The biomedical sciences thematic group includes disciplines such as epidemiology, neuroscience, microbiology, cancer biology, immunology, biostatistics, molecular and cellular biology, bioengineering, genetics, plant biology, pathology, biotechnology, biochemistry, and bioinformatics. Council members carry out research in a broad range of innovative areas using cutting-edge tools such as genome editing, vaccine development, genome profiling, proteomics, big data, genome engineering, drug development, and development of devices, among others. The scholars in this group are vigorously investigating translational approaches in numerous clinical settings such as in the development of immunotherapy for autoimmune diseases, and drugs for cancer therapy. Other scholars are actively studying neuroscience of drug addiction, pathogenicity of emerging viruses, including SARS-COV2, bacterial genomics and host pathogen interactions in crops, methods for mining large-scale prospective epidemiological data, predictive models for species and trait distribution patterns in highly biodiverse ecosystems, HIV and malaria vaccines, parasitic zoonoses, and therapeutic bio-products. Through their cutting-edge research, Council members have been able to push the needle on understanding, combatting and predicting a range of issues that affect living organisms, and have contributed to policymaking in the public health domain.