The Department of Biochemistry at SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre organised an online alumni lecture titled The Hungry Pathogen: Metabolic Control of Immunity from Within on 15 November 2025. The session was delivered by Dr Naveen Challagundla, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Chair of Microbiology, Biozentrum, University of Wuerzburg, Germany.

Dr Naveen is an alumnus of the M.Sc. Medical Biochemistry program (Batch of 2010). He completed his PhD at the Institute of Advanced Research, Gujarat, where he worked on Chlamydia trachomatis immunopathogenesis. During his postgraduate years at SRM, he explored mitochondrial stress in type II diabetes, laying the groundwork for his current research interests. He has since published 15 papers in reputable Q1 and Q2 journals and received multiple awards for his oral and poster presentations, including international recognition at the CiRA/ISSCR Symposium in Kyoto, Japan.

In his talk, Dr Naveen offered an in-depth look at how pathogens manipulate metabolic pathways and how the immune system responds. He presented complex concepts in a way that was accessible to participants, including M.Sc. Medical Biochemistry students, PhD scholars, faculty members, and alumni from India and Germany.

The interactive discussion that followed focused on research design, laboratory techniques, and emerging questions in immunology. The session was well-received and provided valuable academic enrichment for all attendees.