Vijayawada: Prominent speakers emphasised the need for greater vigilance in sanitation and water management due to the significant impact of microbes on human health at a national conference on biological sciences in Vijayawada.

Professor YV Nancharaiah, Director of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, who inaugurated the event, called for robust waste management systems.

Speaking at the conference jointly organised by the Departments of Zoology, Botany, and Biotechnology at PB Siddhartha Arts and Science College, he said that modern toilet facilities are now available in Prayagraj, a city with a high influx of devotees. Dr K Nagamohan from BITS Pilani, Hyderabad suggested that there is a need to explore the genetic basis behind diseases such as schizophrenia and cancer.

He highlighted that various physical illnesses have a negative impact on mental health and that new technologies offer opportunities for better outcomes in disease diagnosis and prevention. Other speakers at the conference included Dr B Kiran Kumar from the CCMB, Professor S. Naresh, Head of the Biochemistry Department at Central University, and Dr V Sivakumar from IISER, Tirupati. They addressed specific topics related to the theme of the conference. During the event, a souvenir was unveiled by Department Head and Director Vemuri Babu Rao, Principal Dr M Ramesh, Vice-Principal Dr Manoranjani, Dean Professor Rajesh C Jampala, and other guests. Assistant professors Dr Puvvada Srinivasa Rao, Dr Sambanaik, Dr K Ratnakumari, Ch Sireesha, P Lalitha Priyanka, and Dasari Sravani also participated. The conference is set to conclude on Sunday.