National Pharmacy Teachers Training Programme Begins at PU

Chandigarh February 22, 2021

A one-week web faculty training school under the initiative of UGC Networking Resource Centre (UGC-NRC), on “Fundamentals, Advances and Innovative Platforms for Drug Delivery and Pharmaceutical Technology” from 22 to 27 February 2021 was inaugurated today via Cisco WebEx at the University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Panjab University Campus, for pharma faculty participants across the country by Professor B. R. Mittal, Director, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Uttar Pradesh.

A total of 40 participants were selected for training, hailing from various Colleges/Universities, representing 13 different states of India. The training school intends to provide superior understanding to the participants on fundamental concepts for product development, innovative drug delivery platforms, regulatory and technological advancement in pharma industry.

Professor Indu Pal Kaur, Chairperson, UIPS and Programme Coordinator, UGC-NRC welcomed the participants and briefed them about the achievements of UIPS and UGC-NRC programmes. Professor V. R. Sinha, Dean of University Instruction, Panjab University and Course Coordinator, 27^th UGC-NRC summarized about the course content to the participants and Dr Amita Sarwal, Joint Course Coordinator conducted the proceedings of the event.

Professor Mittal highlighted on the importance of Nuclear medicine not only as diagnostic but also as therapeutic option. He elaborated that radionucleotides tagging can be used in antibody therapies for breast cancer, neuroendocrine tumors and thyroid cancer.

Professor Prince Sharma, Former Dean, Faculty of sciences and Professor in Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, delivered the Key Note Address on “Reverse Vaccinology: Developing Vaccines against Drug resistant Bacterial Pathogens in the Post- Antibiotic Era.” He delivered a very impactful talk, highlighted the concept of Antibiotic resistance in the current era, and focused on solutions like repurposing the drugs, combination therapies and nanomedicine. He showcased his study on “Acinetobacter baumannii” which has been designated as critical in WHO priority list of pathogens. He concluded his talk with emphasis on simple hand-washing as an effective method for reducing infections.

Subsequent sessions included a lecture on “Cocrystals as Novel Solid Form of Pharmaceutical Development” by Professor Arvind Bansal, Professor and Head, Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, Punjab. He aptly explained that co-crystals can modify the physico-chemical properties of Active-Pharmaceutical Ingredients. It is a Green-Synthesis approach for production of pharmaceutical compounds. The post-lunch session covered informative talks by Professor B. Mishra, Professor of Pharmaceutics and Former Head, Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on “Pulsatile Drug Delivery using Pastilation Technique” can achieve desired therapeutic effects and reduced side-effects for patient-compliant products and Professor Bikash Medhi, Department of Pharmacology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh on “How to apply IND Application in Drug Delivery Process and Re-purposing of Drug in Pandemic” as a crucial preliminary step for the approval of drug for public use.

UIPS is the first and the only Pharmacy Institute in the country selected by MHRD for creating UGC Networking Resource Centre to promote and foster research and academics in the field of Pharmaceutical Sciences by training young pharma trainers, selected across the nation.