The PG Department of Biochemistry, St. Aloysius College (Autonomous) in association with Society of Biological Chemists organized a National Seminar on Natural vs. Synthetic Drugs, A Medicinal Approach, on 30th September 2014, which was sponsored by UGC. Rev. Fr. SwebertD’silva SJ, Principal, St. Aloysius College was the patron; Ms. Bhavya DK, HOD was the organizing secretary and Mrs. Swarnalatha BN, Dr. Madhu LN, Mrs. Pearl Fernandez & Ms. Alveera D’Souza were the organizing committee members.
Around 230 delegates from various colleges were benefitted by this seminar. The Rector of St. Aloysius Institutions, Rev. Fr. Denzil Lobo SJ, presided over the inaugural ceremony.He was accompanied by the Principal, Rev. Fr. SwebertD’silva SJ; the Registrar, Dr. A M Narahari&the HOD, Ms. Bhavya DK. The book of abstracts was released by the dignitaries during the inaugural.The keynote address on ‘Preclinical studies with phytoceutical-adjuvants in tumor therapy’ was delivered by Dr. CKK Nair, Dean, Research, Pushpagiri Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Kerala.
This was followed by 7 scientific sessions by eminent scientists.
Session I- Natural drugs and Alternate therapies: Are they effective and safe? byDr.CletusD’souza, Professor, Dept. of biochemistry, Mysore University
Session II- Developing Protein Biotherapeutics: An overview by Dr.M.N. Dixit, Senior Scientific Manager, Clinigene International Bangalore
Session III- Evaluation of bischalcone derivatives as curcumin analogs for antioxidant and antiangiogenic properties by Dr. B.K. Sarojini, Professor, Industrial Chemistry, Mangalore University
Session IV- Saponins: The Natural Products with Therapeutic Potential by Dr.Vadlapudi Kumar, Chairman, Department of Biochemistry, Shivagangotri, Davanagere
Session V- Radiation Biodosimetry Based on Cytogenetic Methods by Dr. Entissar S Alsuhaiban, Associate Professor of genetics, King Saud University
Session VI- Bioactive compounds from marine organisms & their biotechnological applications by Dr.SavitaKerkar, Professor, Dept. of Biotechnology, Goa University
Session VII- Rational drug development & usage byDr.GopalanKutty, Professor, Dept. of Pharmacology, MCOPS, Manipal
The morning sessions were chaired by Mr. M L Sureshnath, ex-HOD, Dept. of Botany, St. Aloysius College and the afternoon sessions were chaired by Dr. Chandrashekhar G. Joshi, Convenor, Society of Biological Chemists (India), Madikeri branch & Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biochemistry, Mangalore University. The oral presentations were chaired by Dr. SmithaHegde, Associate Professor, PG Dept. of Biotechnology, St. Aloysius College.
Among the various abstracts
submitted by the delegates, four were selected for oral and thirty two for
poster presentation, respectively. The best presentations among the post-graduate
and the research scholar/faculty categories were awarded separately.