KARACHI, March 25: There is a need for establishing a brain bank in the country for collection of human brain material for research and this goal can be achieved in collaboration with local neuroscientists, pathologists, neurologists and neurosurgeons.
These views were expressed by the vice-chancellor of the University of Karachi, Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, on Sunday while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the first IBRO Associate School of Neuroscience Pakistan, organised by Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), KU, in collaboration with the IBRO and the Aga Khan University Hospital at the auditorium of International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), KU.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Pirzada said that in the last few decades experts in basic research in the field of human brain pathology had come to rely more and more on the availability of human brain specimens.
“Although alternatives to using human brains, such as animal experimentation, animal tissue culture and computer simulation are widely used, ultimately we need human brain tissue, whether for understanding the basic structure of the brain for investigating the changes that occurs in the common neuropathologies”, he added.
Dr Pirzada said that brain banks had been established around the world to provide such tissues, but it was becoming more and more difficult to obtain the material. He said that Pakistan was now affiliated with the International Brain Research Organisation (IBRO) and would avail the advantages of being the member of this prestigious international organisation.
He said he was pleased to announce that a society for neuroscientists of the country named Pakistan Society for Basic and Applied Neuroscience (Pasban) would be launched during this mega event, which would help boost research activities in the related area. IBRO chairman Dr Laurence Garey said that the IBRO was an independent international organisation dedicated to the promotion of neurosciences around the world.
The IBRO was founded in 1960 in response to the growing demand from scientists in many countries. The IBRO represents the interests of nearly 61,000 neuroscientists in 112 countries around the globe. Over the years, IBRO has set up a number of active programmes to stimulate international contacts in brain research.
Symposia and workshops are sponsored on the basis of competitive applications. Under the publication programme, the IBRO publishes the journals ‘Neuroscience’ and ‘IBRO NEWS’. The IBRO membership directory is also available on its website. The organisation also offers post-doctoral fellowships and travel grants to students from less-favoured countries, Dr Laurence said.
The acting director of the ICCBS, Dr M. Iqbal Choudhary said that it was impossible to understand the biological functions of brain without having the knowledge of chemical processes occurring in that part. Pakistan is the sixth most populous country of the world, having terrible rate of mental diseases, including epilepsy, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer and Parkinson disease, he added.
Presenting the vote of thanks, Dr Fatima Shad of the PCMD said that this was the first time when Pakistan was going to be part of this prestigious organisation, having active programmes to stimulate international contacts in brain research.—PPI
