Training programme

LAHORE: A three-member expert's team headed by Punjab University (PU) Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology Director Prof Dr Tayyab Husnain along with Prof Dr Idrees Ahmad Nasir and Dr Abdul Qayyum Rao participated in a training programme in Turkey.

The training programme was organised by Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC). Some 18 delegates from 13 cotton producing Islamic countries participated in the training.

The programme was on development of sustainable transgenic technology, commercialisation and post-release monitoring to identify the relevant needs of transgenic crop technology and assess capacities at hand of the member countries of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Dr Tayyab gave introduction of molecular biology, its application and achievements followed by technical lecture of genetic transformation of cotton by Dr Abdul Qayyum Rao. Dr Idrees Ahmed Nasir presented success story of Zea Mays Genetic Modification at CEMB. The proceeding ended with lecture of Prof Dr Tayyab on identification of economically important agronomic traits and characterisation. He said CEMB Pakistan was ready to support Islamic countries under the umbrella of bilateral technology transfer agreement of respective country and government of Pakistan. The participants showed interest in acquiring Pakistani developed transgenic cotton varieties.