KARACHI, Sept 7: Speakers at a conference on Wednesday stressed the need for developing interdisciplinary approaches in the curricula meant for university students. They also noted the impact of physics in understanding physical phenomena in nature, economic development, environment and health.

The conference on “Role of Physics in Biology and Medicine” was organized by the Aga Khan University (AKU) to celebrate the World Year of Physics (WYP). The UNESCO is observing 2005 as the WYP in commemoration of Einstein’s decisive publications in 1905.

The former chairman of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and Adviser to Prime Minister, Dr Ishfaq Ahmad, who had accepted to be the chief guest and keynote speaker, could not make it due to health reasons.

However, in his message readout at the conference, Dr Ishfaq mentioned that Einstein had brought about a revolution in physics by providing understanding of the atomic or molecular structure of matter, quantization of light to explain the photoelectric effect as well as explaining the Brownian motion.

He said that Einstein had also formulated a special theory of relativity, which linked space and gravity; and also derived an equation, which was a fundamental basis for the development of nuclear energy.

Coming on to “Physics and Health”, the noted physicist said that throughout the course of medical history, physics had been one of the fundamental medical sciences.

“There is a long and rich history of applying physical principles, and the development of many types of technology, for both the diagnosis of diseases and injury, and for a variety of therapeutic purposes,” he added.

President of the AKU, Shams Kassim Lakha, said that Einstein’s three papers had transformed humanity’s view of the physical universe.

The AKU’s conference brings together fellow academics as well as anyone interested in science and its role in society, to celebrate the WYP, he added.

Referring to high-tech machines in use in advance centres of healthcare, he said that applications of the principles and equations of physics were seen everywhere.

“Even in laboratory diagnoses, tests which were once laboriously performed by hand are now automated, using technology that is based on physical principles,” he remarked.

He said that if, as a result of the conference and workshops, some of the related quarters develop an interest in the role of physics in biology and health sciences, and try to develop ideas about interdisciplinary approaches, it would then be a success of the conference’s organizers.

Speaking at the technical sessions, Dr Shahid Kamal, Director Karachi Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, said that radiation oncology was an important domain of therapeutic medicine in which sealed sources of radioactive substances were used to treat various types of cancers.

Talking about the injury to structures surrounding the tumour in human body, he said that for deep-seated and small tumours, a linear accelerator was the ideal choice, as it was highly precise with minimum possible injury.

He also talked about 3-D conformal radiotherapy, intensity modulated radiotherapy and image guided radiotherapy.

Dr Saad H Bashir of the AKU said that traditionally students of biology and medicine had been aware that many processes, ideas, equations and principles of physics lay behind a lot of biological processes.

But, a greater depth and breadth of knowledge of physical sciences was needed to enhance their understanding and knowledge about biological processes and mechanisms of diseases.

While the obvious use of physics in medicine is seen in radiology, radiotherapy, ion and anaesthesia, cardiology, pacemakers, ECG, etc, the new disciplines of biophysics studies include probability and statistical mechanism phenomena in biology, thermodynamics and kinetic fluid mechanism, molecular machines, etc.

Dr Maseeh uz Zaman of Kiran highlighted the importance of nuclear medicine and said that in recent years, various short-life isotopes had been produced with the help of cyclotron.

And, those isotopes emitted positrons were the basis of the ‘Positron Emission Tomography’ that was the most sensitive imaging modality giving information at the molecular level.

Dr Mohammad Khursheed, Dean of the AKU Medical College, Dr Nadeem Ahmad, Dr Obaidur Rahman, Prof Fauzia Khan and Prof Fazal H Khan also spoke at the conference.