Dr. Vivek T. Natarajan is a Chief Scientist at the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), New Delhi, and a Professor at the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR). He earned his Ph.D. in Signal Transduction from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, in 2006. Since 2009, his laboratory at CSIR-IGIB has focused on skin biology and pigmentation, particularly on understanding cell fate decisions in the pigment cell lineage and the molecular mechanisms underlying depigmenting disorders such as vitiligo. His research integrates cell biology, genomics, and genome engineering approaches using human cell systems and zebrafish models.
Dr. Natarajan has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers in high-impact journals including PNAS, Nucleic Acids Research, Nature Chemical Biology, PLoS Biology, and EMBO Reports. He also holds four patents related to pigmentation and vitiligo therapeutics. In addition to leading several major national and collaborative research programs, he has contributed significantly to advancing molecular understanding of pigmentation, skin regeneration, and disease mechanisms. His work continues to bridge basic and translational research, offering new insights into how cell fate decisions in cells impact human health and disease
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Professor Thomas Chacko is a Medical Educator and Public `Health Specialist(M.B,B.S M.D 1973- 1982 from GMC Nagpur ) and was awarded an InternationalFellowship in Medical Education (IFME) in 2002 which he completed with distinctionat the Department of Medical Education UIC Chicago and the two-year (2004-2006)Educational Leadership Fellowship "The FAIMER INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE" atPhiladelphia by the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education &Research (FAIMER). Since 2007 for 15 years, he was the Founder-Director of the PSG-FAIMER Regional Institute that administers the two-year FAIMER INSTITUTE Fellowship program for Faculty in medical schools in the South Asia region.

He was also the Secretary-General of World Federation for Medical Education’s South-East Asian Regional Association for Medical Education (SEARAME) for six years and is a Founding Executive Committee member of the Academy of Health Professions Educators, India including its President during 2017.

As a Leader in his field, he is often invited to be Senate / Academic Committee member of various Universities of repute in India as External Expert in Medical Education and to the World Health Organization’s Expert committees to recommend improvement in teaching of Public Health in the South-East Asia Region.

For his contributions to the field of medical education in India, he was awarded the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN MEDICAL EDUCATION AWARD by MEU India (in 2022) and by the Academy of Health Professions Educators, India (in 2025).

Dr. Vinita Sharan is an accomplished medical doctor, radiologist, and public health consultant with over 20 years of international experience in breast imaging, ultrasound, CT-MRI, and public health.
She holds a Master’s in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, and board certification in Radiology from the Philippine College of Radiology. She has a strong track record in clinical radiology, academic teaching, mentoring research, digital health innovation, health program implementation, and public health consultancy. As a consultant for the World Health Organization (Southeast Asia Region Office), she worked on a regional strategic guidance document for the prevention, screening, and early detection of breast cancer. She was Associate Professor at San Beda College of Medicine, Manila. She has extensive experience in teleradiology, where she also worked on digital health platforms creating content for radiology decision support systems.
Dr. Sharan has authored the book chapter “Ethical Considerations in Public Health Research” in the Introduction to Public Health ad Research – Essential Concepts publication (Springer).
She is a recognized speaker, moderator, and Continuing Medical Education Advisor with several national and international guest faculty contributions, supporting professional capacity building and global medical collaboration.

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Associate Professor

Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh

​Areas of interest include Health equity, social determinants of health, health policy & systems research, Adivasi health​