President ECOSF Visits the National Center for Biotechnology Kazakhstan in Astana- October 16, 2014

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President ECOSF Prof. Manzoor H. Soomro visited the National Center for Biotechnology of Kazakhstan in Astana and held a meeting with the Director General and Deputy Director General of the Center. He was received by the DG Dr. Erlan M. RAMANCULOV and Deputy DG Dr. Kasym K. MUKANOV. The Deputy Chair of Kazakhstan's Science Committee under the Ministry of Education and Science Dr. Ms. Lazzat Kussainova was also present on the occasion. The Director General of "Republican Collection of Microorganisms" of Kazakhstan housed in the same building also joined in the meeting. After a formal words of welcome, the DG of the Biotechnology Center made a presentation on the background and activities of the Center. The National Center for Biotechnology of Kazakhstan is engaged in Agriculture, Veterinary/Animals and Health Biotechnology sectors and have brought numerous products in the market at commercial level as well. They are also producing animal vaccines. Thus there seemed good possibility of involving this Center for cooperation in Biotechnology among the ECO member states. The Center is a subordinate institution of the Science Committee of the Kazakhstan.

Afterwards, President ECOSF Prof. Soomro, briefed the hosts about the aims and objectives, and plans of ECO Science Foundation. He said that he saw a great potential of this Center to collaborate with counterpart institutions in other ECO member countries such as Pakistan, Iran and Turkey as well as Uzbekistan. To which the hosts institution and Deputy Chairman of the Science Committee agreed in principle, however, any formal proposal would have to be considered by the Science Committee and the Ministry of Education and Science, they said.

Subsequently Prof. Dr. Kayirtai ALMAGAMBETOV the Director General of the "Republican Collection of Microorganisms"- an over 60 years old laboratory, made a power point presentation and showed that they have a huge collection of indigenous microorganisms being well maintained and used for production of medicines, vaccines and industrial enzymes etc. The Biosafety and biosecurity aspects were also discussed and it seemed that all the international protocols and standard procedures were being followed to ensure biosafety. The Collection had huge repositories too and the cultures are being well maintained.

The President ECOSF then visited the laboratories and facilities of the complex and thanked the host institutions for their warm welcome and willingness to collaborate with other ECO member states. A group photograph was also taken.