Symposium on trends in biochemistry inaugurated at AMU

Aligarh: Inaugurating a National Symposium on 'Current Trends in Biochemical, Biomedical andEnvironmental Sciences' organized by the Department of Biochemistry, Vice Chancellor P.K. Abdul Azis of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) said that it is quite appropriate in the present day scenario where interdisciplinary research is the norm and boundaries between various disciplines are getting blurred.

Prof. Azis said that the Department of Biochemistry has produced distinguished scientists and entrepreneurs and these alumni are working in theUnited States. He pointed out that AMU had decided to establish central instrumentation facilities with modern equipment to boost more research activities. 

Prof. Azis emphasized that the university needed biomedical, bio-engineering and environmental sciences departments and urged the faculty members to submit proposals for the same to theUniversity Grants Commission (UGC). 

He hoped that the symposium will promote scientific exchange and also encourage more collaborative and inter-disciplinary research at AMU. 

Organizing Secretary of the symposium Qayyum Husain, in his welcome addresses said that the first batch of M.Sc. Bio Chemistry passed out in 1959. "Since, then 56 students have obtained M.Sc. and more than 200 candidates awarded have gone to developed countries on post-doctoral assignment," he said.

He further added that the research activities of the department have been founded by national and international funding agencies. 

Faculty of Life Sciences Dean Masood Ahmed said that teaching of biochemistry had regained and affirmed the status of a foundation course on medical sciences. Health and disease of living organisms including human beings as well as of ecosystems are empirically assessed by biochemical parameters. 

He said that the product of the department has proved its worth in the developed world including USA, Canada, England, France and Germany and this department is considered as flagship department of this university. 

Prof. Rajiv Bhatt of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) said that AMU is a vibrant campus. He said that Bio Sciences will be leading the future.

Prof. Bilqees Bano, Chairperson of the Department of Biochemistry proposed a vote of thanks and Ms. Maria Salman conducted the inaugural session. A large number of delegates from all parts of the country participated in the deliberations.

source:http://indiaedunews.net/Uttar_Pradesh/Symposium_on_trends_in_biochemistry_inaugurated_at_AMU_13577/

'Right to education helping kids' health too'

New Delhi: The Right to Education (RTE) Act, besides giving children between six and 14 years access to free and compulsory education, also helps their health as voluntary groups often target schools for their programmes, experts said on Thursday.

Deworm the World (DTW), a voluntary organization giving deworming medicine against intestinal parasites to children between 6 to 14 years, will soon be covering the capital's government schools and slums.

"After a year-long successful work in seven districts of Andhra Pradesh since 2009, we will now target Bihar and Delhi where our prevalence studies have been going on for quite some time," DTW's executive director Lesley Drake told the sources on her visit to India.

"We realized how effective health plans can be when they are pitched in with educational schemes. RTE is an important catalyst for our policy in India," added Drake. 

The NGO, in its massive action plan, stated that the programme in Bihar will be rolled out in over 67,000 schools of its 38 districts from February to April.

"Deworming is often ignored in developing nations because it does not affect the mortality rate. The need is to realize its impact on the cognitive growth of the child, his education, mental and physical abilities," explained Drake. 

The deworming schemes will also rope in the state governments and additional technical support from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

"In Delhi, our studies across slums and schools are underway, and a school-based deworming programme will be launched in identified at-risk areas later this year," said Prerna Makkar, regional director of DTW's south Asia wing.

"Adequate sanitation, hygienic living conditions, and safe drinking water are other key approaches to the deworming plan," added Makkar. IANS

source:http://indiaedunews.net/Today/'Right_to_education_helping_kids'_health_too'_13460/