Official Institutional Publication · Scienspur Foundation

Annual Report 2025–26

Broadening access to rigorous biological sciences for underserved undergraduates — a transformative year of pedagogical innovation, volunteer faculty leadership, and verified global impact.

Academic Term: April 2025 – March 2026

Published by Scienspur Academic Council

Global Open-Access Record

Explore Executive Summary Academic Leadership

Report Index:

01Executive Summary 02Academic Programs 03Pedagogy & QDL 04Atfolks LMS 05Faculty Leadership 06Strategic Vision

Verified Institutional Metrics

Year at a Glance

Key verified benchmarks achieved across the 2025–26 academic cohorts

Students Empowered

globally across 10+ countries

Volunteer Hours

cutting-edge domain instruction

Countries Reached

global international presence

World-Renowned Experts

from top academia & industry

Core Disciplines

rigorous semester STEM tracks

Curriculum Satisfaction

verified student cohort ratings

SECTION 01

Executive Summary & Institutional Impact

Democratizing advanced biological sciences across underserved undergraduate colleges

The 2025–26 academic year represented a pivotal expansion of Scienspur's mission to democratize advanced life science education. Between April 2025 and March 2026, Scienspur implemented structured pedagogical innovations to empower hundreds of undergraduates from underserved regions, enabling mastery over modern molecular biology technologies.

Through intensive weekly journal clubs, live paper dissections, and structured post-course assignments, our cohorts engaged in high-level scientific inquiry across Basic Molecular Genetics, Advanced Molecular Genetics, Cell Biology, and Neurobiology.

Institutional Partnership: This year's success was significantly amplified through the unwavering institutional collaboration of the Mittal Institute, which served as an essential substrate for our collective outreach.

Institutional Diversity81.2% Public & Aided Reach

Student Landscape

Verified distribution of enrolled scholars across higher education institution classifications:

50.5%

30.7%

18.7%

Government Colleges

State & Central Public Universities

50.5%

~707+ Enrolled Learners

Aided Colleges

Government-Aided Institutions

30.7%

~430+ Enrolled Learners

Private Colleges

Private Universities & Autonomous Colleges

18.7%

~262+ Enrolled Learners

💡 Tip: Hover over any bar segment or row to preview real student lab photographs.

Pedagogical QualityAnonymous Exit Surveys

Student Satisfaction Index

Verified evaluation results assessing course rigor, mentor engagement, and academic readiness:

Scienspur Experience Satisfaction

Overall program, TA support, and community mentorship rating

95%

Curriculum Satisfaction

Syllabus depth, research papers, and live journal club sessions

97%

Mentor Engagement

Active instructor presence, Q&A responsiveness, and office hours

98%

Compiled from independent post-course survey submissions across 4 cohorts.

SECTION 02

Academic Programs Delivered (2025–26)

Four comprehensive, semester-long curricula led by active postdocs and PhD researchers

PROGRAM 01 · Summer 2025 · May – Aug

Basic Molecular Genetics

25+ Sessions

112 Students

18 Instructors

Transformed DNA novices into genomics trailblazers. Over 25 rigorous sessions, students mastered the foundational mechanics of heredity, replication fidelity, and gene regulation across model organisms.

Core Curriculum Topics

Central Dogma : ReplicationCentral Dogma : TranscriptionCentral Dogma : TranslationDNA Repair Mechanisms, Recombination & MutagenesisRNA Splicing, Modifications & Nonsense mediated decayRNA ModificationsRNA Biology circ RNAsStructures of ProteinIntroduction to Mendelian GeneticsDrosophila as a Model OrganismMouse and Human GeneticsZebrafish as a Model organism

Scienspur Syllabus ArchiveExplore Course

PROGRAM 02 · Spring 2025 · Aug – Dec

Advanced Molecular Genetics

23 Sessions

68 Honors Scholars

16 Instructors

An elite, highly competitive sequel for students who cleared the Post-Course Assignment. Focused on cutting-edge genomics, CRISPR-Cas9 mechanics, and weekly research paper dissection.

Awards Galaxy: Stars Aligned! 68 elite students earned verified academic honors.

Core Curriculum Topics

AI-based Protein DesignMolecular Toolkit of Genetic EngineeringTechniques of Molecular BiologyRNA Sequence AnalysisNext Generation Sequencing (NGS)CRISPR/Cas9 based Gene Editing & TherapeuticsCellular Plasticity & EpigeneticsCAR T- Cell Therapies, Lymphocyte/NK Cell Based TherapiesRNAi based TherapeuticsIntroduction to Microbial Community Analysis & MetagenomicsBacterial Immune Systems

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PROGRAM 03 · Fall 2025 · Aug – Dec

Cell Biology

31 Sessions

85 Students

20 Instructors

A comprehensive exploration led by faculty from Princeton and Weill Cornell Medicine. Covered organelle architecture, cell cycle checkpoints, apoptosis, and state-of-the-art super-resolution microscopy.

Core Curriculum Topics

Cells and Cellular StructuresIntroduction to Electron MicroscopyIntroduction to ProteinsBacterial Immune SystemsCytoskeletonMicroscopyPlasma MembraneCell SignallingCell Biology of Developing NeuronsCell PolarityCell Adhesion & MigrationCell CycleLysozyme, Autophagy & Neurodegeneration

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PROGRAM 04 · Fall 2025 · Aug – Jan

Neurobiology

51 Sessions

122 Students

34 Instructors

Our most intensive program to date, dissecting brain function from ion channels to neural circuits. Pioneered the Dual-Point Engagement System (Alert Points) to ensure high-accountability active learning.

Core Curriculum Topics

Introduction to NeuroscienceGross Anatomy and Historical Perspective of the BrainCell types & Neural NetworksSynapse Formation & Neural Circuit RemodellingEvolution of Brain & Spinal CordHuman Neuroimaging TechniquesDevelopmental NeurobiologyThe Neuromuscular Junction & The Drosophila ModelSynaptic & Dendritic IntegrationNeurodegenerative DisordersSynaptic PlasticityGeneration of Neuronal PolarityTranscription Factors & How they Shape the BrainExperimental Approach of NeuronsAnimal Learning TheoryCircadian RhythmsMolecular Mechanisms of Free Running Rhythms & EntertainmentCell Biology of Developing NeuronsVisualizing Neurons in ActionNeurogenetics in Synapse FormationLysoszyme, autophagy & NeurodegenerationNeuroToolbox : Poking, Probing & Decoding the BrainNetwork PharmacologyNeurodegenerative Diseases & Underlying Behaviors

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SECTION 03

Strategic Pedagogy & QDL Framework

Pedagogical innovation combining Question-Driven Learning and high-accountability active engagement

The Winter Recharge

We scheduled a deliberate academic hiatus from December 1st to 25th, allowing students to focus on university semester examinations without falling behind in Scienspur courses.

Curiosity-Driven Bridge Assignments

Light, inquiry-driven micro-challenges preserved scientific momentum during the break without causing burnout, ensuring cohorts resumed with peak enthusiasm in January.

Dual-Point Engagement System (Alert Points)

Pioneered in Neurobiology: scholars earned verified Alert Points only when their cameras remained active for >75% of live sessions — ensuring attendance represented genuine participation.

SECTION 04

Digital Transformation: Atfolks LMS Platform

Centralized digital infrastructure designed for low-bandwidth smartphone accessibility

Infrastructure Upgrade

Atfolks App Integration

This year, we transitioned our learning delivery to the Atfolks platform, establishing a single high-performance digital repository for session archives, reading materials, homework submissions, and faculty-student discussions.

Mobile-First Accessibility

Optimized for students streaming lectures on smartphones across 3G/4G networks in rural and semi-urban colleges.

Centralized Academic Repository

Unified library housing journal club papers, lecture slides, protocol sheets, and assignment submissions.

Full 2026–27 Onboarding

Expanding to host 100% of upcoming courses, guest seminars, and alumni mentorship circles.

SECTION 05

Academic Leadership & Volunteer Faculty

Distinguished researchers and postdocs serving as volunteer educators

Dr. Arka Banerjee

Instructor, Weill Cornell Medicine

Course Taught: Advanced Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology

Verified EducatorFull Faculty Bio

Dr. Payel Ganguly

Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard Medical School

Course Taught: Advanced Molecular Genetics & Neurobiology

Verified EducatorFull Faculty Bio

Dr. Ratna Chaturvedi

Instructor, UMass Chan Medical School

Course Taught: Neurobiology Track Lead

Verified EducatorFull Faculty Bio

Dr. Sanjeev Sharma

Postdoctoral Fellow, Weill Cornell Medicine

Course Taught: Cell Biology & Signal Transduction

Verified EducatorFull Faculty Bio

Dr. Parijat Sil

Postdoctoral Researcher, Princeton University

Course Taught: Cell Biology & Membrane Trafficking

Verified EducatorFull Faculty Bio

Dr. Rajan Thakur

Postdoctoral Fellow, Brown University

Course Taught: Cell Biology & Molecular Pathology

Verified EducatorFull Faculty Bio

Explore All 50+ Instructors in Faculty Directory