Scientists converge on Precious Cornerstone University for biotechnology confab

For the second consecutive year, the Precious Cornerstone University, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Monday drew scientists from universities and research institutes in and outside Nigeria to expand the frontiers of science towards evolving effective solutions to mankind’s pressing problems.

The theme of this year’s four-day biotechnology confab is ‘Recent Advances in Biotechnology for the Transformation of Bioeconomy and the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals’. A similar conference was held last year on Bioinformatics.

Speaking with Tribune Online on the sideline of the biotechnology confab, the vice-chancellor, Professor Julius Oloke, said the purpose of the conference was to sensitise people to the benefits of biotechnology.

“Biotechnology is able to make food available to people in large quantities, and we are bringing in experts from all over the world on how we can perfect research work on biotechnology.

“We are trying to form a huge global network with people from all over the world so that we can enhance research activities in different areas of biotechnology – agricultural biotechnology, medical biotechnology and bioremediation, and so on,” he said.

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Oloke said that close to 90 abstracts had been received from scientists all over the world, including from India, Europe, and South Africa, who would participate in the conference.

He also said several research institutes had agreed to collaborate with the university and encouraged candidates seeking admission to apply to Precious Cornerstone University, saying it is the best place to receive skills in different areas of learning and be given what is required to become employers of labour.

Professor Oloke said that the university would be showcasing at the conference its biofertilizer “which contains different strains of microorganisms that enhance rooting of different plants.”

The opening day of the conference witnessed paper presentations by Professor Ashok Pandey from the Centre for Innovation and Translational Research, Indian Institute of ToxicologyResearch, Lucknow, India; Professor Ajit Varma of the Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, India and Associate Professor Cyber Physical System Nwankwo, Director Software Engineering & Systems Unit, Edo University, Iyamho.