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Events
ASEAN and India Organise the Second ASEAN-India Bioinformatics HRD Workshop on 14-16 December 2006 in New Delhi (uploaded on 21 December 2006)Organized by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) of India and the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Biotechnology (SCB), the Second ASEAN-India Bioinformatics HRD Workshop was held on 14-16 December 2006 in New Delhi. The Workshop, hosted by the Sri Vankateswara College, University of Delhi, was attended by 21 representatives from all ASEAN Member Countries and the ASEAN Secretariat. Around 21 bioinformatics specialists from India were also in attendance. The Workshop was inaugurated by Shri Anand Sharma, Honorable Minister of State External Affairs of India.
The main objective of the Workshop was to share bioinformatics developments in India and ASEAN Member Countries and to discuss the progress of the implementation of various recommendations put forward at the First Workshop. The main activities undertaken during the Workshop comprised (i) Keynote Lecture on bioinformatics status in India; (ii) Academic Sessions by Indian prominent experts and scientists covering the topics of proteomics and policy planning; (iii) Lectures on strategies for promotion of bioinformatics education; (iv) Presentations on bioinformatics industry in India by private sector representatives; (v) Presentations of country reports by the ASEAN Member Countries on the state of bioinformatics in their respective countries; and (vi) Discussion on policy planning to strengthen the ASEAN-India cooperation in bioinformatics.
The Indian experts and industry representatives gave some insights on the importance roles of bioinformatics in supporting research and education in biotechnology, development of drugs and diagnostic kits for animal and human diseases. They also highlighted the on-going efforts of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) of India in establishing the Indian bioinformatics network.
To further strengthen the cooperation between ASEAN and India, the following activities were, among others, recommended to be implemented in 2007:
- In-country bioinformatics workshops in ASEAN aiming promote bioinformatics to biologists, biotechnologies, mathematicians and statisticians. The workshops, to be supported by the national budget, will be led by Indian and ASEAN experts. Countries such as Malaysia and Thailand have expressed readiness to organise the Workshops.
- Training Workshop for Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam. Dr. Tan Tin Wee, the SCB Focal Point of Singapore cum Secretary of the Asia-Pacific Bioinformatics Network (APBioNet) and S*Alliance, has managed to obtain funding support from APBioNet to support the Workshop.
- Participation of the ASEAN bioinformatics at the International Conference of Bioinformatics 2007 (InCOB2007) in China. With funding support to be sourced from the APBioNet and a Dialogue Partner.
- Development of bioinformatics curriculum. In view of lack of a standard and an uniform curriculum for bioinformatics across the ASEAN countries, on-par with demands of world renowned research laboratories and industries, Prof. Ashok Kolaskar, University of Pune, India, and Rahmah Binti Mohamed, University of Kebangsaan Malaysia were tasked to lead the development of the curriculum. The draft curriculum will be presented to the Indian and SCB focal points for further consideration.
- On-line Course Materials in Bioinformatics. Prof. Kolaskar and Prof. Rahmah agreed to start consultations to initiate the development of the materials.
- Technology transfer, entrepreneurship and industry cooperation. To lay the ground work for the development of bioinformatics companies in ASEAN, and for entrepreneurial activities across ASEAN-India, it is recommended to establish regular channels for exchange visits, sharing sessions and networking meetings between business-minded scientific personnel and business people who were formerly academicians and researchers who have already made the transition. The biotechnology conference at the ASEAN S&T Week to be held in the second half of 2008 in Manila could be used as a platform for industry representative to share their experience.
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