Biological sciences help to solve agri, medicine, industrial problems

Genetic engineering and biotechnology are the most exciting areas in biological sciences and have the potential to dominate the scientific scenario of 21st century as they offer new tools with unlimited potential to resolve a variety of problems related to agriculture, medicine, industry and other important areas. This was emphasized by Prof. Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad Khan Dean Faculty of Agriculture, UAF while delivering his address as chief guest of 2nd national workshop on “Genetic resources and molecular techniques in livestock production” here at new senate hall.

Dr. Iftikhar stressed that we have to switch over to the modern genetic techniques by grooming the existing and new manpower with latest and emerging innovative tools. Referring to the trends and speed of molecular breeding and biotechnology in the world, he lauded the efforts of the department of ABG for developing a facility to train and equip livestock production graduates with such techniques of biological sciences and urged the need for developing a molecular genetics lab in the department of animal breeding & genetics in this university.

He told the participants that Pakistan is facing multifarious problems and so is the case with our livestock and poultry sector. Introduction of foreign germplasm and out break of various endemic diseases are big expected threats to our animal sector. He urged the animal scientists that they should seriously think to breed and genetically improve farm animal resources to meet these challenges.

Dr. Abdul Shakoor Chaudhry from Newcastle University, UK rapped up the joint higher education link program of UAF and Newcastle aims to contribute to the capacity building of the faculty in molecular techniques in livestock genetics & production. He added that these techniques are known for years, the scale of their applications has widened tremendously in the recent past and new developments in this area are fascinating and yet unbelievable. He applauded the efforts of British Council and Higher Education commission for their funding and cooperation to organize such national workshops.

Dr. Muhammad Younus Dean Faculty of Animal Husbandry highlighted various aspects of the program and said that this link was originally established by the Dept. of Livestock Management FAH with University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK in 2004. While commending the efforts of Syed Hassan Raza and D. A S Chaudhry for making the link operational, functional and even contributed to the success of this link. This link successfully completed its three year tenure from 2004 to 2006 and was granted another chance to complete for its second phase. He told that Phase-II of the link was approved under “Capacity Building in Molecular Genetic Studies”. Chairman Department of ABG Dr. Sajjad A Khan conducted the program.



[Edited by docosama on 08-11-2008 at 10:16 AM GMT]

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