Join Us for an Intellectual Experience!

Date: 27th Sep 2026
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Demy, Kamala Mills, Lower Parel

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About the lecture

We all know what happens when too many vehicles try to squeeze through the same road at once: traffic jams. But did you know that something remarkably similar can happen inside our neurons?

Neurons constantly move tiny packages of essential materials from one part of the cell to another. This cargo is carried by molecular “motors” travelling along the neuron’s internal highways. But how does the cell decide what goes where, which route to take, and how many motors are needed?

This talk explores the surprising traffic rules that govern this microscopic transport system. We’ll look at how the type of cargo, the number of molecular motors, the environment inside the neuron, and even how the cargo is made can determine its journey and destination.

And just like traffic on busy Indian roads, too much traffic in the wrong place can create bottlenecks and jams. Understanding these microscopic traffic rules may also help us understand what goes wrong in neurons during neurodegenerative diseases.

From cars on Indian roads to ants navigating tight spaces to molecular cargo moving inside our brains, the same basic principles of traffic may be at work.

About the speaker

Prof. Sandhya P. Koushika is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai. A neuroscientist and cell biologist, her research explores how essential cargo moves within neurons and how these microscopic transport systems influence the functioning of the nervous system. Her lab uses genetics, live imaging and interdisciplinary approaches to study neuronal transport, including the movement of synaptic vesicles and mitochondria. She holds a PhD from Brandeis University and previously taught and conducted research at NCBS-TIFR, Bengaluru.