KARACHI – The China-Pakistan Bilateral Workshop on Natural Product Research, held recently at the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, invited Prof. Dr. Muhammad Raza Shah, Director of the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, to deliver a plenary lecture.
Mr. Khan Muhammad Wazir, Counsellor for Technical Affairs, Science and Technology, at the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing, also attended the workshop, while Chinese experts, including Prof. Guihui Pan, Prof. Weishan Wang, and Prof. Luoyi Wang, also delivered lectures.
In his lecture, Prof. Raza Shah highlighted the importance of natural product research in serving humanity through the discovery and development of novel drugs, healthcare products, and other beneficial applications.
Speaking about the role of ICCBS, University of Karachi, in natural product research, Prof. Raza Shah highlighted the significant contributions made by the H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, ICCBS, to the discovery and development of bioactive natural products and their potential applications in medicine and healthcare. He also highlighted the Centre’s research on medicinal plants, marine natural products, fungi, and microorganisms.
Prof. Raza Shah further emphasized the role of international collaborations and joint research programmes in strengthening natural product research at ICCBS. He described the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, as one of the leading research institutions in the region.
He observed that China and Pakistan have significantly expanded their scientific collaboration through joint laboratories, high-level workshops, and bilateral agreements focusing on natural products, herbal medicines, and traditional healing systems.