Bhagat asks SKUAST-K scientists to connect lab with industry

Srinagar, July 27: National Conference of Immunology and Biotechnology (VIBCON) on ‘Leveraging Emerging Biotechnologies for One Health’ commenced Thursday at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar campus.
The three-day 27th Annual Convention and Conference of the Indian Society for Veterinary Immunology & Biotechnology (ISVIB) is organised for the first time in Kashmir by the SKUAST-K’s Divisions of Veterinary Microbiology & Immunology, and Division of Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Shuhama under the sponsorship of the World Bank-funded National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) for institutional development of SKUAST-K in collaboration with ICAR and other national research and industrial organisations.
The conference aims to address the challenging ‘One Health’ issues related to antimicrobial drug resistance, emerging and re-emerging diseases and the latest development in the areas of immunology and vaccinology.
Commissioner Secretary, Sciences and Technology, J&K Government, Saurabh Bhagat and Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai were the chief guests at the inaugural session of the conference, attended by academicians, scientists, veterinarians, public health professionals, research scholars, students, livestock entrepreneurs, environmentalists, policymakers from across the country.
In his address, Bhagat urged the scientists for connecting the lab to the industry so that research outcome is converted into user-friendly and affordable products. He also apprised the audience about J&K DST’s innovation portal, which he said will act as a data bank for all technologies developed and a ready reference for all the stakeholders. While announcing full support of DST to SKUAST-K, he said that a 100% subsidised solar rooftop has been sanctioned for the Faculty of Fisheries under the green campus initiative.
Prof Ganai while talking about the university’s one health initiative said SKUAST-K is doing exceptionally well on animal health and ecosystem health through innovative and problem-oriented research, development of competent human resources and capacity building of animal health care professionals, livestock keepers and agriculture-associated farmers.
“This top-ranked institution has contributed immensely in developing resilient agri-food production systems in the region for ensuring food and nutritional security of the people, and has all ingredients and capacity to take a lead role in coordinating and collaborating with partners from the human health sector for the institutionalization of One Health approach in Jammu and Kashmir and help optimize human, animal and environmental health in the region,” he said.
President, ISVIB, Dr RK Singh, while thanking SKUAST-K for hosting the conference, said, “COVID-19 pandemic taught us that no sector can work in isolation rather we have to pool our resources and work together.”
The General Secretary of the Society, Dr Therumurgan presented the summary of the working of the ISVIB. At the occasion, ISVIB also conferred scientists and research scholars with its awards for their contribution to immunology and biotechnology.