LAHORE, April 2: With the complete sequence of the human genome known and biotechnology experiencing amazing growth, the world will soon see radical improvements in the detection, prevention and cure of a large number of diseases.

This was stated by Prof Waheed Akhtar, chairman of the organizing committee of the 7th biennial conference on “Trends in biochemistry and molecular biology” — organized by the Pakistan Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PSBMB) at the Punjab University.

Prof Akhtar said biotechnology was now based on the understanding and applications of interactions and changes at the molecular level. He said the potentials of biotechnology had greatly been enhanced by the development of recombinant DNA technology in recent years.

He said the discovery and progress achieved in the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology had laid the foundation for wide applications in the fields of medicine, agriculture and industry. Now, he said, biochemistry had become the cornerstone of all biological sciences as it allowed a deeper understanding of life processes at molecular level.

He said the recombinant DNA technology, protein chemistry, and structural biology had come together to reveal the molecular mechanisms of fundamental biological processes. “One of the achievements is a deeper understanding of the forms and function of proteins — the highly sophisticated molecular machines that process energy, matter and information,” he added.

In the wake of rapid breakthroughs and progress in the field, Prof Akhtar said the PSBMB coordinating role had become more demanding.

Being an active member of the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists and the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, he said the PSBMB would also work to organize meetings to strengthen cooperation in scientific pursuits and promote collaboration through exchange of scientists between various institutions of the region.

PSBMB president Prof Nazrul Hasnain spoke about the importance of biochemical sciences with respect to the fields of medicine, agriculture, industry and environment. He assured the role of society in strengthening research in the fields of biochemistry and molecular biology in the country.

Punjab University vice-chancellor Arshad Mahmood and PSBMB organizing secretary Kamran Aziz also spoke on the occasion.

Later in the afternoon, two sessions were held, each featuring eight research papers covering the fields of medical and agricultural biotechnology. The evening session, presided over by Biotechnology Commission of Pakistan’s Dr Anwar Naseem, was devoted to a symposium on biotechnology in developing countries.