BINASIA- Pakistan National Workshop on Biotechnology was started at the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, Lahore. While introducing the symposium the Director CEMB stated that there are 30 laboratories in the various universities and R&D organizations working on Biotechnology related research. This symposium has brought them all on one platform to discuss the present progress and future plans. Prof. Mahmood Ahmad, Chairman Board of Governors, University of Health Sciences while delivering the inaugural address greatly commended the efforts of University of the Punjab in gathering together all the Biotech players on one platform. This will provide a unique opportunity for their interaction and cross-fertilization of ideas. Needless to mention their presentations will be complied in a book that will provide a compendium of information to the Biotech Planners, Policy Makers and Researchers in the Lab.

 

Prof. Dr. Mahmood Ahmad emphasized that the present century is a century of Molecular Biology and referring to his own profession he said, cancer is a deadly disease and no effective cure has been found in the last 30 years. As a consequence, the surgeons like him are forced to remove the cancerous cells / organs through painful surgical operation. He expressed a hope that researches in molecular biology will provide a cure in the next 5-8 years.

 

The meetings will last two days. Sixteen presentations were delivered today and fourteen presentations will be delivered tomorrow on March 12, 2006.