The second International Conference on Genomics, Nanotech and Bioengineering (ICGNB), held on the premises of North South University (NSU), showcased a vast array of scientific research studies, all pertaining to advances in currently booming scientific fields.
The three-day conference featured presentations by scientists from all over the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Korea, Sweden and the Netherlands, among others, said a press release issued on Tuesday.
The conference began on Sunday and ended on Tuesday. The first ICGNB was held in 2017, garnering success which in turn paved the way for its second installment.
The opening ceremony held on the first day of the event included a speech by Dr Firdausi Qadri, senior scientist at the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) and lead, Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives (ideSHi), who emphasized the need for vaccine development and its research in modern times as a means to fight against current communicable diseases.
Plenary speaker, Dr Rita R Colwell, professor at the University of Maryland at College Park and at John Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA,
spoke regarding another public health crisis that has been a looming threat to Bangladesh for years: the cholera epidemic.
A cultural program highlighted the colorful culture of the country, starting with dances
representative of its culture, to several musical performances on the first day.
The second day of ICGNB witnessed participants from well-reputed educational institutions from every corner of the country.
Representatives from the icddr,b were also present to shed light on the many public health issues and their scientific research in related areas that are underway.
Session one was conducted on the topic of genetics and genomics, a field that is currently thriving due to its significant impact on health science.
The session of public health and epidemiology was chaired by Dr Masashi Kawaichi,
professor at Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), who had travelled from Japan.
Sessions three and four comprised scientific discussions on pharmacology and therapeutics, and infectious diseases, respectively. Informative presentations were given on various diseases and the development of therapeutics.
In the session centring on infectious diseases, Dr Firdausi Qadri was present with many challenges the health industry now faces.
Session six focused on discoveries in signalling pathways and cellular mechanisms.
Session seven, titled nanotechnology and drug design, saw keynote speeches from Dr Mohsin Kazi of King Saud University, who explained his work in the formulation of drug delivery systems for poorly soluble drugs, amongst others.
Session eight on bioengineering highlighted the implementation of genomic studies. Dr Nasser B Alsaleh of King Saud University addressed this by providing a glimpseinto the field of nanotoxicology.
Session nine took place on environment and sustainable development, which is an essential topic of discussion considering Bangladesh’s dilemma in terms of environmental pollution.
Dr Md Firoz Khan of NSU addressed this particular matter by speaking at length regarding his work in the estimation of risks posed to us by air pollution, and how to mitigate these issues.
The end of this conference was marked by the closing ceremony, which featured speeches from the chief guest, Prof Dr ABM Abdullah, personal physician to the prime minister and UGC officer, BSMMU and others.
Awards were handed out for the best presentations. Professor Hasan Mahmud Reza, dean, School of Health and Life Sciences and chair of ICGNB 2022 Organizing Committee, declared the end of the conference in his speech.
Among others, deans of different schools, directors of various departments, department heads, senior officials, teachers and students were present at the program.
