MAHER hosts International Symposium on Infectious Diseases and Virology (SiDV-2026)

MAHER, a premier Deemed-to-be University in Chennai, Tamil Nadu successfully organized an International Symposium on Infectious Diseases and Virology (SiDV-2026) in hybrid mode on 16th Feb 2026. The symposium brought together more than 500 eminent scientists, clinicians, researchers, academicians, Ph.D scholars and students across the world.

The Chief Guests for the program were Dr. Guido Silvestri, Vice President for Basic and Translational Research at Emory University, USA, and Dr. S. P. Thyagarajan, Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras and currently, the Advisor to the Chancellor of Vellore Institute of Technology. In his inaugural address, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. C. Sridhar highlighted the dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases in India, thereby marking the relevance of organizing the symposium on Infectious Diseases. He underscored the visionary leadership of the Institution’s Chancellor Mrs. Jayanthi Radhakrishnan, the Chief Patron Mrs. Gomathi R and the Pro Chancellor Mr. Akash Prabhakar whose aspirations were instrumental for the conduct of such impactful academic deliberations.

SiDV-2026 featured four comprehensive scientific sessions by 14 eminent national and international experts. The symposium covered a wide spectrum of thoughtprovoking topics including:

HIV/AIDS pathogenesis, immunotherapy, and vaccine development,

HPV vaccination, virus-associated cancer prevention,

Antibody-based therapeutics for emerging viral infections,

Indigenous gene therapy technologies,

Tuberculosis biomarkers and translational diagnostics.

SiDV-2026 reaffirmed MAHER’s commitment to excellence in medical education, research innovation, and global scientific engagement. By hosting leading international and national experts, the institution continues to strengthen its position as a premier multidisciplinary academic institution dedicated to addressing emerging global health challenges.