Assam down town University hosted an insightful invited talk under AdtU’s Intellectual Lecture Series on the topic “The Changing Concept of Gene”, organized by the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences & Technology.

The session began with the inaugural address by Dr. M. K. Modi, Executive Dean, followed by the formal introduction and felicitation of the resource person Dr. Akshay Talukdar, Principal Scientist, Division of Genetics and In-charge of the National Phytotron Facility at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi. Dr. Robin Gogoi, Professor and O.S.D., Faculty of Science, and Dr. K. B. Pun, Dean, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences & Technology, also addressed the gathering.

During the lecture, Dr. Talukdar discussed the transformation of the gene concept from the classical Mendelian view to the modern understanding shaped by molecular biology and genomics. He explained concepts such as split genes, overlapping genes, jumping genes, non-coding RNAs, epigenetic modifications, and gene–environment interactions, while also highlighting the impact of genome sequencing and gene editing technologies on gene research.

The event concluded with remarks by Dr. Suresh Deka, Advisor, Faculty of Science, who appreciated the speaker for the enlightening lecture and emphasized the importance of such academic initiatives.