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KARACHI: The 10th Biennial Conference of Pakistan Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (PSBMB) kicked off this week in Karachi University. Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (KIBGE) is the host institute for the conference following a theme of “Bio-molecular Sciences in Development.”
In his welcome address, Director General KIBGE, Prof. Dr. Syed Irtifaq Ali said that some 250 delegates from outside Karachi were participating in the five day event.
Later, the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Professor Darakshan Haleem said that the term Biochemistry was first coined by a German scholar in 1903 and was now dubbed as the “Chemistry of Life”. The subject of Biochemistry was first introduced in 1962 at Karachi University and recently a new field of Chemical Engineering has also been introduced.
Dr. Haleem stressed upon the media to highlight the research of veteran scholars. She said that some years ago, a research work about Statin in Britain was highlighted in the Pakistani media but a Karachi University’s scholar had done the same work even before the British scientists but was totally ignored by local newspapers. She also urged the media to work as an outreach platform for local research to the Pakistani masses.
General Secretary of PSBMB, Waheed Akhtar said that scientific capability is the matter of national survival. He urged capacity building of scholars to solve local problems regarding health, agriculture and medicines. Akhtar also appreciate Prof. Abid Azhar, Co-director General of KIBGE for the regular publishing of a research journal.
In his address, Vice Chancellor of Karachi University, Dr Pirzada Qasim Raza Siddiqui, said that Karachi University was a good example of public-private partnership, such as KIBGE, which was a private institute formed by the support received from nuclear scientist, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan. Qasim paid a rich tribute to Dr. Irtifaq Ali of KIBGE about his dedication to research even in his early eighties.
Speaker of the National Assembly and Chief Guest of the event, Nisar Khoro emphasised the need to probe solutions for drought and salt resistant crops. He urged the scientists to work on economically viable projects.
After the certification and plaque distribution, Prof. Anwar Ali Siddiqui presented a lecture on the first chairman of the biochemistry department, Prof. Zain-ul-Abideen.
Posters and Presentations
The national conference on biochemistry will continue until December 5 and young researchers from every province will present their valuable research in the form of presentation, lectures and posters.
Pakistani researchers will present their current research on salt resistant plants, new enzymes, genes and genetics, molecular diagnostics of HIV, anti-malaria drugs, gene expressions, luminescent bacterial isolation from Karachi beaches, quick DNA isolation from oral rinse, cancer from chewing gutka and paan, osteoporosis, proteomics for health and diagnosis, goiter disease pattern in rural areas of Sindh, micro RNAs, Mango Chloroplast DNA and Scorpion Venomics. – Dawn.com
