The four-week COMSTECH-PABIC-ICCBS Winter Internship Programme for Youth 2025 concluded on January 15, 2026, marking the successful completion of an intensive hands-on laboratory training initiative for undergraduate and postgraduate students from across Pakistan.
The programme was launched by the Pakistan Biotechnology Information Centre under the project “Dissemination of Information, Raising Awareness and Capacity Building about the Application of Modern Biotechnology in OIC Member and Observer States,” funded by COMSTECH, the Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. It aimed to foster multidisciplinary collaboration while strengthening awareness and appreciation of modern sciences at both national and OIC levels.
A total of 34 BS and MS students took part in the internship and received practical training in various laboratories at the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences. Participants represented a diverse group of institutions, including the University of Karachi, Jinnah University for Women, University of Turbat, University of Peshawar, Dow University of Health Sciences, University of Sindh Jamshoro, and NED University of Engineering and Technology.
Addressing the interns at the concluding session, Coordinator General COMSTECH Professor Dr M. Iqbal Choudhary urged students to uphold the ethics of both life and science. He stressed the importance of developing soft skills and maintaining flexibility in learning to remain current in rapidly evolving research fields, adding that excellence can only be achieved through sustained hard work and continuous learning.
Director ICCBS Professor Dr M Raza Shah said the core objective of the internship was to motivate young scientists and equip them with practical skills needed to transition confidently into real-world research environments.
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The programme was widely appreciated for providing students with valuable exposure to advanced laboratory practices and for strengthening the link between academic learning and applied scientific research.
