First Symposium: Prospects and Potentials, July 29, 2008

The first International Symposium on Biomedical Materials: Prospects and Potentials held on July 29, 2008 was organized by IRCBM. It was the 1st symposium of its kind considering the fact that it only focused on biomaterials. In total nine lectures were delivered by researchers from various institutes of Pakistan as well United Kingdom and varying backgrounds such as Biomaterials, Medicine and Dentistry. The Chief Guest of the symposium was Prof. N. M. Butt, Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation. Other notables includes: Prof. I. U. Rehman, Queen Mary University of London, Maj. Gen (R) Prof M. Aslam, Principal Shifa College of Medicine, Dr. F. A. Khalid (S.I), GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Dr. M. Bilal Khan, Dean, SCME, NUST and Dr. S. Alam, Director PITMAEM, PCSIR, Lahore.

Purpose of the symposium was to provide an easily accessible platform that can help in coordinating and integrating research in the multidisciplinary subject spectrum associated with biomedical materials (i.e. relevant aspects of cell biology, biochemistry, basic medical sciences, material sciences, bioengineering, clinical medicine and dentistry). It was envisaged that this would facilitate a new generation of implant materials and prosthesis in Pakistan with enhanced life times (for orthopaedic, ophthalmic, cardiovascular and dental applications). The symposium served to fulfill the need to identify experts from different fields (i.e. chemists, biologists, physicist, engineers, clinicians etc) in Pakistan, who will establish the field of Biomaterials focusing on lab-concept to patient transition by providing an effective interface between the IRCBM, Industry, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Trade and Industry and appropriate academic and research institutions. This will form a network with complimentary interdisciplinary laboratories and the following organizational structure maybe developed which will allow establishing field of Biomaterials in Pakistan.