Memorial lectureship award held at varsity

Amritsar, November 18

The Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry of the Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) organised the Sardar Jaswant Singh Rai Memorial Lectureship Award at Sri Guru Granth Sahib Bhawan of the university. Inception of the award was done by Prof Karamjit Singh Rai, founder head of the Department of Biology at GNDU through a memorandum of understanding between the university and Sardar Jaswant Singh Rai Memorial Trust.

Prof Anish Dua, Dean Students Welfare, presided over the session, and gave opening remarks about the relevance of the event in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr Avinash Kaur Nagpal introduced the Trust to the audience. Dr Harish Changotra, head of the department introduced the department and recipient of the award this year.

Dr Dinakar Masanu Salunke, Director, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi and a renowned structural immunologist, delivered a lecture on the topic ‘Conflicts within the immune system: Specificity versus promiscuity’. He has also headed premier institutes like the Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) and Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) at Faridabad.

His talk centred around the concept of poly-specificity in antigen-antibody interactions, which were earlier believed to be very specific. His research has important implications in the ability of the human body to protect itself against fast mutating viruses like influenza, human immunodeficiency virus and the coronavirus.

Prof Renu Bhardwaj gave the concluding remarks while Prof Jatinder Singh delivered the vote of thanks.