“Think out of the box,” Senior Adviser to the Central Government’s Department of Biotechnology T.S. Rao urged young scientists and students during the inaugural session of the two-day national conference on natural therapeutics for cancer, diabetes, and renal diseases, at GITAM University here on Thursday.
“One must think differently and come out of the comfort zone,” Dr. Rao said, urging faculty members to ignite the young minds to take up research projects that catered to the country’s needs.
“You must have the passion and then pursue what you want to achieve. Funding is not a problem, we will take care of it,” the DBT official said.
Every project that was taken up should benefit people, he said, and cited the problems caused due to consanguineous marriage.
Dr. Rao explained the support the DBT was extending to hundreds of projects. “Details of how to receive aid is explained in the DBT website,” he said.
Later, in his keynote address, Dr. Rao explained how many lives were being lost because of cancer, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes in India and abroad, and noted that the traditional Chinese medicines and the large number of Ayurvedic formulations being used in India since a very long time were being used to control sugar level in human body.
“But it should also be understood that our traditional methods must be scientifically evaluated and formulations of local Ayurveda practitioners must be chemically analysed. Unless the local Ayurveda practitioners are involved, it is not possible to achieve health-for-all goal,” Dr. Rao said. To him, the situation, as far as traditional medicines are concerned, is like sitting on a gold mine, but not knowing where it is.
Vice-Chancellor G. Subramanyam explained the research projects of the university. He felt the need to bring down the cost of treatment.
Dean and Principal of GITAM Institute of Science N. Lakshmana Das spoke.
Former HoD of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics of GIS I. Bhaskara Reddy, HoD and convener of the seminar Malla Rama Rao spoke.
