International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) supported school on ‘Mitochondria and Neurodegeneration’ started today at Panjab University (PU).

The five day prestigious school is being organized by PU Biochemistry Department and would provide theoretical and practical training to young researchers from Asia-Pacific region countries like Iran, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Malaysia, Bhutan, Pakistan and India on vide ranging topics related to role of mitochondria in nervous system. Mitochondrial dysfunction is believed to play substantial role in wide spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s Disease, Epilepsy, Aging, Cancer, etc.

Baba Farid University of Health Sciences Faridkot, Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof.  Raj Bahadur and PU VC Prof. Arun Kumar Grover inaugurated IBRO/APRC school 2015.  Prof. Rajat Sandhir, Dean Science Prof Naresh Tuli and large number of teachers, research scholars, national and international delegates also participated in the inaugural ceremony.

The chief guest of the occasion and renowned orthopedic surgeon specialized in spinal cord injury, Prof Raj Bahadur spoke about the importance of brain.

Sharing interesting information, Prof Raj Bahadur said that human brain looses one billion of facts everyday as each neuronal cell represents a knowledge facts installed in our brain and everyday one billion neurons die in the brain. He also spoke about various diseases associated with neuronal spine connection and the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in disease progression of Myelomalacia, spinal cord degeneration and vascular catastrophy cases. He boosted the morale of the young researchers and gave details about of neuronal spine connection and its role in neurodegeneration.

PU VC Prof Arun K Grover appraised the young brains about the importance of studying mitochondrial role in degenerative disorders. He appreciated the importance of such collaborative programmes, which enabled the young researchers from different part of the globe to come close and translate their knowledge in the human welfare. He suggested that public lectures should also be included in such programmes to bring the civil society in picture to share their views, which will give a new direction to the human research.