SRM University-AP hosted renowned German scientists and academicians from the Freie Universitaet Berlin at the Indo-German Scientific Meeting on February 28, 2026, fostering discussions on food safety, molecular epidemiology and veterinary pathology. Organised by the Department of Biological Sciences in commemoration of the National Science Day celebrations, the meeting facilitated engaging conversations between the delegates and the faculty and scholars of the School of Engineering and Sciences (SEAS), SRM AP.

Prof. Dr Thomas Alter, Dean of Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine & Director, Institute of Food Safety and Hygiene, Center for Veterinary Public Health; Prof. Dr Uwe Roesler, Dean, School of Veterinary Medicine & Director, Institute of Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health Centre for Infection Medicine & Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research; Prof. Dr Robert Klopfleisch, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine; and PD Dr Anika Friese, Institute of Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health Centre for Infection Medicine & Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research from the Freie Universitaet Berlin, Germany led the discussion.

Prof. Dr Thomas Alter shared an overview of the research conducted at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universitaet Berlin on food microbiology highlighting the study of pathogen prevalence and farm-to-fork mitigation strategies, alongside molecular epidemiology approaches including source attribution and population structure analysis.

Emphasising toxicopathology, Prof. Dr Robert Klopfleisch explained the transition from animal models to advanced cell-culture–based non-animal testing systems, supporting pharma-driven E&L (Extractables & Leachables) non-animal testing batteries.

Dr Anika Friese from the Institute of Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health spoke about their research on improving animal welfare through studies on AMR and bacterial transmission, addressing Campylobacteriosis.

Prof. Jayaseelan Murugaiyan, Professor and HoD, Department of Biological Science and Associate Dean–SEAS welcomed the delegates and Prof. CV Tomy, Dean-SEAS introduced the theme of National Science Day 2026 – Women in Science Catalysing Viksit Bharat.

Vice Chancellor, SRM AP, Prof. Ch Satish Kumar, in his address, stated the significance and impact of women’s contribution and participation in sciences in accelerating India’s technological and scientific advancement. He highlighted the importance of conducting gender audits within institutions and formulating inclusive policies that promote and support women in administrative and leadership positions across science disciplines, stating that such measures are essential for India’s vision of achieving Viksit Bharat.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Ch Satish Kumar and Registrar Dr R Premkumar also paid homage by adorning the portrait of C V Raman with a garland on the occasion of the National Science Day. Dr Sutharsan Govindarajan, Associate Professor and Associate Director – International Relations & Higher Studies delivered the Vote of Thanks.

The Indo-German Scientific Meeting highlighted the importance of international collaboration in addressing emerging challenges in microbial food safety and veterinary pathology. The meeting reinforced SRM University-AP’s commitment to advancing interdisciplinary research, fostering global partnerships, and promoting scientific innovation for societal impact.