Past Events

Advanced Methods for Structure Determination of Proteins and their complexes: Drug Discovery for Motor Neuron Disease to COVID-19

Prof. Dr. Samar Hasnain

Date and Time: 09^th September, 2021; 02:30 PM PKT

Target Audience:

This webinar is open to academicians, scientists, and general public from all the OIC member  states.

Profile of Speaker:

Samar Hasnain is a structural biologist with over 45 years of Synchrotron Radiation experience.  He obtained a PhD in experimental Physics in 1976 from the University of Manchester on molecular crystals using synchrotron radiation at NINA. After spending a year as PDRA with Manchester he joined DESY in Hamburg as a DESY Fellow working on the Storage ring Synchrotron Radiation Facility, where during his stay at DESY, the synchrotron team created HASYLAB in 1978.

In 1979, Professor Hasnain joined the UK’s effort of establishing the world’s first dedicated synchrotron radiation source (SRS) as a full-time scientific staff member of the Daresbury national laboratory. In 1989, he established the Molecular Biophysics group at Daresbury where he remained as head of the group until March 2008 when he moved to the University of Liverpool as Max Perutz Professor of Molecular Biophysics where he established the Barkla X-ray laboratory of Biophysics, naming the X-ray laboratory after the Liverpool’s Nobel prize winner Charles Glover Barkla (1917) who had established the nature of Rontgen rays (X-rays) that helped to start the field of X-ray Crystallography. During 2011-2105 he was the International Lead for the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences of the University of Liverpool.

He persuaded the International Union of Crystallography to launch the Journal of Synchrotron Radiation in 1993 and became its founding editor with Hiromichi Kamitsubo and John Helliwell. He was the Editor-in-Chief of the IUCr Journals from 2012 to 2018. In 2014, he launched the IUCr’s flagship journal IUCrJ. He is a member of the International Advisory Board for IUCrJ. He is also an Editor of the Current opinion in Structural Biology and IUBMB Life.

He has been engaged with the SESAME synchrotron project in Jordan launched under the umbrella of UNESCO since its inception in 2004 and is the UK Government’s representative on its Council since its foundation. He is Chair of its Programme Review committee since 2018. Previously, he was the founding Chair of its Beamline Advisory Committee.

He is Fellow of the Institute of Physics (UK, since 1991), Fellow of TWAS (since 1997), Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK, since 2002) and Foreign Fellow of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences (since 2017).

His main interest is in structure-function studies of proteins and their complexes that are involved in biological electron transfer, nitrogen cycles and neurodegenerative diseases. He has been involved in structure-based drug discovery targeted towards neurodegenerative diseases and malaria.

Hasnain has pioneered an approach to defining the structures of metalloproteins that combines not only X-ray crystallography and solution X-ray scattering, now used widely in the structural biology community, but also X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) and optical spectroscopies. More recently, he has included cryo electron microscopy (cryo-EM) in his toolkit and has applied to a number of membrane proteins effectively. The integration of spectroscopic methods with crystallography has proved powerful in providing validation of ‘functional’ states of enzymes as well as providing a route to identifying ‘radiation-damage free structures’. The value of this integrated approach has been recognized widely and has been adopted by the metalloprotein research community worldwide. His drive to obtain ‘damage-free’ structure has led to (i) the ‘multiple structures serially obtained from one crystal’ (MSOX) technique that allows an opportunity to capture radiolytically-driven chemical reactions in the crystal and (ii) the use of XFEL for providing damage-free structures for redox proteins.

Flyer of webinar:  click here

Link for registration and E- certificate:

https://forms.gle/S9yWc3kFN1ccKGWV6

Address: COMSTECH Secretariat, 33-Constitution Avenue, G-5/2, Islamabad 
Phone No. : 92 51 9220681-3
Email: Khazima@comstech.org ; comstech@comstech.org

Professor Patrick G. Steel
Department of Chemistry and Biophysical Sciences Institute,
Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK

Date: 27 September, 2021  
Time: 02:30 pm Pakistan Standard Time

Our Programme: NTDs (neglected tropical diseases) are a major health and economic burden in Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states. The control and elimination of NTDs requires both a scale-up and integration of global mass treatment programmes, along with new tools and technologies to tackle these diseases. COMSTECH, in collaboration with A Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (known as the NTD Network, https://ntd-network.org/ , is launching a virtual lecture series. for researchers across the Moslem world and beyond. Our programme draws upon expertise from both networks, and offers opportunities to gain or enhance researcher knowledge, skills and connections, all of which help to grow our shared global capacity to tackle these rapidly growing NTDs.

• The NTD Network, funded by UKRI’s Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), is a consortium of academic researchers from South America, Asia, and the UK, seeking new therapeutic solutions to leishmaniasis and Chagas disease

• Both COMSTECH and the NTD Network aim to promote global scientific cooperation and build researcher capacity to find new and better therapeutic solutions for NTDs

This online programme is the first of many COMSTECH-NTD Network joint activities via the COMSTECH platform.

Target Audience: This webinar is open to academics, scientists and the general public from all OIC member states. The content is most relevant to scientists interested in NTDs research, and specialised in Microbiology, Genetics, Genomics, Molecular Biology, Molecular Medicine, and Pathology.

• Webinar poster/flyer
• The speaker’s profile

Register with us to attend this meeting:
• Register at : https://forms.gle/LaRnELNEZ9K9u6Ai8

Contact us for further details:
Khazima@comstech.org;  comstech@comstech.org

(20-21^st September 2021)

Online: Zoom Meeting

COMSTECH Secretariat invites participation from OIC countries for two days training course on Design of Inclusive STI policies to be held from 20^th to 21^th September, 2021 virtually via zoom.  

Science, Technology and Innovation policies have been widely recognized as critical to sustained economic growth and increased social well-being. The experience of past few decades shows that most developed countries, i-e the leaders in technology capability have not only achieved economic prosperity but have to a large extant addressed problems related to extreme poverty and- socio-economic inequalities by investing in scientific and technological capabilities.

In most developing countries and also in majority of OIC Member States, the gap between rich and poor in terms of economic (per capita income) and social (the availability of clean water and food, education, health and ICT technologies is widening.

The design and implementation of Inclusive STI policies have the potential to address problems related to extreme poverty, hunger, disease and access to social infrastructure.

COMSTECH online training course is an effort towards building capability of Member States in Designing Inclusive STI Policies.

Course Structure and Contents

The course covers the following main topics;

• Essential Elements of Innovation System
• Inclusive Education and Health Policies Local international experts from reputed institutions. Teaching will be interactive with lectures followed by discussions and group assignments.

Who will benefit from the Course?

Public servants involved in designing Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policies, STI Policy Researchers and R&D Managers working in the public ministries, universities and R& D institutions (both public and private).   

Poster of the course: 

click here

Register at:

Click here

Profiles of Speakers:

Prof. Dr. Tim Turpin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-turpin-2635494a?originalSubdomain=au

• Prof. Dr. S. T. K. Naim: Click here
• Dr. Hammad Akbar: Click here
• Dr. Khaleel Malik: Click here
• Mr. Umar Sheraz: Click here

Procedure to join:

Zoom link for participation will be shared with selected participants.

Address: COMSTECH Secretariat, 33-Constitution Avenue, G-5/2, Islamabad 
Phone No. : 92 51 9220681-3
Email: Khazima@comstech.org ; comstech@comstech.org

August 25, 2021
Organized by
COMSTECH, Secretariat, Islamabad In collaboration with International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) and Pakistan Biotechnology Information Center (Karachi Chapter)

Flyer Click Here

Who Should Attend?

The course is designed to address the interest of scientists and research scholars working in various fields of plant biotechnology including genetics, and molecular biology.

Course Content:

The course will be comprises of series of lectures and “online hands on training sessions” covering following contents:

• Overview of Plant Tissue Culture and its Applications
• Equipment and Media used
• Explant Selection
• Sterilization
• Initiation, Multiplication, Shooting and Rooting

Registration:

Registered participants will receive e-certificates
Please register at following link before August 20, 2021
Registration Link Click Here

Venue: Zoom Meeting

Zoom link will be shared with selected registered participants.

COURSE PROGRAM (Pakistan Standard Time)

11:00-11:15     Inauguration Ceremony
11:00-11:05     Recitation of the Holy Quran
11:05-11:15     Welcome Address by Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary
11:15-11:50     Lecture 1 entitled, “Commercial Plant Tissue Culture for Horticulture Plants”
11:50-12:25     Lecture 2 entitled, “Modern agriculture techniques and their contribution towards economic development of Muslim world”
12:25-13:00     Lecture 3 entitled, “Ethics and Biosafety in Plant Biotechnology”
13:00-13:35     Lecture 4 entitled, “Commercialization of Tissue Culture Techniques”
13:35-14:10     Lecture 5 entitled, “Application of Tissue culture techniques for Floriculture”
14:10-15:10     Practical Session (Tissue culture of Horticulture Crops)
15:15-15:30     Questions and answers
15:30-15:45     Closing Ceremony

Speakers:

Dr. Pejman Azadi

Deputy Director General for Technology- Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), AREEO, Karaj, Iran
President of Iranian Society for Ornamental Plants (ISOP)

Dr. Muhammad Yusuf Zafar, T.I.

Former Chairman
Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), IslamabadPakistan

Dr. Muhammad Usman

Institute of Horticultural Sciences
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040
Pakistan

Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad

Institute of Horticultural Sciences
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040
Pakistan
0334-7416664

CONTACT PERSON

Khazima Muazim
Programme Manager
COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad
Tel: +92-51-9220681-3
Fax: +92-51-9205264, +92-51-9220265
Email: khazima@comstech.org

10-11 August, 2021, 1500- 1800 hrs (Kazakhstan Standard Time)

1400- 1700 hrs (Pakistan Standard Time), 900-1200 GMT.

Considering the importance of biodiversity of genetic resources and the possible loss of genetic materials from gene banks due to environmental changes or political conflicts, it is crucial to build the capacity of OIC Member countries in conserving and sustainable use of genetic resources in their respective countries.

Developing strong human resources in the field of Gene Banks and preservation of Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) has become an urgent need since many of our Member States do not possess sufficient human and technical resources in this vital domain. To address this issue, Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) and OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) have agreed to conduct a series of related trainings for OIC Member countries. Bio-resources Conservation Institute (BCI) of Pakistan Agricultural Research Centre (PARC) have kindly agreed to provide technical support to the training programme in a series of Regional Training Workshops. Experts from other countries and regions will be included as per the demands of the technical program. These trainings may be considered as a follow up to the online Workshop on National Gene banks organized by IOFS and COMSTECH, July 5-6, 2020.

Due to the constraints on travel and gatherings imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic the trainings will be held online.

• Objectives

•       To raise awareness of OIC Member countries in establishing gene bank requirements

•       To build the capacity of OIC Member countries in maintenance and operations of gene banks (collection of genetic materials, conservation, germplasm exchange policies)

•       To familiarize with international and national laws and policies

•       To discuss and exchange the international practices in the conservation of genetic resources and effective collaboration in this field of various stakeholders on the national and international level.

• Implementation of activities

In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the organizing parties will implement the following activities during the period of July-November 2021 in the areas of common interest:

1.     Online training on PGR (Region-I) Asia                         13-14th July, 2021

2.     Online training on PGR (Region-II) Africa                     10-11^th August, 2021

3.     Online training on PGR (Region-III) MENA 

Training will include video demonstrations and other interactive features to involve active participation.

• Participation: Professionals, academics and researchers related to the field of PGR and Food Security

• Interested participants should apply online Click Here  by 4^th August  2021.

• Tentative Program of the 2^nd Online Training Webinar (Asia Region): 10-11^th August, 2021, 1400 to 1700 hours Pakistan Standard Time. (Program Detail Click Here)

September 14-16, 2021
VIRTUAL

For More Details Click Here

July 13-14, 2021

COMSTECH conducted an international training webinar entitled “Acquisition, Conservation, Exchange, and Safety Duplication of Plant Genetic Resources in OIC Member Countries – ASIA Chapter” on July 13-14, 2021 in collaboration with the Bio-resources Conservation Institute (BCI) of Pakistan Agricultural Research Centre (PARC) and the OIC Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS). The training webinar was a continuation of COMSTECH efforts to build member states’ capacity for management of plant genebanks, and the preservation and expansion of biodiversity. Prior to this, COMSTECH has constituted a multi-country Working Group on Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) and conducted several physical training workshops and consultative meetings in Islamabad (Pakistan) and Baku (Azerbaijan).

The present workshop was a follows up of the online Workshop on Development of National Gene Banks, organized by IOFS and COMSTECH during July 5-6, 2020. It was the first workshop of a 3-part series of regional workshops for the Asia, Africa and Middle East-North Africa (MENA) regions.

The objectives of this series of webinars are to build the capacity of OIC Member countries in the maintenance and operations of gene banks (collection of genetic materials, conservation, germplasm exchange policies), and to train the participants with international and national laws and policies on the subject. The webinar was also aimed to enhance networking among national gene banks of different countries, as effective international collaboration will help preserve biodiversity and ensure long-term agricultural sustainability and food security worldwide.

The opening session of the Workshop was addressed by the Coordinator General of COMSTECH Prof. M. Iqbal Choudhary and Director-General of IOFS Dr. Yerlan Baidaulet. Both the organisational Heads emphasized the importance of preservation of plant genetic resources in ensuring the food security of member states. It was observed that some of OIC member states were more developed than others in this field, and it was very important that the capacity of all states is developed by mutual cooperation.

The senior experts who contributed their experience and knowledge to this activity represented various leading PGR research institutions from Pakistan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, Oman, Malaysia, and Azerbaijan. The list of participating institutions included: the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), the National Genebank of Pakistan, the Kazakh Research Institute of Agriculture and Plant growing, the Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center at the University of Nizwa, Oman, the Biodiversity and Genetic Resources Department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey, the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), and the National Genebank of Tunisia.

This event will be followed by similar training sessions for Africa and MENA region during the July-November 2021 period. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the events are expected to be online. The other training sessions would also be organized as a joint activity of COMSTECH, IOFS, and PARC. It is worth noting that IOFS and COMSTECH signed a Memorandum of Understanding and adopted a Joint Action Plan to implement joint activities and projects for July-November 2021 period.

After the training webinars for Asia, Africa and Mena will have taken place, there are plans to organize a conclusive session for specialists from all of these regions to consolidate the outcomes and cement the newly formed partnerships between the genetic banks.

August 30 – 31, 2021

Venue: COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad-Pakistan

Deadline for Applications: August 03, 2021

Introduction

The Islamic world is very diverse, comprising of many developing countries which are still in need of awareness and knowledge regarding the latest scientific research techniques. The Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Agenda, 2026 adopted by First OIC Summit on Science & Technology mandates COMSTECH to strengthen cooperation among OIC member states for capacity building in innovation and foster multilateral collaborations to bolster frontier technologies led entrepreneurship as a way forward in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

Undeniably, Science, technology and innovation are globally recognized as strategic drivers of economic growth. Recent developments in frontier technologies, including artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), robotics and biotechnology, have shown tremendous potential to attain the sustainable development goals to support global GDP.

In this regard, technology commercialization is the most effective and efficient way to transform ideas into products and services, which will eventually satisfy people’s needs.  This process also looks at whether the inherent strategies have a long term economic advantage. Technology commercialization plays an important role in the integrated national approach for innovation and research. Likewise, businesses are always looking for new strategies to improve their market status, increase their business awareness and develop successful products and services.

Realizing the importance of Technology Commercialization and Innovation for Entrepreneurs, a two-day program has been planned focusing on the subject in August 2021.

Objective

The program focuses on lectures being delivered by eminent expert in the area of technology commercialization, aimed at building concepts, enhancing critical thinking, and developing understanding of the subject for startups, technology developers, researchers, entrepreneurs etc.

Key Contents:

The certificate course will cover the following topics:

1. Two Paradigm Shifts in New Era : Digital Transformation and Sustainable Development

The lecture explores how the assumptions accepted since the 19th century have changed with digital transformation and sustainable development approaches in the new age. It also examines how they have transformed our ways of doing business and our business models.

2. The Entrepreneurial Mindset

The lecture explores how an entrepreneur’s mindset should be and what skills as well as competencies the entrepreneur should have for the startup.

3. The Lean Startup and Business Model Canvas (Technology Commercialization)

The lecture will explore the Lean Startup methodology and how to use the business model canvas with this approach.

4. Innovation Management

The lecture explores the relationship between innovation and entrepreneurship in sense of how innovation can be managed in institutions.

5. Target Audience:

Scientists, Researchers, Young Entrepreneurs, Innovators, Product Developers, Students, Officials from Incubation Centers, Business Developers,  from the OIC countries.

Dr. Tuğçe Aslan completed her undergraduate education with a full scholarship as a double major in International Relations and Economics from Bilgi University. After this, she got her master degree in European Economics and Business Law at Rome Tor Vergata University with an IBM scholarship. Then, she received her PhD in the field of Management and Organization at Bahçesehir University with a full scholarship.

Dr. Aslan is an academic in the Faculty of Business Administration at Bahcesehir University and she is an adjunct professor at Netkent Mediterranean Research and Science University. She gives lectures and conducts research in the fields of technology commercialization, entrepreneurship and innovation, current approaches in business and management, and strategic management. Her PhD thesis is on social entrepreneurship and sustainable development. She took part in many national and international projects as a trainer, consultant, mentor, and coordinator.

Registration Process:

Step 1: Open online registration form, Click Here

Step 2: Read instructions in the application form carefully and submit a properly filled form.

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

NOTE: Only shortlisted participants will be notified via Email .

Coordinator

Muhammad Haris Akram

Programe Manager, COMSTECH

Tel: +92-51-9220681-3

Email: haris@comstech.org

By Dr. Ikram Burney

Senior Consultant in Medical Oncology at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, and a Visiting Faculty at the Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, Karachi University, Pakistan

30th July 2021 (03:00 PM, PKT)

Abstract: In this presentation, The Speaker will discuss different areas across the continuum of ovarian cancer management, from early detection to overcoming resistance to cisplatin treatment. Data on markers of early diagnosis, such as transcription factor E2F5, FAT tumor suppressing homolog 4 (FAT4) gene, SOC2 gene will be presented. Also, the role of naturally occurring compounds, such as Frankincense extract Acetyl-keto-beta boswellic acid (AKBA), and natural marine products e.g, Hymenialdisine, Gallic acid and Malformin A1, will be discussed

Target Audience: This webinar is open to academicians, scientists, and general public from all the member OIC states and beyond.

Profile of the Speaker:

Dr Ikram Burney is a Senior Consultant in Medical Oncology at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, and a Visiting Faculty at the Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, Karachi University, Pakistan. He graduated from Liaquat Medical College, University of Sindh, Pakistan and received his training in Medicine and Medical oncology at the Hammersmith Hospital London, the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and Southampton University Hospitals Trust in the UK. He worked as a Consultant Oncologist at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Since 2003, he has been working at the SQUH, as a Senior Consultant in Medical Oncology. Areas of clinical and research interest: Lymphoproliferative disorders, Gynecological malignancies, Sarcoma, Supportive care in Oncology, and more recently Medical education. He chairs the curriculum committee at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at SQU.

Poster of webinar:  Attached

Register at : https://forms.gle/voGtzuycvP6f4Lp28

Procedure to join:

Zoom link for participation will be shared selected participants.

Address: COMSTECH Secretariat, 33-Constitution Avenue, G-5/2, Islamabad 
Phone No. : 92 51 9220681-3
Email: Khazima@comstech.org ; comstech@comstech.org

Deadline for Registration: August 1, 2021

Abstract:

Cardiovascular diseases are major causes of mortality worldwide. A fixed-dose combination therapy—the so-called polypill—was proposed more than 15 years ago as an acceptable and cost-saving approach to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Since then, different formulations of polypill have been used in several studies worldwide.

The research work of Prof. Reza (PolyIran Study) proposes a fixed-dose combination therapy (polypill strategy) as an approach to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease, especially in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). The PolyIran study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of a four-component polypill including aspirin, atorvastatin, hydrochlorothiazide, and either enalapril or valsartan for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. This study is the first large-scale, long-term, pragmatic randomized trial to investigate the effects of a fixed-dose combination therapy on primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease

Target Audience:

The webinar is open to researchers, academicians, scientists and healthcare professionals from the OIC member states.

For Registration please visit: Click here

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

Profile of Speaker:

Prof. Malekzadeh is a Distinguished Professor in Internal Medicine and Director, Digestive Disease Research Institute in Tehran University of Medical Sciences. He obtained his MD, specialty board of medicine and subspecialty board of gastroenterology from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. He has worked in various capacities in Iranian medical education and research system. In Addition, he was chancellor of Shiraz University; Minister of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) and secretary of Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences.

Moreover, he is a member of 18 national and international academies and scientific societies. He has published 729+ papers in scientific international journals with 99191+ citations and is among the top 1% world highly cited scientists in clinical Medicine based on Essential Science Indicators. His h-index is 104 in Scopus. Prof. Reza has also established the Golestan Cohort and Persian cohort study in Iran.

Furthermore, Prof. Malekzadeh has received 14 national awards including Razi, Avicenna, Yalda, Hadavi, Tabatabaei and Iranian Science awards. He has been awarded the Medal of Honor from International Agency for Research on cancer (IARC/WHO) for outstanding contribution in research on cancer (2018).

Webinar Coordinator:

Muhammad Haseeb Ahmad

Program Officer

COMSTECH, Islamabad.

Email: Haseeb.ahmad@comstech.org

Phone: +92 51 9220681