Broadening access to cutting-edge life science education — reaching students from underserved communities across nine countries, April 2025 – March 2026.
Programme at a Glance — Key Metrics 2025–26
193+
Cell Biology Applicants
232+
Neurobiology Applicants
112+
Basic Molecular Genetics Applicants
68
Advanced MolGen Students Selected
54.6%
Alumni in Higher Academia
Alumni Impact & Outcomes
Self-Reported Readiness Scores (N=33 alumni)
Academic Preparedness
Target ≥ 8.0 ✓ Met
Professional Readiness
Target ≥ 5.5 · Near target
Alumni Career Progression (N=33)
39.4%Master’s Programs
15.2%PhD Programs
24.2%Research & Internships
21.2%Industry & Other
Benchmark: 50–60% ✓ Met
About Scienspur — 2025–26 at a Glance
The 2025–26 academic year at Scienspur represented a pivotal expansion of our mission to democratize access to advanced life science education on a global scale. Between April and December 2025, our organization implemented a series of strategic innovations — including the restructuring of curricula for more comprehensive academic exploration and the development of an equitable, multi-phase screening framework.
These initiatives successfully empowered hundreds of students from underserved regions, enabling learners at public institutions to achieve proficiency in advanced technologies such as CRISPR. Through intensive journal clubs and rigorous research paper dissections, our diverse cohorts engaged in high-level academic discourse across the specialized fields of molecular genetics, cell biology, and neurobiology.
During this period, Scienspur successfully conducted four primary courses, focusing on high engagement and rigorous academic standards.
Applicants reached Scienspur from across the globe across all three open-application courses. Click a course tab to explore the geographic spread.
🧬 Summer — Mol. Genetics
🇮🇳
India
Majority
🇳🇬
Nigeria
🇧🇩
Bangladesh
🇵🇰
Pakistan
🇮🇶
Iraq
🇦🇫
Afghanistan
🇪🇬
Egypt
🇴🇲
Oman
🇵🇪
Peru
9 countries · 125 students enrolled
🔬 Fall — Cell Biology
🇮🇳
India
Majority
🇳🇬
Nigeria
🇧🇩
Bangladesh
🇺🇬
Uganda
🇮🇶
Iraq
🇵🇰
Pakistan
🇬🇭
Ghana
🇳🇱
Netherlands
🇲🇦
Morocco
9 countries · ~85 students enrolled
🧠 Fall — Neurobiology
🇮🇳
India
Majority
🇳🇬
Nigeria
🇧🇩
Bangladesh
🇵🇰
Pakistan
🇮🇶
Iraq
🇺🇬
Uganda
🇸🇻
El Salvador
🇪🇹
Ethiopia
🇸🇩
Sudan
9+ countries · ~122 students enrolled
📱 Bridging the Digital Divide: The Atfolks LMS
The Atfolks Platform
At Scienspur, we believe cutting-edge science deserves a cutting-edge platform. This year, we transitioned our Learning Management System to Atfolks — providing a centralised hub for session recordings, assignments, and curated reading materials.
The web interface served as the primary access point for the majority of enrolled students, ensuring seamless learning across all four courses.
What students access on Atfolks:
Session recordings · Assignment submissions · Curated reading lists · Progress tracking · Course materials archive
📲 Mobile App Beta Programme
We took a bold leap forward by beta-testing the Atfolks Mobile App (available on Android and iOS) specifically for our Advanced Molecular Genetics learners. This mobile-first approach allowed students to engage with genomic content on the go — anytime, anywhere.
The pilot demonstrated strong engagement and usability results. Final technical specifications are being developed to onboard all Scienspur programmes onto the app for the 2026–27 season.
✅ Android✅ iOS🔬 Adv. MolGen Pilot🚀 Full Launch 2026–27
The future of learning is not just digital — it’s portable.
📚 The Scienspur Curriculum 2025–26
A journey through the Central Dogma and beyond — four courses designed to take students from foundational principles to the frontier of modern biology.
1
Basics of Molecular Genetics
May 2025 – August 3, 2025 · 25 sessions
The Code: Deciphering DNA structure and the high-fidelity machinery of replication.
The Message: Exploring how genetic information flows from DNA to RNA through transcription.
The Product: Understanding protein synthesis and the essential building blocks of life.
The Control: How genes are “turned on” (promoters) or “amplified” (enhancers).
2
Advanced Molecular Genetics
Mid-August – December 24, 2025 · 68 selected students
Precision Engineering: Mastering the world of CRISPR and gene-editing technologies.
Regulatory Logic: Deep dives into Super-Enhancers and complex DNA loops driving gene expression.
Literature Dissection: TA-led Journal Clubs on landmark research papers with group presentations.
Genomic Frontiers: Molecular signatures defining health and disease.
3
Fall Cell Biology
October 2025 – March 2026 · Flagship Course
Architectural Wonders: Investigating the dynamic cytoskeleton and intricate membrane systems.
Cellular Communication: Decoding the signals that allow cells to talk to neighbours and the environment.
Life, Death & Renewal: The cell cycle, metabolic pathways, and molecular triggers of apoptosis.
Real-World Quests: Hands-on challenge modules to solve complex cellular mysteries.
4
Fall Neurobiology
October 2025 – March 2026 · Flagship Course
Electrical Language: Action potentials and synaptic plasticity — how the brain learns and remembers.
Neural Circuitry: Mapping the highways of the nervous system from sensory input to motor output.
Developmental Blueprints: How a single cell transforms into billions of neurons.
The Alert Standard: High-engagement Dual-Point System ensuring active, camera-on participation.
🎯 The Fall Strategy: Flexibility Meets Rigour
How We Navigated End-of-Year Challenges
❄️
The Winter Recharge: A deliberate break from December 1–25 accommodated university examination season without disrupting learning momentum.
📝
Engagement Assignments: Light, curiosity-driven tasks kept intellectual momentum alive during the break — no burnout, just steady curiosity.
🎯
Dual-Point Engagement System (Neurobiology): The ‘Alert Point’ was awarded only when students kept their camera on for >75% of a session — ensuring attendance meant active participation, not just logging in.
🏆 Awards Galaxy: Advanced Molecular Genetics 2025
The Constitutive Promoter Award
Named after: A promoter that is always active, constantly driving gene expression
For students who were “always on” — present for every session without fail, driving the expression of knowledge with unrelenting consistency.
Recipients: Aishashree Giri · Kusum Gupta · Abhyunnati Bhaskar (TA) · Garima Mittal · Jhanvi Soni (TA) · L. Sai Geethika · Meher un Nisa · Miral Kansagra · Muskan Yadav · Solaimanikandan S · Tholakoppula Shirisha
The Super-Enhancer Award
Named after: A region of DNA that significantly amplifies transcription of nearby genes
For the student who consistently amplified the energy and curiosity of the entire class — a “high expression” presence in every discussion.
Recipients: Anurag Ghosh · Montasir Ahmed · Garima Mittal · Solaimanikandan S · Eram Rizwan · Ayangbile Felix Yemi · Muskan Yadav
These aren’t just trophies — they’re launchpads for the next generation of scientists.
🌍 The Architects of Discovery: Our Global Faculty
Scienspur’s 2025–26 year was powered by a Scientific Supernova of mentorship. Our instructors are not just teachers — they are genomic trailblazers and cellular explorers from the world’s leading research institutions who volunteered their expertise to ignite minds globally.
They act as Constitutive Promoters — always active, constantly driving the expression of knowledge in every student they encounter, entirely on a pro bono basis.
30+
Volunteer Faculty
12+
Institutions
4
Courses Powered
Faculty — Consolidated by Institution
All faculty contributed their expertise on a pro bono basis in furtherance of Scienspur’s equitable education mission. Counts aggregated across all four courses (2025SW sessions).
Harvard University & Harvard Medical School
12+
Fellows, Instructors & Associates
Weill Cornell Medicine
4
Postdoc Associates & Instructors
Princeton University
1
Postdoctoral Fellow
Brown University
2
Research Associates
UMass Chan Medical School
1
Instructor
Yale School of Medicine
1
Associate Research Scientist
Columbia University
1
Associate Research Scientist
Howard University
1
Professor (Biology)
Boston University
1
Postdoctoral Associate
UC Davis · Mount Sinai · Dana-Farber
3
Senior Scientists & Faculty
Indian Institutes (IISER · JNCASR · SNU)
4
Professors & Faculty
Other International
4+
Heidelberg · MSK · Fatima CHS · Pune
Faculty — Course-wise Listing
Names and affiliations extracted from the Scienspur 2025SW sessions roster.
Summer — Basics of Mol. Genetics18 instructors
AB
Dr. Arka Banerjee
Postdoctoral Associate Instructor · Weill Cornell Medicine
KK
Dr. Kamalesh Kumari
Ramalingaswami Faculty Fellow · Shiv Nadar University
MI
Prof. Maneesha S. Inamdar
Director, inStem · Senior Professor, JNCASR
SD
Dr. Sugat Dabholkar
Assistant Professor, Science Education · IISER Pune
SD
Dr. Sheena Das
Research Associate · Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
RS
Dr. Richa Singh
Research Associate · Weill Cornell Medical College
AB
Dr. Asma Bashir
Assistant Professor · Fatima College of Health Sciences, Abu Dhabi
PT
Dr. Poonam Thakran
Research Associate · Brown University
H
Prof. Hemayet
Professor of Biology · Howard University
PG
Dr. Payel Ganguly
Postdoctoral Fellow · Harvard Medical School
RG
Dr. Rajesh Gunage
Research Fellow · Harvard Medical School & Boston Children’s Hospital
RM
Dr. Rubul Mout
Research Fellow · Harvard Medical School & Boston Children’s Hospital
SP
Dr. Sambhavi Puri
Postdoctoral Associate · Boston University
RD
Dr. Rudra Das
Assistant Professor · Shiv Nadar University
Spring — Advanced MolGen16 instructors
AB
Dr. Arka Banerjee
Postdoctoral Associate Instructor · Weill Cornell Medicine
PG
Dr. Payel Ganguly
Postdoctoral Fellow · Harvard Medical School
RM
Dr. Rubul Mout
Research Fellow · Harvard Medical School & Boston Children’s Hospital
SG
Dr. Sangeeta Ghuwalewala
Senior Scientist · Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
KD
Dr. Kunal Dixit
Postdoc · University of California, Davis (Marco Lab)
DJ
Dr. Divyesh Joshi
Associate Research Scientist · Yale School of Medicine
VV
Dr. Varadha Balaji Venkadakrishnan
Instructor in Medicine · Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
SB
Dr. Srijani Basu
Associate Research Scientist · Columbia University
SS
Dr. Surya Shrivastava
CEO & Co-Founder · Ex-Amplify Therapeutics
RT
Dr. Rajan Thakur
Research Associate · Brown University (Carney Institute for Brain Science)
RM
Dr. Richa Mishra
Postdoctoral Researcher · University Hospital Heidelberg (UKHD)
PM
Dr. Puja Majumder
Research Associate · Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
AB
Dr. Atul Bharde
Faculty · Savitribai Phule Pune University
Fall — Cell Biology20 instructors
SS
Dr. Sanjeev Sharma
Postdoctoral Fellow · Weill Cornell Medicine
PS
Dr. Parijat Sil
Postdoctoral Fellow · Princeton University (Molecular Biology)
RT
Dr. Rajan Thakur
Postdoctoral Fellow · Brown University
RM
Dr. Richa Mishra
Special Lecture · Host-pathogen interactions
ND
Dr. Nagaraju Dhanyasi
Postdoctoral Fellow · Harvard University
PM
Dr. Puja Majumder
Research Associate · Memorial Sloan Kettering
FD
Dr. Fanindra Deshmukh
Research Scientist · Introduction to Proteins
AB
Dr. Atul Bharde
Faculty · Savitribai Phule Pune University
FH
Dr. Farah Haque
Postdoctoral Fellow · Harvard University (Cytoskeleton)
JT
Dr. Joseph Jose Thottacherry
Research Faculty · Microscopy
RM
Prof. Roop Mallik
Professor · Special Seminar (IIT Bombay)
MM
Dr. Melissa M. McLellan
Research Faculty · Cell Polarity
BB
Dr. Bhaswati Bhattacharya
Research Faculty · Cell Adhesion & Migration
NV
Dr. Neha Varshney
Research Faculty · Cell Cycle
AJ
Alok Javali
Guest Session · IVF & Developmental Biology
CP
Dr. Chaitra Prabhakara
Research Faculty · Morphogenesis
BB
Bishal Basak
Guest Lecturer
SM
Dr. Sukanya Madhwal
Research Faculty · Guest Lectures
Fall — Neurobiology34 instructors
RC
Dr. Ratna Chaturvedi
Instructor · UMass Chan Medical School (Neurobiology)
PG
Dr. Payel Ganguly
Postdoctoral Fellow · Harvard Medical School
SR
Dr. Sreenath Ravindran
Research Faculty · Neural Circuit Remodeling
RM
Dr. Richa Mishra
Special Lecture · Host-pathogen interactions
KD
Dr. Kunal Dixit
Postdoc · University of California, Davis
PM
Dr. Puja Majumder
Research Associate · Memorial Sloan Kettering
AB
Dr. Atul Bharde
Faculty · Savitribai Phule Pune University
ND
Dr. Nagaraju Dhanyasi
Postdoctoral Fellow · Harvard University
SS
Dr. Suvimal Sindhu
Research Faculty · Developmental Neurobiology
CG
Dr. Chandradhish Ghosh
Research Faculty · Antibiotics / Antisense Oligomers
RM
Prof. Roop Mallik
Professor · Special Seminar (IIT Bombay)
PG
Dr. Priyanka Ghosh
Research Faculty · EEG Data Analysis
PA
Dr. Peter M. Angalie
Research Faculty · Drosophila Neuromuscular Junction
AB
Dr. Aanchal Bhatia
Research Faculty · Synaptic & Dendritic Integration
BN
Dr. Bharti Nawalpuri
Research Faculty · Neurodegenerative Disorders
SK
Dr. Sonal Kedia
Research Faculty · Synaptic Plasticity
SG
Dr. Saikat Ghosh
Research Faculty · Intracellular Trafficking
GS
Dr. Gunjan Singh
Research Faculty · Chromatin Regulation (Drosophila)
SM
Dr. Sara Matias
Research Faculty · Animal Learning Theory
AR
Dr. Aishwarya Ramakrishnan
Research Faculty · Free-running Rhythms & Entrainment
DS
Dr. Divya Sitaraman
Research Faculty · Sleep & Behavioral Choice
JB
Dr. Jonathan Boulanger-Weill
Research Faculty · Two-photon Calcium Imaging
KB
Dr. Kasturi Biswas
Research Faculty · NeuroToolbox
SP
Dr. Sambhavi Puri
Postdoctoral Associate · Neurodegeneration
VK
Dr. Vijay Khemchandbhai Kevlani
Research Faculty · Network Pharmacology in Neurobiology
CC
Dr. Chenghao Chen
Guest Lecturer · International Faculty
NN
Dr. Niraj Niralal
Guest Lecturer
Multi-Phase Applicant Screening Framework
Phase 0
Deduplication
Automated removal of duplicate and incomplete applications to ensure data integrity before human review.
Phase 1
New Student Prioritisation
First-time applicants preferred. Returning alumni capped at 10–15% of intake, subject to prior engagement review.
Phase 2
Equity-Based Scoring
Weighted for public college enrolment, first-gen status, household income <₹4L/yr, SOP quality, and geographic diversity (international capped at 10%).
Outcome
Tiered Selection
Selected Cohort · Waitlist · Interview Shortlist for advanced opportunities.
Attendance & Certification Tiers
Certificate of Completion
≥ 75%
Attendance Points
Official Certificate
Certificate of Participation
40 – 75%
Attendance Points
Participation Record
Exceptional Engagement
High
Alert Points · camera-on >75% per session
1:1 Career Mentorship & LOR Consideration
Notable Alumni Achievements
A curated list of Scienspur alumni who have gone on to achieve remarkable milestones — spanning doctoral programmes, international master’s degrees, fellowships, and research roles.
Alumni
Scienspur Roots
Achievement & Current Role
Aditya Kashyap
DevBio (Winter ’24)Cell Biology (Fall ’23)
Appointed as a Medical Laboratory Technologist at AIIMS CAPFIMS, New Delhi
Ankur Bhowmik
Cell Biology (Fall ’24)
Awarded a Summer Research Fellowship (2025) by the Indian Academy of Sciences at Bose Institute, Kolkata
Aritra Bhattacharjee
Cell Biology (Fall ’24)
Serving as MBSI Student President (2024–2026) with research experience at BRIC-NIBMG and CSIR-CCMB
Arpita Majumder
Neurobiology (’24)
Currently pursuing MSc Biotechnology at Jadavpur University
Eesha Pramod Saindane
Neurobiology (Oct ’23)
Graduated with Distinction in MSc Cancer Immunology from the University of Nottingham; awarded Overall Best Performance
Garima Mittal
Cell BioBasics & Adv. MolGenNeurobiology
BIRAC E-YUVA Fellow and National Level Skill India Competition 2025–26 shortlist for Water Technology
Gautami Kandalgaonkar
MolGen (Summer ’23)Neurobiology TA
Completing MSc Biotechnology at VIT; developing publications on Metal-Organic Frameworks and nanosensors
Haneef Ahmad Dar
Neurobiology (Fall ’24)
Currently pursuing a PhD at TIFR-NCBS, Bengaluru
Hazel Mendonca
Developmental Biology ’22Basics of Mol. Genetics ’25
MSc Biotechnology with Distinction, University of Nottingham; published in Optica
Jyoti Chaurasia
Neurobio Student (’23)Neurobio TA (’24)
Leveraged student experience to become a Teaching Assistant, bridging the gap for new learners
Minza Hasan
Cell Biology (Fall ’22)MolGen TA (Winter ’24)
Pursuing a PhD in Algal Biology at the Algatech Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic
Rebeca Pole
Cell Biology (’22)
Transitioned from MSc student to professional researcher following her Scienspur tenure
Srijan Pal
Cell Biology (’22–’23)Neurobiology (’24–’25)
INSPIRE Scholar conducting Alzheimer’s research at the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (DAE)
Syed Madiha Asmat
Basics & Adv. MolGen (Spring ’25)
Selected for the NCBS Winter Internship Program, Bengaluru
Thet Tun Zaw
Cell Biology (Fall ’24)
Appointed as a Research Assistant at an international school in Thailand
🤝 The Bridge Builders: Our TA Ecosystem
Our Teaching Assistants are the vital link between our world-class instructors and our diverse student body. They don’t just “assist” — they anchor the entire learning experience.
Interactive Mentorship
Leading deep-dive discussion sessions and providing personalised feedback on every assignment.
Curriculum Archiving
Preparing handouts and maintaining the high-quality materials used across every session.
Progress Tracking
Monitoring student performance continuously to ensure no learner falls behind.
The “Office Hour” Sanctuary
Weekly dedicated sessions where students can ask the tough questions in a supportive, low-pressure environment.
SS2502 · Scienspur Spring — Advanced Molecular Genetics13 Teaching Assistants
SK
Shubham Kalamkar
AB
Abhyunnati Bhaskar
SD
Subhiksha Duraisamy
BM
Bhargav Mereddy
MM
Mrunmayi Markam
AK
Aditya Kr. Mishra
JS
Jhanvi Soni
AP
Anushka Puri
UF
Umaima Fatima
VM
Vaishnavi Mishra
RT
Rishabh Tiwari
MV
Maitreyee Vartak
VC
Vedanusha Chakrabarti
SF2501 · Scienspur Fall — Cell Biology7 Teaching Assistants
DG
Debayan Ghosh
BM
Bhargav Mereddy
AG
Anusuiya G U
NR
Nafis Raza
TS
Tholakoppula Shirisha
VG
Virag Gada
SS
Sapnita Shinde
SF2502 · Scienspur Fall — Neurobiology12 Teaching Assistants
AS
Akshat Singh
BM
Bhargav Mereddy
JS
Jhanvi Soni
UF
Umaima Fatima
AJ
Avani Jha
KT
Kevin Thomas
RS
Ritvi Shah
HA
Hafsa Anam
VA
Victor Anadu
SK
Sheetal Kaur
HK
Harshita Kukreja
PD
Prathamesh Dongre
🚀 Orchestrating the Supernova: A PMO Perspective
As Program Manager, my mission is to turn a vision of equitable education into a logistical reality. This year, we moved beyond coordination to active curation. By utilizing our Multi-Phase Screening Framework, we ensured seats went to those who needed them most — zapping duplicates in Phase 0, prioritizing new students in Phase 1, and scoring for ‘Mission Fit’ in Phase 2, we didn’t just look for grades; we looked for the ‘Resource Gap’ — the student whose university lacks CRISPR labs but whose SOP burns with the fire of a future PhD candidate.
Garima Gupta Program Manager, Scienspur
BM
Bhargav Mereddy
Programme Manager Intern · Scienspur 2025–26
Growth is a two-way street. This year, we recruited Bhargav Mereddy as our PM Intern. Having evolved within our ecosystem for three years — from student to TA — Bhargav brings a 360-degree perspective. His role is crucial: reaching out to every student fortnightly to solve problems before they arise and mentoring our TAs on how to effectively bridge the stakeholder gap.
Bhargav’s journey embodies the Scienspur spirit: once a learner, always a leader.
3 years · 3 roles · 1 mission — Once a learner, always a leader.
✨ Epic Horizons: 2026 Awaits
As Developmental Biology gears up, Scienspur’s flame burns brighter.
We’ve shattered privilege gates and fueled dreams across the globe. The 2026–27 year brings full deployment of the Atfolks Mobile Application, expanded alumni outcome tracking, formalised research placement pathways — and a brand new course to ignite yet another generation of scientists.
Heartfelt shoutouts to our visionary directors, tireless TAs, and fearless students — you are the cosmos we orbit. 🌟
📱 Atfolks Mobile — Full Launch🧬 Developmental Biology (New Course)📊 6-month & 12-month Alumni Tracking🎓 Formalised Research Placements🎥 Testimonial Video Series
