Int’l Conference on botanic garden begins at gcu LAHORE

 

Prof. Dr. Ikram-ul-Haq (SI); Acting Vice Chancellor, GC University Lahore has said all natural areas were bound to face fragmentation and deterioration with increasing frequency, and to tackle them, research in the areas of restoration and climate change was bound to become more and more critical. He said maintenance of biological diversity is being recognized as the single highest conservation priority internationally but, in Pakistan, a tiny fraction of resources, both human and financial, is available to environmentalists and biotechnologists to get their job done. He was addressing at the inaugural session of third international conference on “Role of Botanic Gardens in Conserving Natural Vegetation” organized under the auspices of Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), Higher Education Commission, Pakistan Horticulture Authority, WWF and Pakistan Botanic Gardens Network Secretariat (PBGNS). Secretary Forestry, Wildlife and Fishery Shahnawaz Badar was the Chief Guest.

 

The researchers and students from China, United States, Argentina and United Kingdom are participating in the conference which is aimed at sensitizing youngsters, scientists and researchers with the plight of continuously decreasing natural forests and the need to devise initiatives to rehabilitate and conserve them by involving government officials and local community.  As many as 51 research papers are scheduled to be presented at nine technical sessions of the conference on topics related to “Gene Banks”, “Ecotourism”, “Habitat Restoration” and “Ethno-botany”.

 

Secretary Forestry Department Punjab Shahnawaz Badar said that Botanic Gardens all over the world have preserved documented specimen of 80,000 to 100,000 living plant species, providing material for display, research, education, ex-situ conservation and ecological restoration. He said that such distinguished gathering of international and national experts would provide valuable recommendations to government agencies for devising strategies. He highlighted the need for research on reproductive biology and plant-animal interaction to support conservation measures. He pledged to provide more land and conservation projects to GCU Pakistan Botanic Gardens Network Secretariat. He said that the department has most recently given two acres land to Lahore College for Women University.

 

Speaking on the occasion; Prof. Dr. Amin-ul-Haq Khan, Director SDSC GCU said that there was a dire need for changing behavior of local government officials and local community for conservation of local natural habitats. He said that land degradation was an emerging and serious environmental threat in Pakistan. He further said that the native species including Salvadora oleoides, Tamarix aphylla, Capparis decidua and Prosopis cineraria, Olea cuspidate, Acacia modesta and Butea monosperma were rapidly vanishing form Harappa, Shakargarh and Soan Valley and need immediate measures for conservation. He added that the GCU PBGNC is working in close collaboration with World Wild Fund Pakistan, Forest Department and the Government of Punjab to execute the project of BGCI, UK. He also said that the GCU experts and students were also involving the local communities for enhancing the population of these species.

 

Later, Secretary Forestry Shahnawaz Badar also inaugurated research poster exhibition which was part of the three day conference. He appreciated the researches of GCU on “Diversity of Plants at Allama Iqbal International Airport”, Using Google Earth to monitor tree loss”, “Use of Earthworms for composting of paper and sugar industry waste” “Transplanted Phoenix trees in Main Boulevard, Gulberg” and “A case study on biological environment of Lahore Fort”.             

 

(03-02-2012)

Prof. Dr. Ikram-ul-Haq, Dean, Faculty of Science & Technology Will look after the affairs of VC office

 

Prof. Dr. Ikram-ul-Haq, Dean Faculty of Science & Technology, GC University Lahore will look after the affairs of the University during Ex-Pakistan leave of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Khaleeq-ur-Rahman, Vice Chancellor GC University Lahore to visit United Kingdom w.e.f. 28-01-2012 to 08-02-2012.

 

No: SO(Univ.)12-6/2006 dated 25-01-2012

(27-01-2012)

PROF. Dr. Ikram-UL-HAQ appointed new Vice chancellor GC University Lahore

 

NO.SO(Univ.) 11-1/2002.The Governor/Chancellor , in exercise of the powers vested in him under section 12 (2) of The  Government College University Lahore ,ordinance 2002,has been pleased to assign charge of the post of Vice Chancellor,  Government College University Lahore  to  Prof. Dr. Ikram ul Haq, till the arrival of regular incumbent with immediate effect.

 

Prof. Dr. Ikram ul Haq who is working as GCU Dean Faculty of Science and Technology and Director Institute of Biotechnology did his post doctorate from the Cornell University, New York, USA as a Fulbright Scholar. He was declared the most productive scientist of Pakistan thrice and HEC Best University Teacher Award once in the last decade and has over 250 national & international publications and five books to his credit. His areas of research are microbiology and biotechnology. Prof. Dr. Ikram ul Haq also takes keen interest in sports and co-curricular activities and had remained the President GC Cricket Club and Chairman GCU Societies Board for more than eight years. He is also currently Chairman GCU Sports Board.

 

Prof. Dr. Ikram ul Haq, who is also the President of Pakistan Botanical Society, has successfully carried 12 significant research projects of Pakistan Science Foundation, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, HEC and Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. He has also supervised more than eight PhD and around 200 MS/MSc thesis. He is the Referee of five reputed International Journals including “Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry”, “Biotechnology Progress”, “Biochemistry and Applied Biotechnology”, and “Letters in Applied Microbiology.”

 

(10-03-2011)

 

 

 

Research standards high in Pakistan: foreign biologists

 

The standards of both research and hospitality are quite high in Pakistan, said botanists from Germany, Egypt, China, Canada, and Turkey while addressing the concluding ceremony of three-day 2nd International Conference of Plant Scientists held at the he Government College University Lahore under the auspices of Pakistan Botanical Society and GCU Botany Department. Agriculture University, Peshawar Vice Chancellor Dr. Khan Bahadur Marwat, Federal Urdu University, Karachi Vice Chancellor Dr. Qaisar Ali and Pakistan Botanical Society President (PBS) Prof. Dr. Ikram-ul-Haq graced the concluding ceremony of the conference with their presence.

 

Addressing the conference, Agriculture University, Peshawar Vice Chancellor Dr. Khan Bahadur Marwat said that the holding of this conference is not only a great opportunity for the accomplished researchers but also young scientists must have learnt a lot from the life-long experience and expertise of the elite scientists from different countries.

 

Prof. Dr. Ikram-ul-Haq President PBS said that the conference successfully featured five poster and 19 technical sessions wherein more than 360 research papers were presented on modern challenges related to Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology, Plant Physiology, Ethno-botany, Plant Ecology, Plant Physiology, Plant Anatomy, Biodiversity, Genetics, Plant Breeding, Plant Tissue Culture, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, Plant Taxonomy, Paleo-botany and Mycology. He said GCU would hold more international conferences in the near future as these conferences provide platform to scientists from various backgrounds to interact and exchange ideas, and such an interaction can lead to fruitful long term collaborations which would be beneficial for the development of science in Pakistan.

 

The delegates from Turkey including Prof. E. Altundag, I. Uysal and Prof. I.I.Ozgit said that Pakistan has always been misrepresented in the international media, adding that Pakistani youth is highly talented. A biotechnologist from Egypt said that the future of Botany and biotechnology seems bright in Pakistan, adding that students there are highly concerned about the environmental issues.  

 

(25-02-2011)

 

 

Research necessary to meet demand for food: 2nd International Conference of Plant Scientists began at the GCU

 

The three day 2nd International Conference of Plant Scientists began at the GCU Lahore under the auspices of Pakistan Botanical Society and GCU Botany Department. Botanists from Germany, Egypt, China, Canada, and Turkey and across Pakistan have gathered at the Government College University Lahore to deliberate on scientific solutions to food and fuel challenges which are being predicted to be faced by human race in the 21st century. GCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Khalid Aftab chaired the opening session of the three-day conference. The conference features five poster and 19 technical sessions wherein more than 250 research papers would be presented on modern challenges related to Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology, Plant Physiology, Ethno-botany, Plant Ecology, Plant Physiology, Plant Anatomy, Biodiversity, Genetics, Plant Breeding, Plant Tissue Culture, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, Plant Taxonomy, Paleo-botany and Mycology.    

 

Addressing the conference as a chief guest, GCU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Khalid Aftab said the success of conference is often mistakenly gauged by the number of research papers presented in it and overall participation. He said quality of research papers should be given more weight. “We judge the quality of research by its ability to bolster claims, illuminate understanding, and add credibility to speech,” he added.

 

He said GCU would hold more international conferences in the near future as these conferences provide platform to scientists from various backgrounds to interact and exchange ideas, and such an interaction can lead to fruitful long term collaborations which would be beneficial for the development of science in Pakistan. Prof. Aftab also termed the conferences an opportunity for young scholars to interact with well known biologists and learn from their knowledge and experiences.

 

 

Addressing the opening ceremony, Prof. Dr. Ikram-ul-Haq President Pakistan Botanical Society (PBS) and Dean of Sciences and Technology GCU said that research in plant sciences has become very critical in the 21st Century as we need to produce more food and feed for animals to meet the dietary needs of an increasing human population. At the same time we also need to produce biomass and products from plants that can be used as sustainable industrial feed stocks. And all this has to occur against the backdrop of global warming, changes in weather patterns, increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration, continuing water shortages, loss of arable land and erosion of valuable topsoil. He called on the plant research community to rise to the challenge of producing novel crop varieties capable of high yields under a variety of climatic conditions. However, he also accepted that this challenge in many ways highlights the need for investment in plant sciences across the range of research from the fundamental to the applied. Dr. Ikram said a majority of the world’s energy need is met through fossil fuels that apart from causing atmospheric pollution are limited and, at the current usage rates, would be consumed shortly. He said plant biotechnology also offers an opportunity to contribute to providing renewable alternatives to non-renewable petrochemical outputs in terms of energy sources, polymers, plastics, pharmaceuticals etc. These applications of biotechnology to non-food crops are potentially much more “environmental friendly” than current petrochemical processes. Prof. Zaheer-ud-Din Khan General Secretary PBS conducted the opening ceremony of the conference.

 

Later, in the technical session Ozyigit from (Marmara University Turkey), U. Yasar (Bartin University Turkey), Ali (Zhejiand University China), S. Sakcali (Fatih University Turkey), Muhammad Qaisrani (NIBGE Faisalabad), Ms. T. Khanum and Mr. Aziz (KU) and Abid, M. A Qureshi (AARI Faisalabad), Ms Fatima and Muhammad Akbar (PU), M.A. Khan and Muhammad Javed (GCU Lahore) presented their research papers.

(24-11-2010)

 

GCU AWARDS two PhDs in Botany

The GC University Lahore awarded two Doctors of Philosophy in the filed of Botany. Roheena Abdullah completed her thesis on “studies on the production of alpha amylase by Aspergillus Oryzae using submerged fermentation” while Zahid Ali Butt did research on “utilization and improvement of Azotobacter Vinelandii for the production of Alginate.” Both the students completed their research under the supervision of GCU Dean of Sciences and Technology Dr. Ikram-ul-Haq.

 

(03-11-2010)

 

 

Licensing and Regulations Strategic Export Control Division delegation visits GCU research facilities

 

A delegation headed by Naeem Azid Director Licensing and Regulations Strategic Export Control Division (SECDIV) visited the GCU and observed the research facilities including chemistry labs, Institute of Industrial Biotechnology and Centre for Advanced Studies in Physics under the SECDIV Outreach and Awareness Programme. Dean of Sciences and Technology Prof. Dr Ikaram-ul- Haq and Director Academic Planning and External Links Fouzia Shaheen briefed the delegation about the university’s various research facilities. The delegation lauded the working of the GCU students and professors on various projects. Naeem Azid at an awareness lecture at the Fazl-e-Hussain Reading Room apprised the university professors and officials about the export control on various goods, technologies, material and equipment related to nuclear and biological weapons. He also answered the questions raised by the university faculty about the export and import of various chemicals used for research purposes. He said that the Government of Pakistan is committed to provide all kind of assistance to the universities’ scholars for research purposes.

 

The Heads of GCU academic and administrative departments and foreign faculty members from Abdus Salam School of Mathematics were also present on the occasion.

 

(6-03-2010)

GOVERNOR/CHANCELLOR NOMINATES PROF. DR IKRAM UL HAQ AS DEAN FACULTY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The Governor/ Chancellor GC University, Lahore in exercise of the powers vested in him under Para 2(2) of the First Statutes appended as Schedule to the Government College University, Lahore Ordinance, 2002, is pleased to nominate Prof. Dr. Ikram Ul Haq, Professor of Botany/Director Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, as Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology with immediate effect till 04.03.2012.

(09-01-2010)