Srinagar: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir organised a three-day training workshop on genome editing technologies in Pashmina Goat at the Shuhama campus.

The workshop was organised by the SKUAST-K’s Division of Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences with an aim to educate and train young faculty members from different colleges and universities in Jammu and Kashmir on the use of Gene Editing tools to improve animal health and production.

The workshop was held under the scientific social responsibility component of the SERB-funded project on Genome Editing in Pashmina goats.

Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, stressed upon the importance of gene editing tools for addressing most of the issues of health & productivity encountered in livestock husbandry. He congratulated the Organisers of the program for their outstanding performance in advanced research in the various areas of Animal Biotechnology, especially Vaccine development. Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Prof Mohammad Tufail Banday and HOD, Department of Animal Biotechnology also spoke on the occasion.

Lectures on gene editing technologies were delivered by experts in the field, including Dr P Chandra Shekar from the CSIR-Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad. Practical demonstrations of CRISPR-based gene editing techniques and tools were also included in the workshop.

Participants from diverse institutions like GMC, Srinagar, GMC Anantnag, SKIMS, CUK, University of Kashmir, besides those from SKUAST-K benefited from the workshop.

The workshop was a valuable opportunity for participants to gain knowledge and hands-on experience in the field of gene editing and is expected to have a positive impact on gene editing research in the region.

KR Desk