In a major step towards improving animal and public health, the Government of Sindh and the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi (UoK), have entered into a formal partnership aimed at strengthening disease surveillance and vaccine development under the globally recognized “One Health” approach.
The partnership was cemented through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between ICCBS and the Sindh Institute of Animal Health (SIAH), Karachi. The signing ceremony took place at ICCBS and was attended by senior scientists and officials, including Prof Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, Professor Emeritus and former Federal Minister for Science and Technology, and Senior Advisor Prof Dr Shahid Mansoor.
The agreement outlines a collaborative framework to address critical animal and zoonotic diseases through advanced scientific interventions. A key focus of the MoU is genome sequencing of major pathogens, including the highly contagious Foot and Mouth Disease Virus. The institutions also plan to evaluate current vaccines and develop next-generation vaccines using Virus-Like Particles (VLP) technology.
Prof Dr Muhammad Raza Shah, Director of ICCBS, and Dr Nazeer Hussain Kalhoro, Director General of SIAH, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organizations.
Speaking at the event, Prof Raza Shah emphasized the importance of using AI tools for real-time disease tracking, noting ICCBS’s capacity to build advanced dashboards for outbreak monitoring. He also highlighted the center’s ability to conduct clinical trials for critical biologics such as snake antivenom and rabies vaccines.
Prof Atta-ur-Rahman encouraged both institutions to submit joint proposals to the Sindh government to further collaborative research and funding opportunities.
Dr Kalhoro, representing SIAH, noted the institute’s ongoing efforts under the Department of Livestock and Fisheries to develop and produce vaccines, sera, and biologics for disease prevention in animals—efforts that are vital to protecting both animal and human populations.
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The MoU, effective for five years, is renewable by mutual agreement and is expected to accelerate the development of innovative, science-based solutions for disease control in Sindh and beyond.