Events

27 Aug 2013|Noida | Amity University Campus, Sector-125 Noida

Dr Abhishek Narain Singh, Viginia Tech, USA delivers lecture on “Multi-omics driven life science discoveries and innovations” during ASTIF lecture series

Dr Abhishek Narain Singh,Adjunct Faculty in Comupter Science, Virginia Tech,USA delivered lecture on “Multi-omics drivenlife science discoveries and innovations” The special lecture wasorganized by Amity Science, Technology and Innovation Foundation under theASTIF lecture series at Amity University, Sector-125.

Dr. W. Selvamurthy, President – Amity ScienceTechnology & Innovation Foundation, Dr. Sunil Saran, Sr. Vice Chairman – ASTIF, Dr. R.P. Singh,  Vice Chairman – ASTIF, Prof. K.C. Upadhyaya,Advisor – Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Dr. Amit C Kharkwal, Dy Director –Amity Institute of Microbial Technology were present during the occasion.

Introducing the theme of his lecture, Dr Abhishek Narain Singh said in order to solvethe puzzling and rising growth of diseases, we require multi disciplinaryapproach of computer science, bio sciences and life sciences. Elaborating onthe topic, Dr. Singh said that if some one is suffering from certain diseasethan the bodily fluids can be extracted and the mechanism can be filtered tofind the disease. Explaining the concept of Development Biology, Dr. Singh saidthat a single cell of a living-being takes the shape of same life being likesingle cell of lizard will be developed to lizard and if that single cell isnot developed correctly it can lead to cancerous growth. Dr. Singh said that inyear 2003 when SARS virus break out, we did database analysis and found that itwas due to calcium binding protein. We analysis this protein and converted tostructure and thus vaccine was made and we were able to combat SARS virus atthat time but now more new types of SARS virus are coming up which is a bigchallenge for scientists.

On replying to a query of early diagnosis of diseaselike autism, Dr. Singh said that for early detection of autism we have to gradeit to acute case of autism or mild case. There is definitely DNA cause for it.DNA can also be served as carrier thing which can trigger certain diseases incertain environment. Dr. Singh said that for right cure, we need rightdiagnosis. Dr. Singh also discussed about the ethical issue on genome mappingand said that the ethical issues associated with mapping is always a debatableissue. Citing an example of Life Insurance Company that if that companyaccesses the genome database than they will refuse to sell policy to thosepersons who are prone to certain disease in near future or in employmentsector, if they find criminal gene in your genome map, will not give you job.But scientists keep all the genome information secret and provide only resultsand not data.

Scientists, faculty from Amity Institute ofBiotechnology, Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity Institute ofNanotechnology and other Amity Institutions were present during the lecturesession.