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Special Academic Research Cooperatives (SpARCs)

Generating new ideas at the forefront of science requires interdisciplinary brainstorming and collaboration between diverse experts. Multidisciplinary approaches are essential if we are to solve many of the scientific challenges faced by us today. Such approaches can be seeded through conversations between scientists belonging to different disciplines with convergent research interests.

To promote this systematically, we assemble groups of scientists with overlapping interests to form a collective known as SpARCs, which connects knowledge silos and fosters new ideas at their intersection. Ignite believes that by bringing together the brightest minds and facilitating intense discussions, we can create new avenues for problem-solving that can be explored through targeted projects.

Upcoming Meetings

SpARCs meetingDates and VenueInsights
Smart Solutions from Algae SpARC Meeting14th June to 16th June 2026 at Della Resorts, Lonavala,The focus of Smart Solutions from Algae SpARC meeting is to explore algae-based approaches for carbonsmart urban infrastructure, including the integration of algae systems on building surfaces to capture CO₂, improve air quality, and contribute to sustainable urban environments. To operationalize this vision, the SpARC will convene a carefully curated, interdisciplinary consortium spanning the full innovation pipeline. This includes algal taxonomists to identify species suited to diverse Indian climatic zones; molecular biologists to enable strain optimization; biomaterials scientists and engineers to develop compatible construction systems using indigenous materials; architects and civil engineers to integrate these solutions into urban infrastructure; climate scientists and environmental monitoring experts to quantify impact; aquatic ecologists to assess ecological interactions; environmental economists to evaluate lifecycle viability; and real estate and construction stakeholders to ensure scalability and adoption.

Completed Meetings

SpARCs meetingDates and VenueInsights
EMT Cancer SpARC Meeting6–7 March 2026 at IISc, Bengaluru,The meeting brought together 33 participants from diverse disciplines, including experimental and computational biologists, clinicians, surgeons, and industry researchers. The two-day meeting focused on understanding epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), tumor plasticity, and treatment resistance across several solid tumors, including head and neck cancers, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and oral cancers. The discussions emphasized the need to integrate biological, clinical, and computational perspectives to better understand tumor behavior and develop more effective therapeutic strategies. The participants expressed that the meeting helped them with insights on how to collaborate with clinicians and break the silos in research and translational applications.
Redox BiologyIISER Pune, April 7-8, 2023It brought together a select group of about 25 scientists from diverse fields, all with a shared interest in Redox Systems and Mechanisms in Biological Systems.
Neurodegenerative DiseasesHyatt, Hyderabad, July 28-29, 2023It brought together a select group of about 32 scientists, including clinicians, from diverse fields relevant to the study of Neurodegeneration - protein chemists, structural biologists, cell biologists, computational scientists, medicinal chemists and clinicians.
mRNA Vaccines and TherapeuticsIISc, Bengaluru, September 21, 2023It brought together a select group of about 30 scientists, including representatives from the biotechnology and pharma industries who were experts in diverse fields relevant to the development of mRNA vaccines- protein chemistry, vaccine structural biology, vaccine delivery and therapeutic approach, and enhancing vaccine efficiency.
Computational System BiologyIIT, Madras, July 12-13, 2024The meeting addressed some of the key topics in the field of Computational Systems Biology and threw up interesting discussions. Two proposals were funded through the discussion.
RNA BiologyIISc, Bengaluru, October 25-26, 2024The meeting addressed some of the key topics in the advancing biological research and therapeutic development in RNA technologies, which threw up interesting discussions.
Ignite-ITC Agriscience SpARCs meetingITC Kohenur, Hyderabad, 27th- 29th April,2025The meeting focused on taking Indian agriculture from a high-risk to a more resilient, secure, and hopeful enterprise activity through a multi-faceted strategy of nurturing an ecosystem anchored on knowledge,science and research.
Spice Pharmacology MeetingNCBS,Bengaluru, July 4th- 5th, 2025The meeting covered a broad range of topics spanning computational biology, taxonomy, natural product chemistry, nutraceuticals, and pharmacology.
SpARCs meetingDates and VenueInsights
Cancer EMT Meeting6–7 March 2026 at IISc, Bengaluru,The meeting focused on understanding epithelial–mesenchymal transition(EMT), tumor plasticity, and treatment resistance across several solid tumors, including head and neck cancers, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and oral cancers. The discussions emphasized the need to integrate biological, clinical, and computational perspectives to better understand tumor behavior and develop more effective therapeutic strategies.
Redox BiologyIISER Pune, April 7-8, 2023It brought together a select group of about 25 scientists from diverse fields, all with a shared interest in Redox Systems and Mechanisms in Biological Systems.
Neurodegenerative DiseasesHyatt, Hyderabad, July 28-29, 2023It brought together a select group of about 32 scientists, including clinicians, from diverse fields relevant to the study of Neurodegeneration - protein chemists, structural biologists, cell biologists, computational scientists, medicinal chemists and clinicians.
mRNA Vaccines and TherapeuticsIISc, Bengaluru, September 21, 2023It brought together a select group of about 30 scientists, including representatives from the biotechnology and pharma industries who were experts in diverse fields relevant to the development of mRNA vaccines- protein chemistry, vaccine structural biology, vaccine delivery and therapeutic approach, and enhancing vaccine efficiency.
Computational System BiologyIIT, Madras, July 12-13, 2024The meeting addressed some of the key topics in the field of Computational Systems Biology and threw up interesting discussions. Two proposals were funded through the discussion.
RNA BiologyIISc, Bengaluru, October 25-26, 2024The meeting addressed some of the key topics in the advancing biological research and therapeutic development in RNA technologies, which threw up interesting discussions.
Ignite-ITC Agriscience SpARCs meetingITC Kohenur, Hyderabad, 27th- 29th April,2025The meeting focused on taking Indian agriculture from a high-risk to a more resilient, secure, and hopeful enterprise activity through a multi-faceted strategy of nurturing an ecosystem anchored on knowledge,science and research.
Spice Pharmacology MeetingNCBS,Bengaluru, July 4th- 5th, 2025The meeting covered a broad range of topics spanning computational biology, taxonomy, natural product chemistry, nutraceuticals, and pharmacology.