PUI Live: 2nd Annual Primeasia University International E-conference organized by the Department of Microbiology, Primeasia University has been held online for whole day on January 30 starting from 9 am to 9 pm Bangladesh time. The conference was convened by Prof. Dr. Suvamoy Datta, Dean, School of Science and Chairperson, Department of Microbiology, Primeasia University.

The theme of the conference for this year is “Aspects of Microbiology in the Healthcare Sectors” especially on Covid-19 & its ongoing variant of concern, Omicron, which was covered by the keynote Speakers. Professor Dr. Muhammad Morshed, Head of Zoonotic Diseases and Emerging Pathogens, Public Health Laboratory, BC Centre for Disease Control, University of British Columbia, Canada focused mainly on SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19 disease, which was first diagnosed in late December 2019 and the impact of ongoing variants.

Professor Dr. ABM Abdullah, UGC professor and personal physician of Prime Minister of Bangladesh talked about the emergence of omicron variant and how the people of Bangladesh should react and how the vaccine was helpful in managing the new cases. He thanked the Government of Bangladesh for taking necessary and timely actions in this regards.

Professor Dr. Kumar Pial Das, Assistant Vice President of Research, Innovation and Economic Development, University of Louisiana, USA, also discussed on the new variants of SARS-Cov-2 and their threats.

Professor Dr. Suvamoy Datta, Dean, School of Sciences, and Chairperson, Department of Microbiology, Primeasia University presented his research on the influence of Covid-19 infection over the patients of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), and acute kidney infection (AKI) and mentioned that the mortality rate of people with UTI and/or AKI was higher which was inadequately reported.

Professor Dr. Takashi Uemura, Professor Emeritus, Osaka Prefecture University, Osaka, Japan, discussed on earthquakes and torrential rains in recent years, and how the local governments are managing the problems. Dr. Ikuko Shimada, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Kochi Prefectural University, Japan described some of the research efforts taken by her University and urged upon the multi-disciplinary collaboration to the address challenges such as COVID-19.

Professor Dr. Mozammel Hoq, Vice President of Asian Federation of Biotechnology and Honorary Professor of Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka, emphasized on the prospect and need of biotech industry establishment in Bangladesh and discussed how the microbial products from bio-industries can strengthen the economy of Bangladesh to achieve sustainable development goal. Dr. Md. Latiful Bari, Chief Scientist, Centre for Advanced Research in Sciences, University of Dhaka discussed on the importance of food safety in Bangladesh and how to ensure this with the help of rapid testing kit development.

Prof. Dr. Nurunnabi Mollah, Pro- Vice Chancellor (D), Primeasia University was present at the inauguration ceremony of the conference as the Chief Guest. He lauded the organizing committee for successfully arranging the conference on microbiology and thanked all the guests, invited speakers and research presenters. "Microbiology is a very important branch of science which was proved once again during the covid-19 crisis and has a direct contribution to human welfare, human civilization and modernization," he said. Bangladeshi microbiologists have played an important role in tackling the ongoing global epidemic.

He further expressed thankfully with the hope that the Honorable Government would take appropriate measures to facilitate the direct participation of microbiologists in the healthcare sectors. In the e-conference 150 researchers and prominent scientists from 25 countries participated and presented their seminar in seven different categories of Microbiology viz.

Immunology, Virology & Infectious Disease, Genetics & Bioinformatics, Clinical Microbiology & Antimicrobial Resistance, Microbial Biotechnology & Vaccine Development, Food & Industrial Microbiology, Agricultural & Veterinary, and Environmental Microbiology & Microbial Ecology.

The conference also featured 16 leading scientists from around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, India, Malaysia, Portugal, Iran, and Egypt, presenting valuable research papers on the importance and application of microorganisms in dealing with global crises and human welfare. More than 150 researchers from different countries of the world displayed and presented their research papers in the form of PowerPoint presentations.

Finally the convener of the conference, Professor Dr. Suvamoy Datta, Member Secretary Dr. Md. Asaduzzaman Shishir, Assistant Professor of Microbiology as well as the Organizing Secretary Maruf Abony, Lecturer, thanked all the participants in the conference and later invited them to participate again. Thus the event was concluded with the hope of Goodness to the world.

Dhaka, 30 January (campuslive24.com)//BSC