A three-day International Symposium organized by the Institute of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry run by Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) concluded here recently.

The symposium, which was attended by 69 delegates from within India and abroad registered 56 presentations, provided a platform for good intellectual exchange.

Three plenary lectures were the highlight of the event. While Prof. (Dr.) Bryan Charleston, Director and CEO, The Pirbright Institute, UK, shed light on ‘Developing the Next Generation of Vaccine to Control Livestock and Zoonotic Diseases’, Dr. Siba K. Samal, Professor, Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, spoke about ‘Paramyxo Viruses as Vaccine Vectors’.

Dr. Subrat K. Panda, a famous Indian virologist and Professor and Head, Department of Pathology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi explained the threat of Hepatitis-E virus as a zoonotic pathogen. Prof. (Dr.) A.P. Das, Padma Sri recipient and former Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Tamil Nadu, also delivered a distinguished lecture.

The symposium’s five technical sessions were chaired by eminent scientists and professors having eclectic knowledge in the field of life sciences. The core topics discussed in these sessions included ‘Vaccines: Review, Developments and Future’, ‘One health: Players and Preparedness’, ‘Disease Control: Tools, Readiness and Plans’, ‘New Frontiers; Technologies, Application and Future’ and ‘Viruses: New Knowledge’.

A host of luminaries drawn from the scientific world who attended the event included Prof. (Dr.) Anthony Richard Fooks, Head, Animal and Plant Health Agency, UK, Dr. K.M. Bujarbaruah, former Deputy Director General (Animal Science), ICAR and former Vice-Chancellor, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Prof. (Dr.) Anil K. Srivastava, Vice-Chancellor, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwavidyalay, Uttar Pradesh and former Chairman, Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board, Dr. N.V. Patil, Vice-Chancellor, Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Science University, Nagpur, Dr. Sharad Yadav, Vice-Chancellor, Aryabhatta Knowledge University, Patna, Dr. Gyanendra Gongal, Head, WHO Regional Office for South East Asia, Dr. G. Taru Sharma, Director National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad and Dr. Sanghamitra Mishra, Dean Institute of Medical Science and SUM Hospital.

The programme was also attended by Prof. Suresh K. Mittal, Purdue University, USA, Professor Suresh K. Tikoo, Saskatchewan University, Canada, Prof. Satya Parida and Prof. Venugopal Nair, both from The Pirbright Institute, UK.

The symposium was inaugurated by Dr. B. B. Pradhan, Pro-Vice Chancellor, SOA while the delegates were welcomed by Dr. Bramhadev Pattnaik, Dean, IVSAH, who had taken the initiative to organise it. The delegates appreciated the initiative of SOA for pondering beyond the usual and organising an international conference on a subject which was so pertinent to the world witnessing the peril of emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases.

The symposium, which concluded with a fruitful valedictory session chaired by Dr. Ashok Kumar, Assistant Director General (Animal Health), ICAR and co-chaired by Dr. Girish K. Sharma, former Senior General Manager (Animal Health), National Dairy Development Board, served as a medium of learning through exchange of rich ideas and knowledge.