Young researchers briefed on advances in biotechnology

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 26

A week-long national training programme for scientists and research scholars commenced at the School of Biotechnology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Jammu (SKUAST-J).

The programme was inaugurated by SKUAST-J Vice Chancellor PK Sharma. Scientists from across the country are scheduled to participate in the event.

Sharma in his inaugural address said biotechnology has made rapid advances in the last four decades and has the potential to deliver in all spheres of biological sciences.

He, however, urged the biotechnologists to deliver the product of agricultural biotechnology to the farmers.

The Vice Chancellor also released the compendium of training material and three laboratory manuals.

Director, School of Agriculture Biotechnology, Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, Kuldeep Singh attended the inaugural session and made presentation on latest developments in genome technology for crop improvement.

Kuldeep Singh emphasised the need for conservation of wild germplasm, which would serve as the goldmine for agronomically important genes in future.

Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Prof JP Sharma underlined the need of coordination among agriculture and biotechnology scientists to make advances in the niche areas.

Training coordinator RK Salgotra highlighted the importance of such trainings for young researchers working in diverse fields.

He said contents of training programme have been framed to impart latest knowledge and hands-on experience about the basic techniques in molecular biology and bioinformatics.

The objective of the training programme is to equip the trainees with basic techniques in molecular biology and prepare them to handle the advance research in the frontier areas of biotechnology.

Topics like application of single nucleotide polymorphism, next generation sequencing and microarray technology will be of special interest to the young researchers, the coordinator said.