KARACHI, March 11: The Sixth International Biennial Conference of Microbiology will commence from March 18 in Islamabad.

This was announced by a former chairperson of Microbiology Department of the University of Karachi, Professor (Dr) Shahana Urooj Kazmi on Sunday.

She said the moot was being organised by the Pakistan Society for Microbiology in collaboration with the Department of Microbiology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Molecular biotechnology for better health, environment and agriculture”.

Dr Shahana pointed out that the emergence of new infectious diseases, crop failures, bioterrorism, food poisoning, antibiotic resistance and new microbial explanations for ulcers and heart diseases kept the micro-organisms in the news.

Despite the latest developments and progress, there was an uncontrolled morbidity and mortality due to diseases like dengue fever, hepatitis, diarrhoea, malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS in addition to huge economic losses due to environmental pollution and major livestock and crop diseases.

Dr Shahana said in order to discuss these issues and develop immediate and long-term solutions, the Quaid-i-Azam University and the Pakistan Society for Microbiology were jointly organising the international biennial conference of microbiology.

Two of the previous five conferences were held in Karachi and rest of the conferences were organised in Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar. These conferences attracted more than 300 local and foreign delegates, she added.

Dr Shahana pointed out that this year’s conference would include plenary lectures by invited speakers, symposia, oral and poster presentations in addition to special seminars and hands on training workshops on ‘Microbiology Education: opportunities and challenges’.

Teachers of colleges and universities will be invited to the conference where they will discuss new trends, problems, challenges and facilities available to teach microbiology and molecular biotechnology in Pakistani educational institutions.—APP