AICTE-sponsored workshop on crusade against neoplasia...

The Department of Pharmacology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal conducted a three-day AICTE- sponsored seminar cum workshop, titled “Crusade against neoplasia and challenges in targeting tumor-specific nuclear machinery” between  January 21 and 23, 2014. There were 90 registered delegates from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.

Dr K Ramnarayan, Vice Chancellor, Manipal Academy of Higher Education was the chief guest for the inaugural function. Dr C Mallikarjuna Rao, Principal, MCOPS welcomed the gathering and also highlighted the theme of the workshop. The chief guest emphasized the need for newer and tumor specific technologies which eradicate the tumors, sparing the normal cells. The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr J Venkata Rao, Head, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. Dr Anoop Kishore, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, was the master of ceremony. The invocation was rendered by Ms Rashmi  Pardeshi, postgraduate of Pharmacology. The first speaker of the day (Day 1) was Dr N Gopalan Kutty, Professor, Department of Pharmacology who delivered a lecture on ‘Metformin in cancer- a new avtaar’. The next speaker was Dr Raviraja N S, Centre Head, Stempeutics Research Pvt. Lid Manipal who presented a talk on ‘Management of cancer through stem cell therapy’. The morning session ended with Dr N Udupa, Research Director [Health Sciences], Manipal Academy of Higher Education, who gave a seminar on ‘Targeting the cancer machinery through nano-formulations.

In the afternoon, advanced screening techniques were demonstrated simultaneously in the research laboratories of Departments of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology [Mr Hitesh Jagani, Research Scholar], respectively. Prior to this, the research scholars of Department of Pharmacology gave instructions to the delegates on the following topics:  Historical background of sterilization techniques in cell culture (Ms. Akhila), Cell culture types and maintenance (Mr Chandrasekhar Misra), Cryopreservation and cell counting ( Mr Chethan G H) and MTT and SRB assays (Mrs Asmy)
Day 2, The session commenced with Dr K N C Murthy, Head, Research and Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Gokula Education Foundation, Bangalore who gave a talk on ‘Molecular challenges in addressing tumor treatment: phytomolecules- a ray of hope’. Dr M Srinath Baliga, Scientist, Father Muller Research Centre, Mangalore delivered a lecture on ‘Screening methods for cytotoxic drugs’. Dr M.S Vidyasagar, Professor, Radiotherapy and Oncology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal highlighted the emerging trends in the radiotherapy of cancer. The scientific session was chaired by Dr Nitesh Kumar, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, MCOPS. There were ten oral presentations by delegates. Thereafter, Dr N Badri Narayanan from BD Accuri explained the working principles of flow cytometer and demonstrated cell cycle analysis. Ms Shoja and Mr Neetinkumar Reddy [Research Scholars, Department of Pharmacology] assisted during the demonstration.

Dr K Nandakumar, Associate Professor of Pharmacology, MCOPS spoke on, ‘Basics of Flow Cytometry and its application in Oncology Research’. The next speaker was Mr Sai Balaji, Scholar under Prime Minister’s Fellowship Scheme for doctoral research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore who delivered a lecture on ‘ShRNA- a better tool to silence malignant gene in stem cells’. Dr S N Manjula, Head Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, Mysore gave a talk on ‘Zebrafish-an emerging tool to screen anti-cancer agents’. In the afternoon, there were demonstrations of PCR by Mr Hitesh Jagani and Mr Prateek Jain [Research Scholars, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology]. Western Blotting Technique and ELISA were demonstrated by Mr NeetinKumar Reddy and Mr Grandhi V Ramalingayya [Research Scholars, Department of Pharmacology]. The valedictory function was presided by Dr C Mallikarjuna Rao, Principal, MCOPS, Manipal. Dr M Sreenivas Reddy, Head, Department of Pharmaceutics and Dr J Venkata Rao, Head, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology were present on the occasion. Certificates were distributed to the delegates. The AICTE sponsored seminar cum workshop was concluded with the feedback from the delegates.