Lahore: The Kauser Abdulla Malik School of Life Sciences (KAM-SLS) and The Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) at Forman Christian College (FCCU) convened a one-day conference on “Advances in Plant Genomics for Climate Mitigation” on June 28, 2024. The event brought together experts and industry leaders to discuss innovative genomic solutions for climate-resilient agriculture, focusing on the development of climate-smart cotton.

According to Forman Christian College, the conference is part of an HEC-LCF-funded project led by Dr. Muhammad Irfan, which aims to develop climate-smart cotton by editing the arginase gene using CRISPR/Cas tools. The event featured welcome remarks by Dr. Muhammad Bilal Sadiq, chairperson of KAM-SLS, and an overview of the conference goals by Dr. Muhammad Irfan. Dr. Kauser A. Malik, Dean of Postgraduate Studies, and Dr. Johnathan S. Addleton, Rector of FCCU, also delivered opening remarks.

Distinguished participants included Dr. Muaz Ur Rehaman, Director of CEMB at Punjab University; Dr. Naeem Rashid, former Director General at SBS, PU; and representatives from the industry such as Dr. Sajjad S. Malik, CEO of Emkay Seeds, and Mr. Irfan Haq, Stewardship Manager at Corteva Agriscience. The conference highlighted the critical role of genomics in enhancing the resilience of crops to climate change and fostering sustainable agricultural practices.

Research students from KAM-SLS displayed their research posters, which were evaluated by a panel of experts from both academia and industry, underscoring the collaborative efforts to tackle global warming through scientific innovation.