His Excellency the Secretary General of OIC, Dr. Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen visited COMSTECH Secretariat Islamabad on August 9, 2017. His delegation was received by COMSTECH team led by Dr Shaukat Hameed Khan, Coordinator General COMSTECH.
Secretary General was briefed on COMSTECH’s activities and programs. Federal Minister for Science and Technology Mr. Rana Tanveer Hussain and Secretary for Ministry of Science and Technology Mr. Fazal Abbas Maken, also attended the event.
Later the Secretary General along with Minister and other dignitaries attended dinner hosted by Coordinator General Dr. Shaukat Hameed Khan.
“Sustainable Development Of Drylands In The Post 2015 World”
August 21-24, 2016
Alexandria, Egypt
The 12th International Dryland Development Conference with the theme “Sustainable Development of Drylands in the Post 2015 World” was held from 21 to 24 August 2016 in the Alexandria Library, Alexandria, Egypt. It was co-sponsored by the Arid Land Agricultural Graduate Studies & Research Institute (ALARI), Egypt, Arid Land Research Centre (ALRC), Japan, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CIHEAM), Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAREERI), China, the Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Egypt, JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), JIRCAS (Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Research), and Desert Research Center (DRC), Egypt. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Commission on Science & Technology (COMSTECH), ECO Science Foundation (ECOSF), and other international and national organizations supported the Conference.
Themes of the Conference:
Application of new technologies for the improvement of stress (drought, heat, cold and salinity) resistance of crops for dry areas.
Sustainable management of scarce water resources.
Agronomic and crop improvement interventions for sustainably enhancing agricultural productivity of small-holder farmers in dry areas.
Soil health and land use constraints for agricultural productivity in dry areas and their management.
Soil erosion and desertification processes and control.
Biodiversity conservation, and prevention of deforestation.
Sustainable management of productivity of rangeland and livestock in dry areas.
Arid lands communities, their indigenous knowledge and heritage, and socio-economic studies. Poverty alleviation, creation of job opportunities and minimizing outmigration.
Renewable energy resources (wind, solar, biogas) for sustainable arid land community settlement.
There were six plenary sessions, three specialized group sessions, and eleven concurrent sessions on nine themes. The Conference was attended by 201 participants from 25 different countries.
Contact Person
Prof. Abdel El-Beltagy
Chair of the International Dryland Development Commission (IDDC)
Egyptian Academy of the Scientific Research & Technology
This conference was the first major event in the history of the University of Malakand marking a first step towards institutional growth and maturity. A large number of delegates both national and international participated in this conference. International participants were from Turkey, China, Sweden, Jordan, Malaysia, USA and Qatar. It provided a really good opportunity for extensive discussions leading to new ‘social contracts’ for chemistry.
The participants looked through where chemistry stands today and where they are heading, what their social impact has been and what society expects from them.
They also discussed what efforts should be invested to make chemistry advanced as far as expectations and the challenges posed by human and social development are concerned.
It provided an opportunity to the participants for collaborations extending to both national and international levels. Some of the research papers presented during this conference were selected for publication in the special issue of “The Journal of the Chemical Society of Pakistan”.
The University of Malakand is situated in a conflict zone which has been severely affected and people were scared to visit the area. This conference broke the ice of disconnection and made it possible to bring national and foreign delegates to witness the prevailing peace in the area.
List of speakers for Plenary and Invited/Keynote lectures
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Rasul Jan
Vice Chancellor, University of Peshawar, Pakistan
Nanomaterials and Modified Materials as A Tool for Signal Amplification and Detection
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Soylak
Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Erciyes University, 38039, Kayseri-Turkey.
Modern Trends in Solid Phase Extraction of Trace Elements: Preparation and Characterization of Nanosized Materials
Prof. Dr. Hesham R. El-Seedi
Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, Biomedical Centre, Box 574, SE-75 123, Uppsala, Sweden.
The Traditional and Prophetic Medicines Are Unraveling Another Mystery of the Mother-Nature
Calcium Supplements: As an Additional Source of Lead Contamination and Mineral Contents
Prof. Dr. Tufail Hussain Sherazi
National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, Univ. of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan
Application of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy for Edible Oils Analysis
Dr. Syed Ghulam Musharraf
International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
Untargeted Metabolomics Snapshot of Cancer Samples for Biomarker Search
Dr. Muhammad Imran
Biochemistry Section Institute of Chemical Sciences University of Peshawar, Peshawar-25120 KP Pakistan
Nuclear Factor-κappa B activation switches all-trans-retinoic acid-induced granulocytic differentiation of promyelocytic leukemia cells to macrophages
Prof. Dr. Jianlong Wang
Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Technology, INET, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
Adsorption of Co(II) by zero valent iron/graphene nanocomposite
Dr. Sami Ullah
Lecturer, School of Physical and Geographical Sciences, William Smith Building WS1.39, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
In Situ Denitrification: Methodological Challenges and Spatial Variability in Terrestrial Ecosystems
Prof. Dr. Tariq Yasin
Deputy Chief Scientist, Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, PIEAS, PO Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan
Radiation Processed Materials and their Applications
Dr. Naila Siddique
Principal Scientist, Chemistry Division, Directorate of Science, PINSTECH, PO Nilore Islamabad 45650, PAEC, Islamabad Pakistan
Essential, Toxic, Rare Earth and High Field-Strength Elements in Multani Mitti Clay Using Instrument
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Makshoof Athar
Director, Institute of the Chemistry, University of the Punjab, Lahore Pakistan.
Modified Carbon Paste Electrode for Detection of Hg(II) in Industrial Effluents
Prof. Dr. Zahid Hussain
Department of chemistry Abdul Wali khan Mardan 23200 Pakistan
Effect of pretreatment on the product distribution of two step catalytic pyrolysis of biomass
Prof. Dr. Mir Munsif Ali Talpur
Director, Institute of Chemistry, Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur
Dandralenes-Synthesis and Characterization
Dr. Bushra Naseem
Department of Chemistry, Lahore College for Women University, Jail road, Lahore 54000; Pakistan
Interaction between Nitroimidazoles and alcohols: physico-chemical study
Dr. Bushra Munir
Assistant Professor, Applied Chemistry and Biochemistry, GCUF 38000, Pakistan
Total Antioxidant Status and Oxidative Stress in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Dr. Iqbal Hussain
Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Islamia College Peshawar 25000: Pakistan
Synthesis, Characterization, Anti-oxidant and Biological Activities of Schiff base Alkylhydrazone
Prof. Dr. Yousaf Al-Hiari
Faculty of Pharmacy University of Jordan, Jordan
Novel heterocyclic carboxamide derivatives as potential antihyperlipidaemic Agents: Indole-2-carboxamides as Model
Prof. Dr. Mansoor Ahmad
Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270
Pakistani Phytomedicines and Their Role in Cuurent Medical System
Dr. Muhammad Raza Shah
ICCBS (H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry and Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research) University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
Nano-Pores and Supramolecular Chemistry
Prof. Dr. Shazia Anjum
Department of Chemistry, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
Standardization of Anti-Diabetic Medicinal Plants of Cholistan Desert
Dr. Asma Ejaz
Research Scientist III, Joslin Diabetes Research Center/Harvard Medical School, 1 Joslin Place, Boston, MA‐02115
Curcumin; Scientific Description of a Traditional Healing Agent
Prof. Dr. Mohammad Ilyas
NCE in Physical Chemistry, University of Peshawar
Green and Sustainable Catalysis
Prof. Dr. Hasan Mahmood Khan
NCEPC University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25120.
Advance Oxidation Processes (Aops) For the Treatment of Some Pesticides and Persistant Organic Pollutants (Pops) In Water
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Nasiruddin Khan
Department of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
Feasibility studies to replace the synthetic surfactant with bio-surfactant for green environment
Prof. Dr. Haq Nawaz Bhatti
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Green and sustainable technologies for remediation of dyes containing wastewater
Dr. Muhammad Akhyar Farrukh
Associate Professor, Nano-Chemistry Lab 54000, Organization: GC University Lahore, Pakistan
Evaluation of optical, catalytic and thermodynamic properties of metal oxides nanocomposites
Contact Person
Prof. Rashid Ahmad
Chief Organizer of the Conference
Vice President
Chemical Society of Pakistan
Dept. of Chemistry
University of Malakand, Chakdara, Dir (L), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
COMSTECH Inter-Islamic Network on Nanotechnology (INN) offered a two-day international conference/workshop on “Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine”, NTNM2017. This conference aimed to address the practical solutions offered by the advancement in nanotechnology and nanomedicine. Scientists and researchers from Netherlands, Norway, Kyrgyzstan, Bangladesh, United States, Malaysia, Pakistan, India, United Kingdom, Oman, Japan, Zimbabwe, Iran, Australia, Turkey and Iran participated in this event.
Original papers on nanometer-scale materials, devices, and technologies that utilized in biomedical science and technology were welcomed. The conference comprised six professional sessions on topics related to “Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine”, “Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery Systems”, “Nanomedicine, Diagnosis, and Therapy”, “Nanobiodevices and Biosensors”, “Nanotechnology and Environmental Health”, and “General Aspects of Nanotechnology”, which highlighted the recent breakthrough stories and advancements in the field of nanotechnology.
161 papers were received by the secretariat for review, from which 32 papers were accepted to be presented in lecture format, 18 talks for the first day and 14 talks for the second day, and also 2 virtual presentations from Turkey and Malaysia. In addition, 84 papers were accepted to be presented in poster, from which three top poster presentations were selected by the review of different invited speakers and MERC professors and awarded at the closing ceremony of NTNM2017. All original papers presented at NTNM2017 were evaluated for publication in the journal of Elsevier, “Material Today: Proceedings”.
There were also 9 workshops in parallel with the presentation sections held on both days of the program which were mainly adjusted to create an information exchange atmosphere for the participants and mainly the invited speakers.
The multinational environment of this conference made it a perfect platform for the development of practical ideas from all over the world. None of this would have happened without the earnest efforts of the organizers behind the scenes, including Materials and Energy Research Center (MERC), Inter-Islamic Network on Nanotechnology (INN), and COMSTECH. COMSTECH was represented at the Workshop/Conference by Dr. S. Khurshid Hasanain, Senior Expert.
The 6th International and 15th National Conference on Dynamic Trends in Plant Sciences: Fostering the Environment and Food Security was held from 9 to 11 May 2017 at SBK Women’s University, Quetta, Pakistan. It was co-sponsored by COMSTECH.
The conference was a milestone in the history of Baluchistan as being the first one ever to be conducted on this topic. It offered an occasion for the eminent scholars and researchers to present their work. It proved to be a good platform for interaction and collaboration among scholars from various disciplines related to plant sciences and at the same time provided an opportunity of networking and scholarship from renowned experts from multiple fields in the realm of botanical sciences.
A number of international scholars as well as Pakistani scientists from different parts of the country attended this event. In all about 500 scholars, researchers, scientists and students participated. The conference comprised four sessions with three sessions of plenary lectures which covered five themes (listed below). There were 31 plenary lectures, 2 online lectures from UK, and oral and poster presentations in the fields of Biotechnology, Botany, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences and Microbiology. Eleven speakers from Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Turkey and UK delivered their lectures along with twenty renowned scientists from Pakistan.
This event provided an excellent opportunity to the participants to share knowledge and exchange their research findings, ideas, experiences and views on different topics in biological sciences. It also introduced the first women’s university in Balochistan at international and national level and acquaint the participants with its current work for advanced research and studies.
THEME- 1: Agriculture and Plant Physiology
Agronomy
Horticulture
Abiotic and Biotic Stresses
Nutrients and Biofertilizers
Plants and Livestock
Food Safety and Security
Plant Breeding and Genetics
Organic Farming and Hydroponics
Plants for Livestock
THEME- 2: Plant Biotechnology, Biochemistry
Bioinformatics and molecular Biology
Tissue Culture
Cell and Molecular Biology
Enzymology
Plantomics
Data Mining, NGS, Algorithm, Database
Phytochemistry and Biotransformation
THEME- 3: Plant Pathology, Microbiology and Disease Management
Mycology
Bacteriology
Virology
Plant Nematology
Plant Disease
Biological and Chemical Control
THEME- 4: Plant Ecology and Environment
Sustainable Development and Applied Ecology
Population, Community, Ecosystem
Ecophysiology
Environmental Pollution
Global Warming
Green Chemistry
Biosafety
THEME- 5: Plant Systematics, Ethnobotany and Biodiversity
Conducted at the National Center for Physics (NCP), QAU, Shahdara CampusAugust 01-19, 2017
Summary: The second module was in continuation of the 1st Refresher Courses conducted by NCP in August 2016. The First Module had covered three of the basic areas of M.Sc. or the Senior Level of 4 year BS program. The second module covered the 3 remaining core areas, viz. Quantum Mechanics, Thermal Physics and Mathematical Physics (II). The emphasis of the program was on reviewing main concepts and techniques that students are expected to be familiarized with at the M.Sc. or Senior BS level but unfortunately the trend in most institutions is to derive results and ask for reproduction in the tests and examinations. This course was designed with lectures and tutorials with a heavy bias towards learning how to elucidate concepts and how to apply them to solving problems. The participants consisted of College and young university teachers from all over the country while the teaching faculty comprised experienced and highly dedicated young faulty from QAU, COMSATSIIT, NUST and NCP.
Directors of the Program:
Prof. S. K. Hasanain, Senior Expert COMSTECH and Dr. Mohsin Siddiq, Director Theoretical Physics Directorate NCP
Teaching Faculty:
Mathematical Methods (II)
Dr. Mohsin Siddiq (NCP)
Dr. Waqas Masood (CIIT)
Dr. Abdul Rahman (NCP)
Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmad (NCP)
Quantum Mechanics
Dr. Rizwan Khalid (NUST)
Dr. Muhammad Junaid (NCP)
Dr. Shahin Iqbal (NCP)
Dr. Abid Mujtaba (CIIT)
Thermal Physics
Dr. Syed Khurshid Hasanain
(COMSTECH)
Dr. Naeem Shahid (NUST)
Dr. Mansoor-ur-Rahman (QAU)
Mr. Usman Hassan (NCP).
Summary of Academic Program:
Each working day consisted of 3 lectures each of 1½ hour duration, and one tutorial session of same duration.
Each subject was covered in 30 hours of lectures and tutorials during the three weeks entailing a total of 90 hours of academic work in the course.
The lecture contents were based on the standard texts used for the M.Sc. program at QAU and other local universities.
Assignments were given and feedback provided to participants.
Performance in each subject was assessed by conducting two tests of 45-minute duration each.
Success certificates were awarded to those participants who had obtained 50% marks in the course, on the aggregate.
Participation level:
The activity was adequately attended where the total number of registered participants was fifty (50), with twenty-eight (28) being male and twenty-two (22) females. Additionally, a number of students from QAU and NCP Faculty attended though not on a regular basis.
All the registered participants were teachers at the BS or M.Sc. level
All the out-station participants were provided boarding and lodging at NCP
The demographic distribution of participants was as under:
Punjab 24
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 10
Sindh 02
Balochistan 04
Azad Jammu and Kashmir 05
Federal Capital 05
Total 50
Contact Person
Manager (Scientific Event Management)
Collaborations & Academic Activities Department (CAAD)
National Centre for Physics
QAU Campus, Shahdra Valley Road, Islamabad, Pakistan
Summary: There were about 50 lectures and about 100 poster presentations with over 170 participants. Twelve eminent international scientists delivered 24 plenary and research lectures. Participants from Russia, Georgia, Iraq, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Tunisia, China, Canada, UK, France, India, USA, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Iran attended this conference.
The lecture of Nobel Laureate Prof. K. Von Klitzing was highly appreciated by the participants. One important event in the conference was the recognition given to young scientists and to poster presentations. Young Researcher Awards were given to two young researchers one in magnetism and the other in superconductivity and four Best Poster Awards to two each in magnetism and superconductivity. The Awards Committee also awarded one distinction to a highly accomplished young scientist.
Two highly regarded invited speakers, Prof. Lu Yu from Chinese Academy of Sciences and Prof. Michael Farle from University of Duisburg, Essen, Germany accepted to become Adjunct Professors of the Department of Physics at Sharif University of Technology starting from January 2018.
COMSTECH was one of the supporters of the conference.
Details of Keynote Speakers:
1. K. Von Klitzing
Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
Plenary: A New International System of Units in 2018! How my Nobel Prize Contributed to this Development?
Research: Exciton Condensation in Quantum Hall Bilayer – A Superfluid Ground State
2. K. Shimizu
KYOKUGEN, Center for Science and Technology under Extreme Conditions, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-8531, Japan
Plenary: Superconducting Elements under High Pressure
3. F.S. Razavi
Department of Physics, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
Plenary: Rare Earth Chromium Oxides Revisited, Special Case: Structural, Magnetic and Thermal Studies of Ce1-xEuxCrO3 Nano-Powders
Research: Isotope Effect on Superconductivity and Optical Properties of Pyrochlore Cd2Re2O7
4. L. Yu
Institute of Physics, Beijing, China
Plenary: Metal-Insulator Crossover and Non-BCS Superconductivity in Underdoped Cuprates
Research: Relation between Exchange (Braid) and Exclusion Statistics in Low-Dimensional Systems
5. M.I. Eremets
Max Planck Institute of Chemistry, Mainz, Germany
Plenary: High Temperature Conventional Superconductivity
Research: Phase Diagram of Hydrogen at Pressures up to 470 GPa and Low Temperatures
6. H.M. Ronnow
Laboratory for Quantum Magnetism, Institute of Physics, EPFL, Switzerland
Plenary: Quantum Magnetism – Neutrons in the Quasi-particle Zoo
Research: Magnetism with a Twist – Magneto-Electric Skyrmions
7. M. Farle
University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany; Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Russia
Plenary: Functionalized Hybrid Nanomagnets: New Materials for Innovations in Energy Storage and Medical Theranostics
Research: Magnetic Skyrmions in Confined Geometries
8. G. Baskaran
The Institute of Mathematical Sciences Chennai 600 113, India; Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Plenary: Resonating Valence Bond Theory of Superconductivity-Support from Systems beyond CupratesResearch: Theory of Ultra Low Tc Superconductivity in Bismuth – Tip of an Iceberg?
9. Kh. Zakeri
Heisenberg Spin-dynamics Group, Physikalisches Institut, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany; Max-Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, Halle, Germany
Plenary: Terahertz Magnonics: Feasibility of Using Terahertz Magnons for Information Processing
Research: Phonon Spectrum of Single-Crystalline FeSe (001)
10. M.K. Wu
Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
Plenary: An Overview of the FeSe-based Superconductors
Research: Modification of Iron d-orbitals in Superconducting FeSe Crystal
11. Sh. Deemyad
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
Plenary: The Many Faces of the Lightest Metal “LITHIUM” under Pressure
Research: Light Compounds at High Densities: Carbon and below
12. H. Aubin
LPEM, ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University; CNRS; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University of Paris 6, 10 rue Vauquelin, F-75005 Paris, France
Plenary: Hybrid Semiconducting-Superconducting Systems and Superconductivity at the Anderson Limit
Research: Nernst Effect by Gaussian Superconducting Fluctuations
Contact Person
Prof. M. Akhavan Conf. ChairTel: 0098-21-66005410, 66029161, 66164501-2
COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) Islamabad in collaboration with the Technical University of Dortmund (TUD), Dortmund, Germany organized an International Mini-School from 4th to 6th October 2017 in Islamabad. List of eminent speakers included those from Canada, Germany, Singapore, Iran, Taiwan, Azerbaijan, China, Turkey and Pakistan. Complete list of speakers is available here
COMSTECH funded travel of the following three speakers from OIC states;
Prof. Kerim R. Allahverdiyev,Azerbaijan National Aviation Academy (ANAA), Bina, Baku, Azerbaijan
Dr. Mehmet Emre Tasgin, Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Hacettepe University, Turkey
Dr. Alpan Bek, Middle East Technical University (METU), Physics Department & GÜNAM, Ankara, Turkey.
Brief profiles of the above three speakers are available here.
Presently, we are facing obstacles in upholding biosafety in Pakistan at the institutional level because of lack of trained biosafety professionals. Based on this gap Pakistan Biological Safety Association (PBSA) Islamabad in collaboration with the Fogarty International Centre (FIC) at National Institute of Health, USA, planned to set a series of workshops for training laboratory professionals on biorisk management. This training was also part of same series and was aimed to provide information regarding work practices, policies, protocols and systems to work safely at BSL-1 to BSL-4 laboratories and research facilities. Behavioral-based approach and hands on practices were employed to deliver the training resource.
Mr. Sean G. Kaufamn, a professional trainer and coach from USA was the lead trainer. He was assisted by 16 facilitators from different local institutes. Fifty six participants benefited from the training, these included two from Malaysia and the remaining 54 from Pakistan. The participants from Malaysia were sponsored by COMSTECH. Names of the participants from Malaysia are given below;
Dr. Kamal Haikal Bin Mat Rabi, Research Medical Officer, Institute of Medical Research, Malaysia
Dr. Aswir Abd Rashed, Research Officer, Nutrition Unit, Institute of Medical Research, Malaysia
Objectives of the workshop are given below;
Learning Objectives of the Lecture Sessions:
Four Primary Controls of Biosafety
Biological Risk Mitigation
Containment Levels; Engineering and Biosafety
Risk Group Classification
SOP Evaluation, Validation and Verification
Sterilization, Disinfection, Decontamination, and Antisepsis
Biosafety Program Effectiveness
Four Primary Controls of Biosafety
Dual Use Research-Issue of Concern
Building a “ONE SAFE” culture
Occupational Health Programs
Medical and Incident Surveillance Programs
Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)
CWA 15793: Biorisk Management,
Understanding Personality Differences,
Laboratory Acquired Illnesses (LAIs)
Emergency Response Tabletops
Learning Objectives of the Laboratory Sessions:
Line up Donning
Line up Doffing
The Beaking Method-Glove Removal
PAPR Assembly
The Practices of Donning and Doffing PPE
Gross Decontamination
Hand Washing-Don and Doff Confirm
Waste Management Procedures
Working in a Biosafety Cabinet Biosafety Cabinet Types
Shipping of Infectious Substances
Needle Stick Injuries
Unconscious Individuals
Yellow Evacuation (Modified)
Responding to Spills
Program of the workshop is available here
For lists of the Participants, Facilitators and Coaches click here
19th International Meeting on Frankia and Actinorhizal Plants
March 17-19, 2018, Vincci Marillia Hotel, Hammamet, Tunisia
Organized by University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia with Support of University of Carthage, Tunisia and Manouba University, Tunisia Co-Sponsored by COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad
An International Meeting on Frankia and Actinorhizal Plants was held in Vincci Marillia Hotel, Hammamet, Tunisia from 17th to 19th of March, 2018. This meeting was the 19th of the series that began in 1978 at Harvard Forest, USA and organized by JG Torrey and JD Tjepkema. This biennial event is organized for the first time in Africa( 7X in USA, 3X in France, 2X in Sweden and 1X in Canada, 1X in New Zealand, 1X in The Netherlands,1X in Argentina, 1X in Portugal and 1X in India).
This scientific event gathered 32 scientists from Algeria, Argentina, Belgium, China, Egypt, France, India, Portugal, Senegal, Sweden, UK, USA and Tunisia. The International Meeting was inaugurated by Professor Abdellatif Boudabous, President of the National Committee for Evaluation of Scientific Research Activities (CNEARS), Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technology, Tunisia.
The plenary lecture was given by Professor Jean Armenguad, CEA, INRA, F-30207, Bagnols sur Cèze, France, who outlined the great input of proteogenomics and metaproteomics for environmental microbiology particularly with bacteria recalcitrant to genetic manipulation such as Frankia.
The 19th International Meeting on Frankia and Actinorhizal Plants was subdivided in three sessions that reported the main recent developments that have occurred since the previous meeting held from the 24th to the 27th of August 2015 in Montpellier, France.
The first session: Frankia was opened by Professor Katharina Pawlowski, Stockholm University, Sweden, who reported the progress on the earliest divergent Frankia cluster from metagenomic data. Professor Louis S. Tisa, University of New Hamsphire, USA, presented his recent accomplishments for genes, genomes and genetics of Frankia and non-Frankia bacteria involved in the actinorhizal symbiosis. Dr. Imen Nouioui of the Newcastle University, United Kingdom, reported the putative biotechnological potentials of Frankia in cancer therapy and as source of new antibiotics. Dr. Celine Pesce, University of New Hamsphire, USA, presented the first successful genetic transformation of Frankia strains using CRISPR Cas9 approach. Dr. Medhat Rehan, Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt, reported the detoxification and reduction of selenite to elemental red selenium by Frankia strains. Dr. Erik Swanson, University of New Hamsphire, USA also reported the dioxin-like compound degradation by Frankia strains. A comprehensive profiling of carbohydrate activated enzymes in Frankia was presented by Dr. Indrani Sarkar, University of North Bengal, India.
The session 2: Actinorhizal Plants was opened by Prof. Ana I. Ribeiro-Barros, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal, who reported the proteome and metabolome analysis of branchlets from nodulated and non-nodulated Casuarina glauca Sieb. ex Spreng grown under salinity conditions. Research and use of actinorhizal plant Casuarina trees in China was the subject of the presentation given by Prof.Chonglu Zhong, Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, China. Dr. Sabrine Ghazouani, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunisia, presented results on phytoaccumulation of heavy metals and biochemical changes in Casuarina glauca grown in composed animal foodstuffs industry wastewater irrigated soil. The effects of plant stress hormones on the establishment of actinorhizal symbiosis in Casuarina glauca and Comparative salt tolerance study of Casuarina equisetifolia (L.) and Casuarina obese (Miq.) inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Rhizophagus fasciculatum) and Frankia strain (CcI6) was presented by Dr.Mariama Ngom, Centre de Recherche de Bel Air, Sénégal. Dr. Ridha Slaimi from the National Institute for Research in Rural Engineering Water and Forestry, reported data related on the use of Casuarina glauca Sieb to improve the treated waste water quality.
The last session on Plant-Microbe interactions was opened by Professor Luis G Wall, University of Quilmes, Argentina, who presented the major plant cellular remodelling associated with intercellular Frankia root colonization of the actinorhizal host Discaria trinervis revealed through site-specific subtilase gene expression. An update on the signaling molecules involved in actinorhizal symbioses was given by Prof. Alyssa Carre-Mlouka, Tropical & Mediterranean Symbioses Laboratory, LSTM, IRD, France. An experimental modeling Frankia-actinorhizal plant symbiosis: competition between strains and sanction of the host plant was presented by Dr. Mouadh Saadaoui from the University Carthage. Dr. Karima Hezbri, University of Tunis El Manar, reported the endophyte and epiphyte bacterial communities from the phytosphere of an actinorhizal tree: Casuarina sp grown in Tunisia. The proteogenomic data for deciphering the earlier step of recognition between the two partners of the symbiosis was treated by two presentations by Doctors Amir Ktari and Abdellatif Gueddou from the University of Carthage.
Manuscripts based on the 19th International Meeting on Frankia and Actinorhizal Plants Hammamet will be considered for possible peer-review publications in a Special Issue in Antonie van Leeuwenhoek – Springer ISSN: 0003-6072 (print version), ISSN: 1572-9699 (electronic version) , Journal no. 10482 Editor-in-Chief: Iain Sutcliffe
