VU holds 1st International Conference on Bioinformatics and Computational Methods in Post Genomic Era

Islamabad: Virtual University of Pakistan (VUP) organized the 1st International Conference on Bioinformatics and Computational Methods in Post Genomic Era at VU.

Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza, Vice-Chancellor, Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), graced the event as Chief Guest. Mr. Naeem Tariq, Director Finance Virtual University of Pakistan attended the session as a special guest.

The conference was attended by eminent national and international scientists.

Keynote speakers included Prof. Dr. Erik Bongcam Rudloff, Head SLU-Global Bioinformatics Center, Dr. Shahid Mansoor (S.I) Chief Scientist, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, NIBGE, Faisalabad, Dr. Senkevich Konstantin Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Canada, Dr. Safee Ullah Chaudhary Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, LUMS Lahore, Dr. Nadeem A. Kizilbash, Head Department of Biochemistry Faculty of Applied Medical Science, Northern Border University, Saudi Arabia, Dr. Dong Ling TONG, Centre of IoT and Big Data, Faculty of I & C Technology, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia, Prof. Dr. M. Kamran Azim Professor/Dean Faculty of Life Sciences, Mohammad Ali Jinnah University, Karachi, Prof. Dr. Mushtaq Hussain Principal Dow University College of Biotechnology Dow Health University Karachi, Dr. Ambrin Fatima Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University Karachi, Dr. Misbah Irshad Department of Chemistry University of Education Township Campus Lahore, Ms. Anusha Amanullah and Ms. Iffat Waqar from Dow College of Biotechnology Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi, Dr. Waqasuddin Khan The Aga Khan University Karachi, Mr. Muhammad Farooq NIBGE, Faisalabad, Dr. Amjad Ali, NUST, Dr. Nusrat Jabeen The University of Karachi, Dr. Syed Mohammad Omer, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, and Dr. Ammad Aslam Khan, Virtual University of Pakistan.

Dr. Bushra Mirza discussed the advancements in the techniques and tools of bioinformatics’ field. She said that these tools have made possible the high throughput analysis of genes and proteins. It has become an indispensable field in the post-genomic era. Apart from the analysis of genome sequence data, Bioinformatics is now being used for a vast array of other important tasks, including analysis of gene variation and expression, analysis and prediction of protein structure, she added.

The conference was comprised of four technical sessions, in these sessions the eminent speakers shed light on how bioinformatics is helping in the development of vaccines against COVID-19; they also summarized the evolution of bioinformatics and its use in the field of life sciences.

Mr. Naeem Tariq said that such summits provide an opportunity to renew contacts and discuss the expanding role of bioinformatics and computing methods in the domains of genetics, genomics, and transcriptomics. He congratulated conference chair, Dr. Muhammad Tariq Pervez, HoD Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Mr. Mirza Jawad ul Hasnain, Lecturer Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology for organizing a successful international event.

The chief guest of the closing ceremony, Prof. Dr. Shahida Hasnain (Ex-Vice Chancellor, Lahore College for Women University, Multan) addressed the audience and highlighted the research area of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology. She encouraged researchers to use these approaches in a way that will help them to discover a study that will be the need of the hour.

At the end of the conference shield and Certificate were distributed among the keynote speakers and participants.