, titled “Journeys in Immunology: Tracing the Role of Nitric Oxide in Neutrophil Modulation,” drew scientists, researchers, scholars and students from the institute. Instituted in memory of Dr Mridula Kamboj, a renowned obstetrician and gynaecologist known for her dedicated service to the underprivileged, the memorial oration honours eminent women scientists of Indian origin who have made outstanding contributions to basic and applied medical sciences, particularly in reproductive biology.

Delivering the memorial lecture, Dr Dikshit spoke about the historical evolution of immunology, tracing early discoveries that identified soluble protective factors in blood and the subsequent identification of immune cells such as macrophages and neutrophils. Explaining her research focus, Dr Dikshit elaborated on the role of nitric oxide in regulating neutrophil function and inflammatory responses. She shared insights from her work on drug discovery, traditional medicine validation and immune modulation, including studies undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic to evaluate natural products in preclinical models. She paid tributes to Dr. Mridula Kamboj, recalling her gentle demeanour and immense contribution to healthcare, and emphasised the importance of nurturing young scientists despite resource constraints.

Earlier, Director CSIR-IIIM Dr. Zabeer Ahmed outlined the institute’s achievements in drug discovery and societal mission programmes. He informed that several phytopharmaceutical leads are in advanced stages of preclinical development, with select candidates progressing towards clinical trials in areas including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. He also highlighted the institute’s contributions to national aroma and rural livelihood missions, particularly lavender cultivation, which has received national recognition. Among those present on the occasion were Chief Scientists of the institute including Abdul Rahim, Dr Asha Chaubey, Dr Sumit G Gandhi, Dr Shashank Kumar Singh and officials from the institute. The proceedings of the event were conducted by Dr Gurleen Kour.