The Punjab University Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB) has developed selected flowers and vegetable seeds through tissue culture for large-scale production of genetically engineering rice (Banaspati-370) and cotton (MNH-93).
CEMB Director Dr S Riazuddin revealed this in a presentation given in the 29th meeting of the Board of Governors of the Center here on Thursday. The vice-chancellor Punjab University, Arshad Mahmood, was also present on the occasion.
Riazuddin said Bt bioinsecticide developed at the Center is being tested in limited field trial. Bt pesticide genes would be helpful in producing crop plants resistant to rice leaf-folder and American bollworm, respectively.
He said that the Center had trained 119 M.Phil. and 31 Ph.D. students, who have developed procedures for prenatal diagnosis of b-Thalassaemia, DNA typing procedures for use in crime investigations, parenthood identification and PCR diagnostic procedure.
He further said the Center had discovered 10 genes/loci involved in hearing/vision impairment and developed stem cell culturing techniques.
He further said that two scientists of the Center had received international and national recognition and four scientists had also received productivity allowance.
He presented progress report of the national laboratories for genomic and stem cell research and work plan for the next five years (2005-10).
The meeting also discussed tenure track system of appointment at the Center. Higher Education Commission of Pakistan Advisor, Dr Riaz Qureshi, Pakistan Science Foundation Chairman Dr Farid A Malik, Dr M Hanif Qazi of Agriculture University, Peshawar and Dr Sikandar Ali of Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology also attended the meeting.
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