KARACHI: The 16th International Symposium on Natural Product Chemistry (ISNPC-16) concluded on Thursday at the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, with key recommendations for advancing research in natural products.
Amid growing interest in natural products within the healthcare sector, the symposium’s concluding session emphasized the urgent need to protect medicinal plants from overexploitation. It also called for the development of new herbal drugs derived from medicinal plants and natural compounds to combat major diseases.
The international symposium was organized by the HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry at ICCBS, University of Karachi. Prof. Dr. Farzana Shaheen, Director of ICCBS, chaired the concluding session.
A total of 60 scholars from 29 countries, including Germany, the USA, the UK, China, Sweden, Iran, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Sudan, Nigeria, Cameroon, Algeria, and Zimbabwe, participated in the conference, while 400 scholars attended from Pakistan. The four-day global science gathering featured several brainstorming sessions, plenary lectures, invited presentations, and session lectures.
Additionally, around 130 research posters were presented by young scholars. Notably, several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed between ICCBS, University of Karachi, and leading institutions from various countries.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr. Farzana Shaheen thanked both national and international experts for their participation. She noted that the attendance of a large number of foreign experts reflects the symposium’s role in fostering scientific collaboration beyond borders. She underscored the importance of medicinal plant research, emphasizing that the development of plant-based drugs could help prevent several fatal diseases.
Dr. Syed Ghulam Musharraf, ISNPC Organizing Secretary, also expressed gratitude to all participants and acknowledged the contributions of faculty, staff, and students in making the symposium a success.
On the occasion, while expressing their views, some foreign scientists praised the arrangements of the symposium and the hospitality of the Pakistani people. They stated that hosting such a mega-science event is a great privilege for Pakistan.
In conclusion, Prof. Dr. Farzana Shaheen distributed certificates to participants and awarded prizes to the winners of the poster competition.
