Kalam urges scientists to develop bio-drugs

Gandhinagar, Apr 28: President A P J Abdul Kalam today urged the scientists working in the field of Bio-technology to develop bio-drugs for making ''diseases free Indian society'' and a healthy nation.

Dr Kalam also asked the scientists to develop solar and Biotechnology-based energy and fuel to make India self-reliant and self-sufficient in energy sector, thus saving import of crude-oil costing dearly to the nation.

Addressing a national symposium on 'Frontiers of new Biology' during the inauguration of Indian Institute of Advanced Research (IIAR) at Koba village near here, the President said the modern medical science has been failing in finding curable drugs for many deadly diseases like HIV-AIDS, cholera, typhoid and others, therefore, bio-medicines can be used for curing such ailments.

He expressed happiness that recently Indian scientists, in collaboration with Therion Biologics, US, have developed vaccine for Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

He said the research on stem-cells by the Indian scientists is expected to open new frontiers in the treatment of patients for regeneration of heart muscles, thereby giving new hope to patients suffering from final-stage heart disease.

He said, the symposium can provide a road-map for an inter-disciplinary research programme on convergence of bio-info-nano-technologies, which are important for finding solutions in life science problems.

Meanwhile, lauding the upcoming of institutions like IIAR, Dr Kalam recommended one area each in the plant and agricultural sciences, health and disease, bio-molecular medicines and environmental bio-technology, in which the institute can take up leadership and pursue research in collaboration with other national and international institutions, for solving problems of immediate importance to the society.

Recalling his recent discussions with Prof Varadan of Penn State University (US), he mentioned about a novel treatment technique for Parkinson's disease using nano-technology.

The symposium can constitute a scientific team with members drawn from National Brain Research Centre, NIMHANS and other institutions to work in collaboration with Penn State University to find a lasting cure for Parkinson's disease, Dr Kalam urged.

Dr Kalam said, India is producing 12 per cent of the world's cotton ,however, extra-long staple cotton is not being produced by Indian farmers in large quantities. Plant genome scientists assembled at the symposium could formulate a programme to develop extra-long staple cotton (ELSC) variety exceeding 36 mm length, so that Indian farmers can double their revenue through production of such varieties, he added.

The President said, environmental bio-technologists participating in the conference may carry out further research on Keppler's finding about the plants generating large volume of methane. This research can also be extended to evolve an economic method through which we can collect methane for its productive utilisation.

The scientists can also evolve a method which can integrate the research efforts in the development of vaccines for malaria, typhoid and diarrhoeal disorder. This can lead to development of a combination vaccine for administration to children in time-bound manner, so that ''we can aspire for a world free from all the three diseases within the next decade,'' Dr Kalam added.

UNI