The University of Health Sciences (UHS) has earned international recognition, as World Health Organisation (WHO) is in the process of designating UHS as its collaborating center for medical education, research and training.
UHS vice-chancellor, Professor Dr Malik Hussain Mubbashar stated this, while addressing the participants of the workshop on "Real Time PCR" here on Thursday. The workshop was organised by UHS physiology and biology department in collaboration with Bio Flux Corporation, Japan.
Professor Mubbashar maintained that the university was committed to promote research in medical science, as it was the dream of Professor Mahmood Ahmad Chaudhry, UHS Chairman Board of Governors. He said that after PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) technology, next step would be DNA sequencing. He thanked Japanese government for supporting Pakistan in terms of science and technology.
Later, two representatives of Bio Flux Corporation, Edward Gratwick and Hiroaki Yamamoto, gave a presentation on the working, principles and application of real time PCR.
The participants were informed that PCR technology, first described in 1985, was useful for detection, quantification and characterisation of a variety of microbes. It was most applicable when there was a compelling clinical question to be answered and when there were numerous microbes present in an accessible clinical specimen.
Edward Gratwick said that PCR was being used world over as a powerful tool for research and diagnosis. It had been crucial for the detection of HIV, Hepatitis B&C viruses and human papilloma virus. In future, this technology might be used in predictive tests for finding out who is predisposed to common disorders, such as heart disease and many types of cancer, he added.
A large number of postgraduate medical students and senior professors attended the workshop. The workshop was co-ordinated by UHS physiology department's head, Professor Muhammad Arslan and Dr Nelofar Kureshi.