Pharma Convention held in Orissa

Dr A K Bandyopadhyay, Jadavpur University's Department of Pharmaceutical Technology receiving the IAPST Pharmaceutical Scientists and Technologists Award 2007 at the first National Convention of Indian Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists and Technologists, at Gopalpur, Orissa

The first national convention of the Indian Association of Pharma-ceutical Scientists and Technologists (IAPST) recently concluded at the beach town of Gopalpur in Orissa. Pharmaceutical scientists and technologists from different parts of the country attended the convention. Inaugurating the convention was Dr Ambika C Banerjee, Corporate Advisor, East India Pharmaceutical Works, Kolkata, who urged Indian pharmaceutical companies to invest more on R&D. He opined that scientists and the R&D wings of the pharma companies need to focus more on biotechnology, nanotechnology and bio-nanotechnology to target the genetic diseases.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Omkar Nath Mohanty, Vice-Chancellor, Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT), stressed on interdisciplinary approach in pharmaceutical research to meet new challenges in the field. he elaborated on how nanotechnology, has become a major tool of pharmaceutical research to develop new drugs and to increase potency of existing drugs.

Other experts attending the convention were of the opinion that the challenges of advancement of pharmaceutical research in India had increased due to globalisation and new patent laws, as the latest trends in all fields of science were now having their role in the development of health and therapeutic products. On this occasion, Dr A K Bandyopadhyay of Jadavpur University's Department of Pharmaceutical Technology was honoured with IAPST Pharmaceutical Scientists and Technologists Award 2007 along with a gold medal for his contribution to pharmaceutical research in Bucel drug delivery systems. Professor P N Murthy, Director, Royal College of Pharmacy was also honoured with IAPST 2007 Award with a gold medal for his contribution to the field of pharmaceutical research and education. Dr Biswajit Mukherjee, Secretary-General, IAPST, in his address requested the pharmaceutical scientists and technologists to focus on research, which will not remain in papers but to be useful to the mankind.