Workshop on Plant & Microbial genomics commences at School of Biotechnology, JU

Jammu, Jan 23:There is a need of dissolving man-made academic boundaries said Prof Umesh Rai, Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu, while inaugurating a one-week Hands-on Bioinformatics workshop on Plant & Microbial genomics organized by the School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu.

Vice-Chancellor emphasized that gone are the days when teachers of one subject can teach a particular subject rather than the teaching should be transdisciplinary.  He said that in life sciences teaching, we need to include various subjects such as computer languages, mathematics covering linear equations, hard core statistics, organic chemistry and biophysics as basic courses. However, he said he is happy with the progress made by the departments of life sciences at the University of Jammu.

It is pertinent to mention here that the workshop is funded by DST- SERB and the workshop is conducted in collaboration with the Human Resource Development Centre, JU and Centre for IT Enabled Services and Management, University of Jammu. In his inaugural lecture, Prof. Rup Lal, INSA Senior scientist, Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi dwelt in detail about the  “Role of computional biology in microbial ecology: Human Health, Environment and Societal Perspective”. Prof. Rup Lal also highlighted the role of Microbes in all aspects of human health and well-being. The Inaugural lecture was hosted by Dr. Nancy Bhagat, School of Biotechnology.

Guest of Honour, Prof. Naresh Padha, Dean Academic Affairs, University of Jammu in his remarks enlightened that the University of Jammu, under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Prof Rai, is moving towards dissolving the boundaries and evolving education. He was of the opinion that the data is new oil and a lot of skill enhancement is required in the data analysis, biology included. 

Prof. Jyoti Vakhlu, Organizer of the workshop, appraised the gathering about the workshop. She said that bioinformatics is though the latest but most important field in life sciences that combines, computer science, statistics, information technology and biology. Bioinformatics is the science of decoding the code of life written by 4 alphabets ATGC.  

It was a matter of pride for the School that a number of applications were received for the workshop wherein 50% of the participants were from outside J&K and selection was made on the basis of merit.  Prof. Vakhlu informed that the   School has invited resource people from the most prestigious institutes within the country such as Delhi University, JNU New Delhi, NCBS and IIT Mandi etc. In seven day workshop, the topics from microbial genomics, metagenomics, plant transcriptomics to plant genomics will be covered by theory and practical hands-on session. Earlier,Dr. Madhulika Bhagat, Associate Professor, School of Biotechnology (SBT), University of Jammu  in her welcome address appraised the audience that the school has so far published more than 500 papers in peer-reviewed journals, earned extramural funding by the faculty from all the major National and International funding agencies. The ceremony was compared by Ms. AyushiVerma and a formal vote of thanks was presented by Dr. Sheetal Ambardar, Assistant Professor, School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu.