PESHAWAR, Feb 1: The vice-chancellor of the Dow Medical University, Dr Masood Hameed has said that a link is being formed with the University of Engineering and Technology for developing models of surgical implants and instruments prototypes.

Dr Masood visited the NWFP University of Engineering and Technology on Wednesday and met its vice-chancellor, Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani, and staff members.

The objective of his visit was to look into possibilities of forging its link between the University of Engineering and Technology and Dow Medical University in developing models of surgical implants and instruments prototypes.

In his speech, Dr Masood said that medical students during their undergraduate and postgraduate studies needed surgical implants and surgical instruments which were being imported at high costs from foreign countries. If we have this technology in Pakistan in our engineering universities, we can save time and money by involving these experts in developing prototypes of surgical models and implants, he said.

He said that the Dow Medical University would initially give some models to the University of Engineering and Technology to develop prototypes and would soon sign an agreement for further collaboration.

The vice-chancellor of the University of Engineering and Technology, welcomed the guests and urged the need to develop strong inter-disciplinary linkages between universities so as to help in making research and development programmes more integral.

He said that Dow Medical University’s link with the University of Engineering and Technology would be a multi-dimensional one by combining cutting-edge engineering technology with the medicine field.

Dr M. A. Irfan, chairman, Mechanical Engineering Department, briefed the delegation on the Rapid Prototyping Machine and its application in bio-medical engineering.

He said that the university’s mechanical engineers take designs and make prototypes.

He said: “Designing is a multi-disciplinary approach through which bio-medical parts can be designed in a 3D scanner and be developed into prototypes at low cost.”

Later, the delegate visited the Rapid Prototyping Laboratory and inspected prototype models.