STAFF REPORT LHR: An international conference on “Biotechnology for Sustainable Development” has recently been held at the Government College University, Lahore, under the auspices of the universitys Sustainable Development Study Centre.
Pakistan Academy of Sciences Secretary General Dr Anwar Naseem chaired the inaugural session of the two-day conference, while GCU Dean of Science and Technology Prof. Dr Islam Ullah Khan, conference chairman Prof. Dr Ikram-ul-Haq and Director Research Prof. Dr Zakria Butt were also present during the event.
As many as 250 research papers would be presented at the technical sessions of the conference.
Prof. Dr Gunsaylus from University of California, Dr Jarboe, and Dr Wen from Iowa State University and Dr Arshad Ali from University of Florida were the foreign key speakers at the conference.
In his remarks, Dean Dr Islam Ullah Khan told the participants that biotechnology had the potential to augment food security by developing novel bio-pesticides and flooding-tolerant food crop varieties via genetic engineering. He also said that advances in biotechnology research could help in improving health standards and longer lives by producing new preventive and curative pharmaceuticals.