Past Events

Jointly organized by

Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research
Royan Institute
COMSTECH
Mustafa(pbuh) Science and Technology Foundation
Sindh Innovation, Research, and Education Network (SIREN)

Introduction:
Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, in collaboration with Sindh Innovation, Research, and Education Network (SIREN) and COMSTECH regularly organizes popular lectures on the topics of general interest and need.
PCMD-Royan Institute Webinar Series (Hybrid) is being jointly organized by Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, Royan Institute, Iran, COMSTECH, MSTF, and SIREN. The webinar series is based on the current topics of Biomedical Sciences. The series will provide basic as well as advanced knowledge, skills and academic connections and expert opinions from renowned researchers of both institutes.

PCMD:
The Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD) is a constituent center of the International Center for Chemical and Biological Science (ICCBS). The main objective of the Center is to is to develop an understanding regarding common diseases in Pakistan in order to develop effective diagnostic tools and affordable treatments by using molecular medicinal, chemical and computational methods and to train highly qualified manpower in the emerging new fields of molecular medicine and drug development.

Royan Institute:
The Royan Institute is an Iranian clinical, research and educational institute dedicated to biomedical, translational and clinical researches, stem cell research and infertility treatment. It is a public non-profitable organization affiliated to Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research. It was established in 1991 by the late Dr. Saeid Kazemi Ashtiani as a research institute for Reproductive Biomedicine and infertility treatments. In 1998 this institute was approved by Ministry of Health as Cell Based Research Center with over 46 scientific members and 186 lab technicians.

Seventh Webinar:
The seventh webinar of the series is entitled: ” Applications of Computational Methods in Drug Screening and Design”

Who Should Attend?
All undergraduate and graduate students as well as scientists and researchers working in the fields of molecular biomedicine, stem cells and regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and other biomedical disciplines.

Speaker’s Profile:
Prof. Dr. Zaheer Ul Haq is currently serving as the head of Computational Medicinal Chemistry group at the Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research. In 2002, he received his PhD in Natural Product Chemistry under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman. Dr. Ul-Haq obtained his post-doctoral training in theoretical chemistry from University of Innsbruck, Austria. He is a recipient of OeAD Fellow, Austria, a Senior Fulbright Fellow, USA and Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, Germany. He has more than 20 years of research experience in Computational Chemistry and Computer Aided Drug Design. His research areas include: quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR); virtual screening; molecular dynamics simulations; and quantum mechanics. Dr. Ul-Haq has published over 200 research articles and has co-edited a book-series entitled, “Frontiers in Computational Chemistry”. Currently, he is serving as editorial board member of the Journal of Molecular Graphics and Modelling, and Current Computer-Aided Drug Design.

Program Schedule: November 23, 2022
Day and Time: Wednesday 11.30 am Pakistan time: 10.00 am Tehran time
For registration (free): bit.ly/3ACMDSD-SIREN
Register by: November 20, 2022
Venue for physical participation: L.E.J. National Science Information Center, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, Karachi-75270.
For more information: Email: siren.lej@gmail.com; Call: 021-111-222-292 Ext: 267, 275.
Room No. 202, 2nd floor, L.E.J. National Science Information Center, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, Karachi-75270.

 [postexpirator]

Introduction

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in collaboration with the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), the Economic Cooperation Organization Science Foundation (ECOSF), the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) and the Pakistan Academy of Sciences (PAS), is organizing an event in celebration of World Science Day for Peace and Development on Wednesday, 16 November 2022, in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Background

The World Science Day for Peace and Development, celebrated every year on 10 November, was established by UNESCO in 2001 to highlight the important role of science in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging and important contemporary issues relevant to science. The theme of World Science Day for Peace and Development on 10 November 2022 is Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development. It is being celebrated within the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development, which kicked off on 8 July 2022.

‘The applications of basic sciences are vital for advances in medicine, industry, agriculture, water resources, energy planning, environment, communications and culture’, affirmed the United Nations General Assembly on 2 December 2021, when it endorsed the proposal for an International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development. World Science Day is contributing to the Year in 2022 by celebrating this theme.

“We need more basic science to achieve The 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals”, the United Nations General Assembly noted in December 2021. It is true that the share of domestic research expenditure devoted to basic sciences varies widely from one country to another. According to data from the UNESCO Science Report 2021 for 86 countries, some devote less than 10% of their research expenditure to basic sciences and others more than 30%.

Having a capacity in basic sciences is in the interests of both developed and developing countries, given the potential for applications to foster sustainable development and raise standards of living. 

Activity

UNESCO in collaboration with COMSATS, COMSTECH, ECOSF, PSF and PAS is organizing an event on Wednesday, 16 November, 2022.

The event will consist of remarks on the work being done by the organizing institutions in regards to promoting basic sciences followed by a panel discussion of distinguished experts from the following areas of basic sciences:

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Mathematics
• Disruptive Technologies/ICT

Method and Timing

The celebration will be organized at the COMSTECH Auditorium on Wednesday 16 November 2022, and live streamed as well at 0900am (Pakistan Standard time).

Participants

Scientists, students, teachers, researchers, science communicators who work in science centres and science museums, independent science communicators and science journalists, policy makers, independent think tanks, government officials and academicians from the OIC member states, and other countries.

Registration:

Physical participation is by invitation only.

For virtual participation register at the following link: https://forms.gle/6TWDKfXQrhxcJ3Pj8

Venue:

The event will be held at the COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan. The city with the backdrop of Margalla Hills and National Park was purpose-built as the capital of sixth largest globally and second most populous (in OIC) country Pakistan in the year 1966. Pakistan, according to the Forbes magazine, is a hidden treasure for tourists with rich cultural diversity, ancient history, diverse landscape, cuisines, modern cities, and locally produced items.

For any queries:

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

Date: Tuesday, November 01, 2022
Time: 11:00-12:30 (PKT) 
Venue: COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad

Registration Process:

1. For physical participation (Participants from Islamabad and Rawalpindi only: Accommodation will not be provided) register at the following link: https://forms.gle/8kKm1T4MowkqAJFh6
2. Read instructions in the application form carefully and submit a properly filled form.
3. Selected candidates will be notified through email; hence, applicants are required to check their emails.

Program Schedule: Click Here

Venue:

The workshop will be held at the COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan. The city with the backdrop of Margalla Hills and National Park was purpose-built as the capital of sixth largest globally and second most populous (in OIC) country Pakistan in the year 1966. Pakistan, according to the Forbes magazine, is a hidden treasure for tourists with rich cultural diversity, ancient history, diverse landscape, cuisines, modern cities, and locally produced items.

Programme Coordinators

Muhammad Haris Akram
Programe Manager, COMSTECH
Tel: +92-51-9220681-3
Email: haris@comstech.org

Muhammad Haseeb Ahmad
Programe Officer, COMSTECH
Tel: +92-51-9220681-3
Email: haseeb.ahmad@comstech.org

Hybrid Event

Date and Time: 30^th November 2022
11:00 am- 12:00 pm Pakistan Standard Time
COMSTECH Secretariat, 33-Constitution Avenue, G-5/2, Islamabad

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Walid Houry, PhD
Professor
Department of BiochemistryUniversity of Toronto

Profile:

Dr. Walid A. Houry is Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Toronto. Dr. Houry obtained his MSc (1991) and PhD (1996) from Cornell University and then did his postdoctoral training at the Sloan-Kettering Institute (1996-1997) in New York City and at the Max-Planck-Institute for Biochemistry (1997-2000) in Munich, Germany. He is interested in the general area of cellular stress responses and the role of molecular chaperones and ATP-dependent proteases in these responses. Dr. Houry is also heavily involved in the general scientific community in several capacities

His research endeavours are aimed at understanding the role of molecular chaperones and ATP-dependent proteases in modulating protein homeostasis under different stress conditions. There are two main projects that he is currently pursuing in his laboratory. One is on the role of Hsp100/Clp system in cellular stress response, the other one is on the role of the Hsp90-R2TP system that he discovered in complex assembly. In addition, he is also interested in identifying potential therapeutic compounds that can modulate protein homeostasis in the cell and that can be developed as anticancer or antimicrobial drugs

Click here for Event Flyer

Click Here for Lecture Abstract

Click here for Registration Link

Join us

• In Person (for residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi only)

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

• Virtually through Zoom Meeting

Registration outcome will be shared through email, therefore, please give your valid email address. Participants will receive E-certificates.

Contact persons:

Ms. Khazima Muazim, Programme Manager, khazima@comstech.org

Ms. Maham Yamin, Programme Officer, maham.yamin@comstech.org

FOR REGISTRATION USE THE GIVEN LINK: https://bit.ly/3BCRHCIPDSP-SIREN

Leave NO ONE behind
Addressing Pakistan Food Security Challenge -Post Floods
11th October 2022

Virtual Event Only

World Food Day 2022 aims to ensure healthy food for all with the theme “Safe food today for a healthy tomorrow -Climate Change Threats to Food Security”. According to World Health Organization (WHO), about 2.3 billion people in the world (29.3%) were moderately or severely food insecure in 2021 – 350 million more compared to before the outbreak of the COVID‑19 pandemic. Millions of people cannot afford a healthy diet, putting them at high risk of food insecurity and malnutrition. But ending hunger isn’t only about supply but about the quality of the nutrition. Although there is enough food produced today to feed everyone on the planet, the problem is access and availability of nutritious food. It is increasingly impeded by multiple challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict, climate change, droughts, heat, floods, inequality, rising prices, and international conflicts. Worldwide, more than 80 percent of the extreme poor live in rural areas and many rely on agriculture and natural resources for their living. The impact of climate change is worst on poor communities due to poor income, gender, and ethnic origin.  The majority of these communities live in rural areas as smallholder farmers with less than 2 hectares. They have poor access to nutritious & enough food,  training, finance, innovation, and technologies.

Pakistan is one of the top ten countries which are most vulnerable to the climate change crisis. The climate change disaster has affected its food system with extreme heat, droughts, unpredicted rain patterns, and attacks from invasive species of pests & diseases. Eg Locust attack in 2020, and the ongoing threat of zoonotic diseases including Malaria and Dengue, Lumpy skin disease in cattle, etc.  . Pakistan has suffered from the worst flood in decades affecting 33 million population in 110 districts, 10 million acres of crops, 0.97 million Livestock, and almost 2 million houses (FAO).

COMSTECH, OIC cooperation on Science and Technology (comstech.org) is joining hands with the leading research, academic & farming organizations from Pakistan and around the world for hosting this second year of World Food Day celebrations. These partners are UPSIGN, SAWIE, ICCFS,  IoFS & Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF). UPSIGN is an educational charity based in the UK supporting collaborations between UK & Pakistan (www.upsign.org.uk), SAWIE a digital platform based in the UK and Pakistan offering farm advisory & data insights (www.sawie.net) International Center for Climate Change, Food Security & Sustainability (ICCFS)/Consortium on Climate Change, Sustainability & Conservation (CCSC), The Islamia University Bahawalpur (https://ccsc.iub.edu.pk) are leading research and collaborations. IoFS. The International Foundation for Science, IFS, is an international, non-governmental organization, founded in 1972. The mission of IFS is to contribute to strengthening the capacity of developing countries to conduct relevant and high-quality research on the sustainable management of biological resources.

 To mark this year’s World Food Day, we have organized keynote talks and panel discussions with experts coming from all over the world with several years of experience working in Agri-food research systems. The webinar will be discussing the key challenge faced by our food system from Climate change and other threats. As a  result, our food system is suffering from malnutrition and food security. The debate will uncover how sustainable use of natural resources could help to enhance productivity, soil health, water, and the role of biodiversity. How can we address the food production crisis, protecting our soil microbes, plants, animals & natural capital? How can we produce healthy food to support a healthy life and a healthy planet?

 The panelists will also be discussing a way forward post covid and Pakistan floods affect food security.  How the research, and knowledge exchange of good practices could be translated to develop climate change adaptation strategies, mitigation, and taking specific measures to support the climate crisis victims.

This symposium will set out key research priorities to develop collaborations for short- and longer-term plans to deliver tangible benefits through engaging stakeholders from research, academia, policy makers and farming industry.  Such collaborations will support vulnerable groups through delivering the impact of research, the use of digital transformation approaches for promoting climate-smart agriculture practices, producing high-quality food, and enhancing the income of these poor communities through linking with the markets.  Particularly delivering impact on women and youth inclusion in the Agri-Food systems to achieve sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth that does not Leave NO ONE behind.

For Registration Click here :

PROGRAM: 11 October 2022: 12:00-15:00 (Pakistan Standard Time)

Chair  Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary (HI, SI, TI), Coordinator General COMSTECH

Jointly organized by
Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research
Royan Institute
COMSTECH
Mustafa^(pbuh) Science and Technology Foundation
Sindh Innovation, Research, and Education Network (SIREN)

Introduction:

Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, in collaboration with Sindh Innovation, Research, and Education Network (SIREN) and COMSTECH regularly organizes popular lectures on the topics of general interest and need.

PCMD-Royan Institute Webinar Series (Hybrid) is being jointly organized by Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, Royan Institute, Iran, COMSTECH, MSTF, and SIREN. The webinar series is based on the current topics of Biomedical Sciences. The series will provide basic as well as advanced knowledge, skills and academic connections and expert opinions from renowned researchers of both institutes.

PCMD:

The Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD) is a constituent center of the International Center for Chemical and Biological Science (ICCBS). The main objective of the Center is to is to develop an understanding regarding common diseases in Pakistan in order to develop effective diagnostic tools and affordable treatments by using molecular medicinal, chemical and computational methods and to train highly qualified manpower in the emerging new fields of molecular medicine and drug development.

Royan Institute:

The Royan Institute is an Iranian clinical, research and educational institute dedicated to biomedical, translational and clinical researches, stem cell research and infertility treatment. It is a public non-profitable organization affiliated to Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research. It was established in 1991 by the late Dr. Saeid Kazemi Ashtiani as a research institute for Reproductive Biomedicine and infertility treatments. In 1998 this institute was approved by Ministry of Health as Cell Based Research Center with over 46 scientific members and 186 lab technicians.

Sixth Webinar:

The sixth webinar of the series is entitled:

“Characterization of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products: Manufacturing of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell for Therapy as a Successful Model”

Who Should Attend?

All undergraduate and graduate students as well as scientists and researchers working in the fields of molecular biomedicine, stem cells and regenerative medicine, tissue engineering and other biomedical disciplines.

Speaker’s Profile:

Dr. Seyedeh Nafiseh Hassani: Dr. Hassani is a faculty member and head of the Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology at the Royan Institute. In 2002, she received her undergraduate degree from Tehran University and in 2006 she received her Master’s degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Khatam University. She worked on her M.Sc. thesis under the supervision of Prof. Rafati at the Pasteur Institute. She joined the Royan Institute in 2008 and completed her PhD in Developmental Biology under the supervision of Prof. Baharvand in 2013. She is now in charge of the Biology of Pluripotent Stem Cells Research Group as well as the Production Manager for Royan Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product-Technology Development Center (ATMP-TDC). Her research areas include embryonic development, isolation of pluripotent stem cells and the identification of their signaling pathways, differentiation of stem cells to the hematopoietic stem cells, as well as the development of a cell bank under GMP standard condition. Her research has been published in more than 25 articles in international journals. In 2010, she became the leading researcher at the Royan Institute, due to innovation in the production of 150 mouse embryonic stem cells. In 2014, she won the Fifteenth Royan International Research Award, with the idea of “The Augmented BMP Pluripotency Pathway via TGF-β Suppression Maintains the Ground State of Embryonic Stem Cells Self-renewal”. In 2015, her article was chosen as one of the top articles in the Second National Festival of Council for Stem Cell Science and Technologies. She has lectured at numerous international conferences and also teaches various courses, including cellular transduction, cell biology, stem cells, and developmental biology to undergraduates and PhD students at the Royan Institute and University of Science and Culture.

Program Schedule: October 12, 2022

Day and Time:  Wednesday 10.00 am Pakistan time: 9.30 am Tehran time

For registration (free): bit.ly/CATMP-SIREN

Register by: October 08, 2022

Venue for physical participation: L.E.J. National Science Information Center,International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, Karachi-75270.

For more information: Email: siren.lej@gmail.com;    Call:  021-111-222-292 Ext: 267, 275.

Room No. 202, 2^nd floor, L.E.J. National Science Information Center,International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, Karachi-75270.

Organized by COMSTECH Forum on Environment and Ecosystem Restoration (CFEER) to be held at the Science Summit during the 77^th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
Date:  September 26, 2022.
Time:  8:00am – 11:00am EDT (Eastern Daylight Time)
(05:00pm-8:00pm Pakistan Standard Time)

Instructions to Register for the Seminar:

You can register yourself at the “Science Summit at UNGA77” using below mentioned link: https://ssunga77.sched.com/tickets?iframe=no

The link will take you to the Science Summit at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA77) website where you can register following below-mentioned guidelines:

• Please REGISTER here by scrolling down and clicking on the Register button followed by filling in your information in the required sections.
• Note: Registration is free of charge. You can register yourself and also other colleagues (up to 10 people).
• After you have registered, you will receive two emails: one from Eventbrite with your ticket, and 15 min later, one from SCHED inviting you to create your username and password (these will be your SCHED login details to access the conference each time).
• Once your registration is completed and you have logged in, you can click Schedule on UNGA website. Scroll down to our program on September 26, 2022 and click there again. Then click “Attendees” and upload your information. Once you have selected the session(s) you would like to attend, you will be able to see the ZOOM link to join your selected sessions.
• Further information regarding the Science Summit: https://sciencesummitunga.com/

Seminar Coordinators
Muhammad Haris Akram
Programe Manager, COMSTECH
Tel: +92-51-9220681-3
Email: haris@comstech.org

Muhammad Haseeb Ahmad
Programe Officer, COMSTECH
Tel: +92-51-9220681-3
Email: haseeb.ahmad@comstech.org

Prof. Dr. Olanike K. Adeyemo FCVSN FEnv FAAS FAS FTWAS
Professor of Aquatic and Wildlife Disease Epidemiology & Toxicology
COMSTECH Distinguished Scholar
Pioneer Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation & Strategic Partnerships, 2017-2021)
University of Ibadan, Nigeria

Date and Time: October 12, 2022 from 14:00-15:30 (Pakistan Standard Time)

Target Audience:

The webinar is open to students, researchers, young scientists, and academicians from the OIC member states, and other countries.

For Registration please visit: https://forms.gle/d54v9pwGhBWH9fDE8

Procedure to Join:  Zoom link will be shared with selected participants via email.

Profile of Speaker: Prof. Olanike Kudirat Adeyemo

Webinar Coordinator:

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

FOR REGISTRATION USE THE GIVEN LINK: bit.ly/SCTCR-SIREN