The GC University Lahore Institute of Industrial Biotechnology (GCU-IIB) Wednesday arranged a workshop on 'Basic tools in Bioinformatics.' Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Hassan Amir Shah chaired the inaugural ceremony of the one day workshop which was also addressed by Dr Daniel Hoessli from Switzerland.
In his opening remarks, GCU Dean Faculty of Science and Technology Professor Dr Islam Ullah Khan said that 250 participants from 35 different colleges, universities and research organizations from across the Pakistan were participating the workshop which covered a wide range of basic techniques of bioinformatics. He added that the objective to hold this workshop was to provide practical, step-by-step assistance to the participants to ensure maximum learning.
IIB Director Professor Dr Hamid Mukhtar said computational biology or bioinformatics had emerged as a new field in the last decade and had been none less than a miracle. "A few years back we could not imagine the visualization of DNA or Protein but with the emergence of bioinformatics we can not only see the structural details of biomolecules but also elucidate their function, reactivity and binding abilities," he added.
Dr Daniel Hoessli said the use of bioinformatics had allowed scientist to make new discoveries. The treatment of disease has become easier by applying tools of drugs designing. The study of drug interactions has made it possible to formulate new methods of curing cancer.
Data pertinent to evolutionary traits and genetics was being used to improve the nutritional capacities of agricultural crops and increase productivity. Moreover, the tools available help in designing experiments according to the biomolecules being studied, thereby facilitating scientists. Keeping in view this advancement, the Dr Hoessli said that it was imperative for students to have a complete understanding of this field was integration of computer, biology, chemistry and statistics.