Investment In Scientific Research Has Highest Rate Of Return : Experts

Speakers at the international workshop Monday said that the COVID-19 outbreak had made it clear that indigenous capacity in science and technology was critically important for every country, big or small

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Mar, 2021 ):Speakers at the international workshop Monday said that the COVID-19 outbreak had made it clear that indigenous capacity in science and technology was critically important for every country, big or small.

They were speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the International Workshop on "Nanomedicine Development and Challenges" held at the COMSTECH Secretariat, said a statement issued here.

Investment in scientific research relevant to national needs has the highest rate of return, they said, adding that Nanotechnology offers new prospects of developing affordable, quick, and scalable solutions in the diagnoses and treatment of COVID-19 and other diseases.

Federal Secretary Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) Dr. Arshad Mahmood delivered the inaugural lecture.

Among others who also spoke on the occasion included COMSTECH Coordinator-General, and Director of the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, the Fellow of Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Prof. Dr. N.M. Butt, the Drug Regulator, and scientist, Dr. Abdul Rasheed and Prof. Dr. Irshad Hussain from LUMS and Ms. Khazima Muazim.

Dr. Arshad Mahmood said that the COVID-19 outbreak had exposed the capacity building of many countries.

The federal secretary urged the country's scientists to tell the government in clear words which are the areas of sciences where the country should move forward for the desired development, and said that Nanotechnology was one of the areas we need to move forward.

Ministry of Science & Technology is particularly active in developing strategies for the promotion of Nanotechnology in the country, he said.

Prof. Iqbal said that modern technologies provided us opportunities to leap forward and catch up with the developed nations by harnessing the creative potential of our youth.

There is a dire need for investment in the areas of science and technology, as the third world countries do have the infrastructure and qualified scholars, he observed.

He said, "Nanotechnology offers new prospects of developing affordable, quick and scalable solutions in diagnoses and treatment of COVID-19 and other diseases and manufacturing of personal protective equipment." Prof. Dr. N.M. Butt, who is the initiator of Nanotechnology in Pakistan, informed the inaugural ceremony that the Preston Institute of Nano Science and Technology (PINSAT) of the Preston University, Islamabad was the first and the only institute in Pakistan, probably at the time also in the OIC, which has produced BS (4-year) graduates with a Multidisciplinary degree in "Nanoscience and Nanotechnology" with advanced level nano-based courses in Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Materials Science, to help meet the needs of human resource in Pakistan in this exciting technology.

He said, "Nanotechnology is now regarded as Industrial Revolution."Talking about Nanomedicine, he said this area of medicine was fast developing due to exotic applications of nanotechnology inefficient treatment of serious diseases like cancer and other inflammatory diseases, and significant improvements in diagnostic tools like MRI, Ultrasound, or sensitive blood analysis concepts of Lab on the Chip and including the recent fast detection COVID-19 Test Kits.