KARACHI, Oct 16: A three-day workshop on Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) application in research and diagnostics, organized by the University of Karachi in collaboration with the Pakistan Society of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Rahila Research Reference laboratory started on Thursday.

The workshop was inaugurated by Prof Dr Zafar Said Saify, Vice- Chancellor, KU. He highlighted the significance of PCR-based technology in clinical diagnosis and research in different areas of medicine and biology.

Prof Anwar Ali Siddiqui of the Aga Khan University, also a former student of the department, delivered a lecture on genotyping of hepatitis C virus.

He described the results of ongoing research in his laboratory.

According to preliminary studies, the hepatitis virus, more prevalent in Pakistan, belonged to genotype-III, which was more responsive to treatment with interferon, he said.

Dr Mehdi Manji described the laboratory diagnosis methods for M Tuberculosis, besides comparing different diagnosis methods.

Dr Ishaq, Chairman, Biochemistry department, spoke about the reference of PCR in clinical diagnosis.—PPI