STAFF REPORT KHI: The 21st Century is the period of biotechnology where Pakistan needs to focus on the benefits of agricultural biotechnology like improvement of field crops, reduce vulnerability of crops and livestocks to environmental stresses, increases nutritional qualities and quantity of foods, improve taste, texture and appearance of foods and reduce the dependence of fertilizers, pesticides and other agrochemicals.
Speakers expressed these remarks at a seminar titled “Emerging Trends in Biochemistry and Biotechnology”. The seminar was arranged by the Department of Chemical Sciences (Biochemistry) and Biotechnology, Jinnah University for Women.
Dr. Kausar Abdullah Malik from FC College University, Lahore, presented the lecture on “Biotechnology and food security”.
Concluding lecture was delivered by Prof. Dr. Abid Azhar on “Biotechnology in health and disease-benefits versus risks”. He discussed wide applications of biotechnology in various fields of life like food medicine, agriculture, and diagnostics, forensics and crime detection.
Besides, he also discussed drawbacks and ethical issues related with the application of Biotechnology. At the end the vote of thanks was given by Ms. Farah Tariq, Program Head, Department of Biochemistry, Jinnah University for Women.
Dr. Waheed Akhter, School of Biological Sciences, University of Punjab, presented the lecture on “Engineering Proteins for Application” focusing on the Recombinant DNA Technology and its uses to produce proteins and its improvement in term of activity, affinity, selectivity and stability.