Mysore/Mysuru:  University of Mysore (UoM) Vice-Chancellor Prof. G. Hemantha Kumar said that the University has planned to start a Pharmacy College next year.

He was speaking after inaugurating a day-long National Symposium on ‘Trends in Drug Discovery,’ organised jointly by the UoM’s Molecular Biology and Organic Chemistry Departments at Vijnana  Bhavan in Manasagangothri campus here yesterday.

Maintaining that the University is giving prominence for scientific research and studies, Prof. Hemantha Kumar said that the University has planned to start a Pharmacy College in order to give a further push to such scientific studies. A proposal has been sent to the UGC (University Grants Commission) in this regard and the University is awaiting consent, he said.

Observing that Universities should not limit themselves to just teaching and learning, Prof. Hemantha Kumar emphasised on the need for carrying out continuous research, innovations and explorations.

Noting that the results of Research should ultimately benefit the society, he opined that Pharmaceutical research has helped the society and mankind a lot. The UoM will extend full support to all such research studies and activities, he added.

Bengaluru’s Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) faculty Dr. Tapas K. Kundu said that it has become pertinent to give more importance  to Pharmaceutical research these days and the UoM is moving rightly in  that direction.

Pointing out that Lucknow-based Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) is making fast moves for discovery of more effective drug for the deadly COVID virus which has caused havoc across the globe, Dr. Kundu said that the Institute has just completed the third level of clinical trial.

Stating that the UoM has reached an understanding with CDRI, he said that 3-4 students of the University will be given an opportunity for getting involved in drug discovery process at CDRI.

Karnataka Science and Technology Academy Chairman Prof. S. Aiyyappan in his address, said that doctors and scientists became the real gods for the people during the COVID crisis.

Maintaining that man continues to worship and perform pujas to God even if he does not know his existence, he said that Doctors became Gods for the people when the COVID pandemic caused havoc and brought untold misery to the entire world like no other virus in recent times. Scientists saved the lives of people by discovering drug for the deadly pandemic in the shortest possible time, he added.

Lucknow’s CSIR-CDRI Chief Scientist Dr. R. Ravishankar, Bengaluru’s Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine faculty Dr. Praveen Kumar Vemula, Bengaluru’s Indian Institute of Science (IISc) faculty Dr. P. Aravind and  Kolkata’s Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics faculty Dr. Chandrima Das  delivered lectures on various topics concerning latest trends in Drug research.

New Delhi AIIMS Fellow Prof. Tejpal Singh, former UoM and KSOU Vice-Chancellor Prof. K.S. Rangappa, former Gulbarga University VC Prof. S.R. Niranjana and others were present.