KARACHI: The Univer­sity of Karachi’s Inter­national Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, China recently.

The centre signed various agreements with the leading Chinese research and academic institutions linked with Hunan University of Chinese Medicine.

An ICCBS official said these institutions included Guangzhou Eighth Peoples Hospital, College of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Institute of Materia Medica, and Academician Professor Atta-ur-Rahman One Belt One Road Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Centre.

Prof Atta-ur-Rahman, chairman of Prime Minister’s Task Force on Science and Technology, ICCBS director Prof Dr Iqbal Choudhary, and Chinese officials signed the MoUs on behalf of their respective institutions in a meeting held at the Dr Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi recently.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof Choudhary said that ICCBS and two leading Chinese institutions inte­nded to work together for their mutual benefit in the field of biological and chemical sciences. He opined that this agreement aimed to promote scientific and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

As per MoUs, it was agreed that exchange of research staff and facilities will take place between both institutions. The areas of cooperation include joint supervision of graduate students, including Masters and PhD students and researchers in the areas of chemistry, biology, biotechnology, molecular medicine, pharmacology, and natural and life sciences.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2019