Focus on drug research to combat new diseases

A national workshop on `Advanced Experimental Techniques in Pharmaceutical Sciences’ was held at Sri Vishnu College of Pharmacy on Wednesday. Delivering a lecture on ‘Animal Models of Cerebral Ischemia’ at the workshop, Prof A Annapurna of Andhra University underlined the need to focus on pharmaceutical research as the fast changing lifestyle of people in the modern world gave scope for the outbreak of unknown diseases. She appreciated the valuable services being rendered by Sri Vishnu Educational Society chairman KV Vishnu Raju to the education sector.

SP Gupta, Emeritus Professor of Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, spoke on ‘Rational Approaches to Drug Discovery’. He covered drug designing, molecular modelling and docking studies and other topics for discovery of new drugs to combat new diseases effectively. He lauded the initiative of the college director D Basava Raju for organising the workshop to create awareness among pharmacy students about the latest advancements in the field of pharmaceutical sciences.

Prof Alluri Ramesh, principal of Vishnu Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, explained the research methodology to students.

“Emphasis should be laid on drug research and development to combat the diseases associated with the changing lifestyle of people effectively,” he said.

College director Prasad Raju, principal K Prasad and other faculty members were present. Students from various pharmacy colleges attended the workshop.