Past Events

Date:- 26-27 January 2024

COMSTECH (Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation) is organizing a two-days meeting of  SESAME Users in OIC member states from 26-27 January 2024 in Islamabad. SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East), a 3^rd Generation 2.5 GeV SR facility was established in Jordan through financial support from UNESCO and Member States. In the first phase, there will be eight beamlines, these beamlines are as follow

1. BM02 – IR (Infrared) Spectromicroscopy
2. BM08 – XAFS/XRF (X-ray Absorption Fine Structure/X-ray Fluorescence) Spectroscopy 
3. ID09 – MS/XPD (Materials Science/X-ray Powder Diffraction)
4. ID10 – BEATS (BEAmline for Tomography at SESAME)
5. ID11L – HESEB (HElmholtz-SEsame Beamline)
6. ID11R – TXPES (Turkish soft X-ray PhotoElectron Spectroscopy)
7. MX (Macromolecular Crystallography) being designed
8. SAXS/WAXS (Small Angle and Wide Angle X-ray Scattering) being designed

The users, with diverse cultural, political, and religious backgrounds, interact on scientific issues and through this build cross-border scientific collaboration, dialogue and understanding.

Aims and Objectives of the Meeting:

SESAME and COMSTECH are jointly supporting scientists from OIC Member States to conduct experiments at SESAME. In this endeavour, the main objectives of hosting the SESAME Users Meeting-2024 in Islamabad are as follows:

• To provide a platform for education on the scientific and technical advancements in the domain of synchrotrons beamlines and their applications.
• To share and evaluate the utilization of SESAME beamlines by users for research applications in the domain of materials science, engineering, medicine, healthcare, cultural heritage and the environment, as well as fundamental physics and chemistry.
• To discuss opportunities for collaborative utilization of the SESAME beamlines for a variety of research applications by OIC scientists and researchers.
• To develop a strategy/programme for the potential use of SESAME beamlines in future for the benefit of OIC researchers.

Speakers:

• Prof. Samar Hasnain, University of Liverpool, UK
• Dr. Andy Fitch, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France
• Dr. Andrea Lausi, Science Director, SESAME, Jordan
• Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General COMSTECH
• Prof. Dr. Aslam Baig, Professor Emeritus, Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan
• Prof. Dr. Moaz-ur-Rahman, Professor, University of the Punjab, Pakistan
• Prof. Dr. Javed Akhtar, PINSTECH, Pakistan

Venue:

COMSTECH Secretariat, 33-Constitution Avenue, G-5/2, Islamabad, Pakistan

Registration Deadline:

• 15 December 2023
• Registration Link: Click Here
• open to researchers/scientists of OIC Member states

Organizers:

• Prof. Dr. Samar Hasnain, UK
• Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Pakistan

Coordinators:

• Dr. Sammer Yousuf (dr.sammer.yousuf@gmail.com )
• Ms. Khazima Muazim (khazima@comstech.org)

Flyer: Link

Date: Thursday, 7^th December 2023
Time: 08:00 pm Pakistan Standard Time
(9am Chicago, USA time)
Online participation only.

Speaker/Convener
Prof. Dr. Bulent Aydogan

Professor of Radiation and Cellular Oncology
Director of Medical Physics
Director of Small Animal Radiation Research
University of Chicago

Speakers Profile:

Currently, Dr. Aydogan hold the position of Director of Medical Physics, responsible for overseeing a dynamic team of 6 academic professionals and 40 clinical experts.

He has a comprehensive foundation in medical physics, enriched by specialized training and proficiency in various domains such as research, education, leadership, and clinical excellence, particularly in the realm of radiotherapy. He is also the inaugural Director of Small Animal Radiation Program and the Center for Clinical Oximetry at UChicago. His primary areas of expertise and passion lie within translational clinical radiation oncology, spanning vital facets such as image-guided therapy, theragnostic nanomedicine, and both anatomical and functional imaging modalities for gauging therapy response and individualized medical approaches. Notably, He has garnered international recognition as an authority in linac-based TMI technique, a breakthrough he conceptualized and successfully integrated into clinical practice. His notable accomplishments includes seven Phase I and Phase II clinical studies focused on AML and MM, showcasing the clinical viability and tangible benefits of my approach. HIs commitment extends to the global community, where he has been contributing to the dissemination of this groundbreaking technology by providing training and guidance to esteemed institutions worldwide. His active engagement in the realm of nanotechnology has led to the development of innovative platforms with theragnostic applications. This is exemplified by his pioneering work involving a targeted nanogold contrast agent for both cancer diagnosis and therapy, a milestone that culminated in the award of a full patent in 2016. Most recently, a collaborative endeavor in conjunction with Northwestern and Case Western has yielded a significant achievement—an NIH R01 grant. This aims to improve prostate cancer therapy through heightened precision and targeting of tumors using PSMA and Gd (MRI). This undertaking is vital to facilitate advanced image-guided preclinical radiation therapy capabilities required to improve cancer outcome.

Abstract

With the recent developments in technology and radiobiology, radiation therapy has evolved into a primary treatment method for many cancer patients with certain disease sites. However, in current radiotherapy (RT) practices, we are still treating each patient within a specific tumor type and stage with a common dose, ignoring the wide per-patient and per-tumor-sub-volume dose-response variations and missing the opportunity to dynamically modify the dose distribution based on tumor response. Radiation therapy (RT) efficacy is jeopardized by this lack of patient-specific treatment strategy. More and more studies have shown the value of personalized cancer treatments. Vendors and research institutes are working on new treatment technologies with achieving personalized radiation therapy as one of the goals. Nonetheless, successful examples are rare. In this presentation, we will discuss three promising examples of such developments in my lab, namely, biology guided total marrow irradiation, oxygen-guided RT, and a theragnostic nanoplatform for prostate cancer.

Who Should Attend?

Early stage researchers, students, relevant personnel from the research Laboratories and industries.

Registration Form: Link

For more information please contact:

Ms. Khazima Muazim
Program Manager COMSTECH
khazima@comstech.org

Ms. Maham Yamin
Program Officer COMSTECH
maham.yamin@comstech.org

Flyer: Link

Date: Wednesday, 8^th November 2023
Time: 05:00 pm Pakistan Standard Time
(7am Philadelphia, USA time)
Online participation only.

Speaker/Convener

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Mir
Assistant Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, USA
Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine,
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA

Abstract of the webinar:

During early development, gene expression patterns progressively emerge as cell fates are determined and the embryo takes form. The regulation of patterning occurs across a broad range of spatial and temporal scales. These scales range from the molecular scale dynamics of regulatory proteins binding to genomic loci to activate or repress expression, to the organization of chromatin and distribution of proteins within nuclei at sub-micron to micron scales, to the emergence of domains of gene expression at the scales of hundreds of microns to millimeters.  I will discuss the application of high-resolution light-sheet microscopy, single molecule tracking, and new analysis approaches to functionally bridge data acquired across this wide range of spatial and temporal scales. I will present data on how transient assemblies of transcriptional regulators shape the nucleoplasm and regulate gene expression during embryogenesis. I will discuss how combining imaging data with systematic mutagenesis of key transcription factors allows us to dissect how protein-protein interactions influences the ability of transcription factors to efficiently find and bind their genomic targets and regulate transcriptional activity. Finally, I will discuss the broad applicability of our findings to transcription regulation both during development and in disease.

Speakers Profile:

Prof. Dr. Mir received his PhD in Electrical Engineering in 2013 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign working with Prof. Gabriel Popescu. During his graduate work he invented new microscopes that provide high resolution quantitative phase images of living cells. He applied these new microscopes to a variety of problems in medicine and the basic life sciences, ranging from clinical pathology of blood samples, to single cell growth, and neural development.  For his postdoctoral work Dr. Mir joined the labs of Xavier Darzacq and Robert Tjian at the University of California, Berkeley where he studied gene regulation in Drosophila embryos using a combination of advanced microscopy methods (especially single molecule imaging), biochemistry, and genomics. Dr. Mir built a customized Lattice-Light Sheet microscope to capture the first data on transcription factor dynamics within the nuclei of a living animal embryo. Dr. Mir started his lab at UPenn and CHOP in January 2021. His lab focuses on developing and using advanced fluorescence microscopy methods and analysis tools to study gene regulation and nuclear organization during early embryonic development and in disease. Dr. Mir received the National Institutes of Health Directors new innovator award in 2021 and was selected as an inaugural Freeman Hrabowski Scholar by the Howard Huges Medical Institute in 2023.

Who Should Attend?

Early stage researchers, students, relevant personnel from the research Laboratories and industries.

Registration Form: Click here

For more information please contact:

Ms. Khazima Muazim
Program Manager COMSTECH
khazima@comstech.org

Ms. Maham Yamin
Program Officer COMSTECH
maham.yamin@comstech.org

COMSTECH International Seminar

“Advances in Neglected Tropical Diseases”

Date and Time: Monday,4^th December 2023, 10:00 am to 02:00 pm Pakistan Time
Venue: COMSTECH Secretariat, G-5/2, Islamabad.

Event Flyer: attached here,

Introduction:

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of 20 tropical infections that are common in low-income populations in developing regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. They are caused by a variety of pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and parasitic worms (helminths). These diseases are less prevalent in temperate climates, in part to the occurrence of a cold season, which controls the vector population. However due to climate change and global warming, there has been a spread of NTD’s to the temperate regions. One of these NTDs, Leishmaniasis, is caused by obligate intracellular protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Globally leishmaniasis is among the top 10 neglected tropical diseases, with more than 12 million people infected.

In this seminar, a team of internationally renowned speakers will discuss diagnostics of NTDs, and structure-based and AI supported drug discovery targeting the Leishmaniasis causing parasites.

Brief profile of the speakers: attached here,

Program of the event; attached here,

Participation:

Physical participation is only open for residents of Islamabad, Pakistan.

Virtual participation is open to all interested individuals of OIC member states and others.

Registration Link: Click here to Register.   

Registration outcome will be shared through email, therefore, please give your valid email address.

Participants will receive E-certificates.

Contact persons,

Ms Khazima Muazim; Program Manager
khazima@comstech.org

Ms Maham Yamin, Program Officer
mahamyamin@gmail.com
Tel: (+92 51) 9220681-3
Fax: (+92 51) 9211115

For Developing Countries

Isfahan-Iran

27-29 November 2023

Organized by:
Isfahan Regional Centre for Technology incubator and Science Park Development
(IRIS under the auspices of UNESCO)
and
UNESCO Tehran Office (UTO)
In Collaboration with:
Isfahan Science & Technology Town (ISTT) ECO Science Foundation (ECOSF)
Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH)

Flyer Attached here,
Application Form-Download

Background and Introduction

The Knowledge Economy has been described as production and provision of services based on knowledge-intensive activities. These contribute to an accelerated pace of technical and scientific advances. One of the key components of a knowledge economy is nurturing startups and reliance on intellectual capabilities, human capital, research and development.

Economic growth is dependent on the ability of an economy to develop and commercialize innovative products and services and developing new technologies.

The SMEs and startups have helped developing new technologies and bringing up innovative ideas in recent years. These companies are shaped successfully when they are formed in a supportive entity like a science park. Science parks play an important role in development of technology and developing knowledge-based economies and are able to stimulate economic growth of the countries. They play a significant role in developing a knowledge-based economy by accommodating high-tech firms and providing an environment that fosters creativity and innovation by startups.

ISTT is the founder of technology parks in Iran that helped the economic development of region by nurturing startups and SMEs and creating employment opportunities for thousands of university graduates. ISTT has helped economic development of Isfahan Province through its technology incubators and science and technology parks.

Given the level of commercialization of research and the importance of strengthening the capacity of RTI in developing countries, Isfahan Regional Centre for Technology incubator and Science Park Development, under the auspices of UNESCO (IRIS) and UNESCO Tehran Office (UTO) with the cooperation of ISTT, ECO Science Foundation and COMSTECH will jointly conduct a workshop in Isfahan aimed at building the capacity of the public organizations, science parks authorities, university experts and professionals managing the science parks and incubators to further develop their knowledge about establishment and management of such entities and supporting the k-based companies in their  countries. It helps research institutions,  independent researchers and professionals, university graduates and authorities to commercialize the results of research.

The training aims at developing capacity of players in the innovation space and to increase commercialization of research findings. Further, the training will bring together the public sector as well as the private sector thus facilitating knowledge transfer between public and private sectors at the national level.

Objectives

1.  Conducting   capacity   building   to   innovators   and   researchers   on   how   to commercialize their research finding.

2.  Sharing knowledge and experience on the development and management of STPs and TBIs in developing countries and solve the challenges of their startups.

3.  Providing technical assistance and information on various elements in a STP

including  admission  of  companies,  services,  assessment,  and  graduation  of companies.

Expected outcome

Introduction to growth and economic development through startups support and the elements referring to establishing incubators and STPs, admission of companies, pre- incubation, incubation, Science Park, support services, mentorship, and financial affairs.

The participants will also be actively involved in learning the different elements and role players in the innovation ecosystem, and the role of Technology Business Incubators and Science Parks as one of the elements in this ecosystem. Upon the completion of the training program and the country presentations, the participants will be awarded a certificate issued by IRIS and UNESCO Office

Activities and Format

A three day-event (two day training workshop and one day field visit) will be held in

Isfahan, in the form of:

•   Presentations and lectures

•   Knowledge and Experience sharing

•   Group Discussion and Question and Answer

•   Participants Country Reports

•   Field Visits to Relevant Sites

•   Evaluation and feedbacks

Presentations and lectures in the form of ppt files followed by Q&A. 9:00a.m. – 17:00 p.m. (each day)

Language of the event

The working language of the event is English.

Participants

Participants from developing countries, ECO member countries (Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkiye, Uzbekistan), Iraq, Mongolia, Armenia, China, Malaysia, Oman, Morocco, Nigeria, Georgia and Indonesia are expected to participate in this programme. The combination of participants from different countries will allow for exchange of knowledge and experiences and prepares the ground for networking and collaboration.

The training will target the below institutions:

•   Universities

•     Government  ministries  and  departments  involved  in  research  activities, commercialization, technology and innovation development,

•   Private sector funding research activities,

•   The innovation hubs,

•   Science Parks and areas of innovation

The selected participants will be provided 4 nights free accommodation and meals during the workshop in Isfahan.

The Criteria for Participants

Participants are expected to have:

•     Experience or be involved in the development and/or management of STPs in their home countries.

•   Keen in STP topics, management, administration, etc.

•   Ability to present a country report on their S&T status.

•   Good command of English

•   Good health

The selected participants need to present a country report during the workshop.

Partners and Organizers

Isfahan Regional Centre for Technology incubator and Science Park Development

(IRIS), under the auspices of UNESCO

•   UNESCO Tehran Office (UTO)

•   Isfahan Science & Technology Town (ISTT)

•   ECO Science Foundation (ECOSF)

•   Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH)

Applications

Applicants are urged to send their applications to their respected organizations

(IRIS, ECOSF, UTO, COMSTECH)

Applicants can also apply using application form attached and submit the completed form to info@unesco-iris.com
Application Form-Download

Closing Date of Applications

All the applications should be submitted by the organizations or applicants to IRIS at above mentioned email NOT LATER than 27 October 2023.

Secretariat & Enquiries

Tel: +98 31 33860619
Fax: +98 31 33862355
Email: info@unesco-iris.com
Website: http://www.unesco-iris.com

COMSTECH WEBINAR SERIES

‘Intersection of Engineering and Biology across the Scales: Opportunities for Personalized Diagnostics and Printing Cellular Machines’

Flyer attached,

Date: Monday, 30^th October 2023
Time: 05:00 pm (Pakistan Standard Time)
Online participation only.

Speaker/Convener
Prof. Dr. Rashid Bashir
Department of Bioengineering, Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory
Grainger College of Engineering
Carle Illinois College of Medicine University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Abstract of the webinar:

Integration of biology, medicine, and engineering and especially fabrication methods at the micro and nano scale offers tremendous opportunities for solving important problems in biology and medicine, and enables a wide range of applications in diagnostics, therapeutics, and tissue engineering. Specifically, microfluidics and Lab-on-Chip can realize applications in detection of disease markers, counting of specific cells from whole blood, and for identification of nucleic acids using sensitive and specific, point-of-care and personalized technologies. The implication of these technologies for advancing personalized medicine for sepsis and cancer would be discussed. Moving up the scale from nanotechnology and microfluidics, 3D bio-fabrication methods for biohybrid polymer devices can also be used to develop instrumented tissues for drug screening and biohybrid robotics.

Speakers Profile:

Prof. Dr. Rashid Bashir is Professor of Bioengineering, the Grainger Distinguished Chair in Engineering, and is currently the Dean of Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has also been the Department Head of Bioengineering and the Director of the Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He was member of the core founding team and co-chair of the inaugural curriculum committee for the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the world’s first engineering-based College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He has previously been at Purdue University and at National Semiconductor Corporation as Sr. Engineering Manager. He has held a Visiting Scientist position at Massachusetts General Hospital and Shriner’s Hospital for Children, and was Visiting Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA. He was the recipient of the Joel and Spira teaching Award, the NSF Faculty Early Career Award and the IEEE EMBS Technical Achievement award. In 2018, he received the Pritzker Distinguished Lectureship Award from BMES.

His research group is interested in developing new diagnostic technologies for precision and personalized medicine, and in 3D bio-fabrication of cellular systems. Using bionanotechnology, BioMEMS, and lab on chip, he is working at the interface of biology and engineering from the molecular to the tissue scale, and aiming to make an impact on grand challenges in infectious disease, sepsis, cancer, and others. He has authored or co-authored over 280 journal papers and has been granted 50 patents. He is fellow of IEEE, BMES, AIMBE, APS, IAMBE, NAI, RSC, and AAAS. Technology from his group has been licensed to BioVitesse, and Daktari, and he is co-founder of recent startups Prenosis and LabSimply.

Who Should Attend?

Early stage researchers, students, relevant personnel from the research Laboratories and industries.

Registration Form: https://forms.gle/P7hm1Z9SLAzAJxJQ9

For more information please contact:

Ms. Khazima Muazim
Program Manager COMSTECH
khazima@comstech.org

Ms. Maham Yamin
Program Officer COMSTECH
maham.yamin@comstech.org

Flyer: Link

Date: Wednesday, 4^th October 2023
Time: 03:00 pm (Pakistan Standard Time)

Online participation only.

Speaker/Convener
Prof. Dr. Adnan Memic

Professor of Nanotechnology, King Abdulaziz University, KSA
Adjunct Professor, University of Connecticut, USA

Abstract of the webinar:

Engineered materials that integrate advances in nanotechnology, chemistry and biology could soon change the way that medicines are made, delivered, and function. The Memic research group aims to develop novel therapies using a combination of nanoparticles, biomaterials and cutting edge fabrication approaches (i.e. electrospinning, 3D printing, cryopolymerization). Specifically, my lab combines natural and synthetic polymers with nanoparticles in order to tune the properties of materials that can then determine their function. The first part of his presentation will discuss how in situ 3D printing can be used to reconstruct damaged bones. Next, he will discuss how using shape-memory injectable biomaterials and their nanocomposites have been used to modulate immune cell behavior. Finally, time permitting he will discuss developing novel drug delivery platforms.

Speakers Profile:

Over the past 10 years, Dr. Memic have been directly involved in establishing a cutting-edge nanotechnology research center with over 25 million dollars of new infrastructure, starting from scratch to become a world recognized entity. His research is multidisciplinary spanning biomaterials, polymer chemistry, and nanotechnology resulting in over 100 published articles, >20 provisional/granted US patents. He joined King Abdulaziz University in 2010, recently being academically promoted to Full Professor of Nanotechnology. He previously held various positions at premier institutions including a Lecturer on Medicine at Harvard Medical School, a Teaching Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and currently an Adjunct Professor at University of Connecticut. He is recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher for two consecutive years given to only 0.1% percent (1 in 1000) of scientists in the world and as a Top 2% Scientist by Elsevier/Stanford analytics. He also served as a consultant to Venture Capital firms providing technical and scientific advice that specialized in early-stage investments in healthcare and life science-based companies. Finally, he is also a Founding member of a start–up medical device company.

Who Should Attend?

Early stage researchers, students, relevant personnel from the research Laboratories and industries.

Registration Form: Click Here

For more information please contact:

Ms. Khazima Muazim
Program Manager COMSTECH
khazima@comstech.org

Ms. Maham Yamin
Program Officer COMSTECH
maham.yamin@comstech.org

November 27 – 30, 2023

Dedicated to the Memory of Prof. Dr. Dr. Wolfgang Voelter
(Hilal-e-Pakistan, Sitara-e-Pakistan) University of Tübingen, Germany
Organized by
DR. PANJWANI CENTER FOR MOLECULAR MEDICINE AND DRUG RESEARCH

1-Abstract Format (MMDR-8): Click Here
2-Brief CV Form (MMDR-8): Click Here
3-Registration Form (Foreign): Click Here
4-Registration Form (National): Click Here

Jointly Organized by OIC – COMSTECH and Pakistan Vacuum Society , in collaboration with International Union for vacuum science technique and applications (IUVSTA)

Date: October 24 – 26, 2023
Venue: COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad
Deadline For Physical Participations: 30 September, 2023

Introduction:

The training is Jointly Organized by OIC – COMSTECH and Pakistan Vacuum Society , in collaboration with International Union for vacuum science technique and applications (IUVSTA)

The 03-day training course aims to provide young scientists, researchers and technologists an opportunity to interact with eminent and specialists working in the field of Vacuum & Surface Science to explore the latest trends and modern applications in this area. It will also help to develop expertise in the allied fields of Vacuum Technology like thin film, material characterization & nanotechnology to introduce modern concepts in surface science industry.

Key Contents:

• Vacuum Applications in Applied Surface Science
• Surface Science of Catalysis, electrocatalysis and Photocatalysis
• Thin Film Deposition Methods
• Plasma Surface Treatments
• Surface Engineering and Functionalization
• Functional Surfaces and Coatings
• Surface Science Applied to Energy Conversion and storage
• Surface Nanotechnology and Devices
• Advances in Surface Characterization tools
• Semiconductors – Surface and Interface

About the Resource Persons:

World leading scientists / researchers from the field of surface science

Registration Process:

Step 1: For Physical Participation please register at: Close

Step 2: For Virtual participation please register at: Click Here

Step 3: Selected candidates will be notified through email; hence, applicants are required to check their emails.

Technical Focal Person:
Dr. Javaid Ahsan Bhatti,
President, Pakistan vacuum Society.

Workshop Coordinators          
Muhammad Haris Akram
Program Manager, COMSTECH
Tel: +92-51-9220681-3
Fax: +92-51-9205264, +92-51-9220265
Email: haris@comstech.org

Muhammad Haseeb Ahmad
Program Officer, COMSTECH, Islamabad.
Email: Haseeb.ahmad@comstech.org
Phone: +92 51 9220681

Registration: Click here
Last Date of Registration: 23 August, 2023