UGC-Sponsored National-Level Workshop cum Seminar on Bio-Resources for BioIndustries and Economic Zoology 24th and 25th January

2011 A National- Level Workshop cum Seminar on Bio-Resources for Bio-Industries and Economic Zoology has been Organized on 24th and 25th January 2011 by Department of Zoology, D.B.F. Dayanand College of Arts and Science, Solapur. Recently UGC has recognized D.B.F. Dayanand College of Arts and Science as College with Potential for Excellence [CPE]. Department of Zoology is well known Department of Solapur University and has a rich tradition of U.G., P.G. teaching and Research. Dr. L. B. Dama, Convener and Head, Department of Zoology, welcomed the guests. The Workshop cum Seminar was inaugurated by Dr. T. B. Nikam, Apiculture Specialist, and former Principal, HTP/ RYK College, Nashik. He has delivered the key note address and stressed on the support of apiculture to agriculture that can ensure food and nutritional security for our country. He said that the worldwide economic value of pollination service is provided that insect pollinators honey bees was 153 billion dollars in 2005 for the main crops that feed the world. The other invitees were Dr. Hiware C.J., Professor, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University Aurangabad, Dr. Mukadam D. S. and Dr. Shembekar. Dr Hiware delivered a lecture on sericulture and its importance. Dr. Mukadam D.S. Former Head, Department of Botany, Dr. B.A.M.U. Aurangabad has talked on the latex and its utilization. He stressed on the basic research, its implication to the society and Dr. Shembekar, Head Department Of Biotechnology, Shahu College, Latur highlighted the different techniques in aquaculture.. Speaking on the occasion Dr. Satish Kapoor reviewed Indian culture that adheres to the principle of shared membership of all living organisms. Bio-resource engineering must be rooted in ethics so that humans do not kill the proverbial hen which laid a golden egg a day. Ecology and development can blend if man realizes that he is a part of natures mechanism, and that his destiny lies not in over- utilizing or degrading its resources but in making a judicious use of them. Principal, Dr. S.K. Vadagbalkar also addressed the Conference and opened it for debate and discussion. A souvenir of abstracts published was released at the inaugural function. Total of 59 abstracts were selected for the presentation. As a part of conference an exhibition on Apiculture and Sericulture was organized. In this the exhibits displayed were informative and gave knowledge.The eminent researchers delivered lectures and showed documentaries to the participants for optimum utilization of bioresources.The documentaries updated us the techniques of sericulture and apiculture. Another important feature of this workshop cum Seminar was the plenary sessions, oral presentations and poster presentations on various themes of the conference organized on both the days. More than 25 posters were presented. Posters on vermicompost, alloimmunisation, biofertilisers , fisheries, aquaculture were displayed. Best poster award has been given to the posters. Prize was bagged by G.D. Chakre for the poster on Isolation,identification and structural prediction of alpha amylase from vermicompost.The 3D structure of alpha amylase was predicted by homology modeling method using protein
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sequence from NCBI. The prevalence of red cell alloimmunisation in repeatedly transfused patients with - thalasemia in Solapur district was displayed and won the prize by Ms. Swarupa Dama. Oral presentations on utilization of waste bio-products in horticultural processing industries by Shri. Mane. S.R. from Gujarat, formulation of fish feedusing mangrove leaves by Bhosale. S.V from Kolhapur, insilico study of MG37 methyltransferase enzyme from bacteria ,seed storage protein electrophoresis in black gram for evaluatinggenetic diversity of seeds, bacterial bioproducts, sequence annotation, molecular modeling and blocking of transcription factor were mind catching. Young Scientists Awards were given to the prize winners by Society of Life Sciences, Satna for the best poster and oral presentations. About 220 delegates and research students registered amongst which 65 % of the delegates were research students from various disciplines of Science. The delegates also enjoyed a cultural event in the evening. The Workshop cum Seminar was attended by Principals of various colleges, Professors, Scientists, Faculty-members and post-graduate students from various institutions of Maharashtra. On 25th January 2011 valedictory function was addressed by Honorable Captain Dr. N.P. Sonaje, Registrar, Solapur University, and Solapur. In his address he advocated the need of basic research in our universities. The valedictory function was successful in presence of Dr. P.S. Deshmukh Government Rajaram college, Kolhapur. He stressed on wild life conservation. The main aim of this conference was to provide a platform for debate on the crucial relationship between natural bio-resources and development. The goal of the Workshop cum Seminar on Biological Diversity was to explore, within an interdisciplinary framework, available National and International options for solving the critical global problems arising from the loss of biological diversity. The Workshop cum Seminar focused on Bio-resources potential for humanity, Improvement and health care of livestock, development of bioinformatics system; improve coordination of the economic zoology research programmes. It promoted research collaboration between universities, research institutes and user groups.