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Division of Microbiology, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, MAHE, organized the annual ‘Microfest 2023’ on 23 September 2023 which featured two major contests, ‘Model Your Microbe-the hunt for the most gorgeous microbe’ and ‘Micro Das Plakat’, a poster competition. A team of five students of MCOPS comprising of Yashas M & Garima Joshi from seventh semester, Celine Mariam Mathew from fifth semester and? Aastha Pandey & Viraj Vaidya from third semester BPharm, under the guidance of Dr Angel Treasa Alex, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology participated in ‘Model Your Microbe contest 2023’ and bagged first prize. They beautifully presented a fictitious pleomorphic fungus named Geopacem naturophiliae, which induces the production of a special neurotransmitter in brain called philitonin to foster compassion, empathy, and kindness in people, ultimately working towards a more peaceful world. The team's detailed model depicted the sporulation stages and life cycle of this remarkable microbe, which included colonozoa – a tardigrade like form in GIT, pentacytes – the modified blood cell type in blood vessels, pulmozoa – a sea anemone type spore form residing in lungs, which can spread to others via breath and finally the astrocyte type ecoglia in brain secreting philitonin which modulates human mind to think and act in the way nature envisages its creatures to be; to love and live in harmony and balance of ecosystem. Thus this imaginary fungus was named Geopacem naturophiliae, meaning “peace on earth and love for nature’. The team was well supported and encouraged by Mr Venkatesh Kamath, members of Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, and 沙巴体育 College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MAHE.

Heartfelt?congratulations?to Team MCOPS!