DST-NUTEC | Workshops

Workshops and Webinars Conducted

Webinar on “Preparedness for the third wave of Covid-19 and prioritisation of children”

Date : 2021-06-25

Link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7cdZz33Y9I

Webinar on “Preparedness for the third wave of Covid-19 and prioritisation of children” was organized under DST NU-TEC platform and Dept of Paediatrics, KSHEMA on June 25, 2021. Prof Dr Satheesh Kumar Bhandary, Vice-Chancellor, Nitte (DU) in his opening remarks stated that vaccination drive and guidelines from the government to manage the pandemic are being updated and parallelly preparing ourselves for the Covid-19 third wave is of utmost importance to prevent the morbidity and mortality. Speakers of the webinar were Dr Swathi Sunil Rao, Associate Professor, Dept of Paediatrics, KSHEMA Mangalore, Dr Rohit Baradwaj consultant paediatrician Chennai and Dr Santhosh Soans, Past National President, Indian Academy of Paediatrics, and HOD of Pediatrics, A.J. Medical College, Mangalore. Dr Swathi Sunil Rao highlighted that as per the survey on first and second wave of Covid-19, children forms a small group (3-4%) of the total Covid-19 cases among which 60-70% cases are asymptomatic which were comparable with the global situation. The reason for this could be due to decreased viral copies they are exposed to, different expression of ACE2 receptor than the adults. She further explained the pathogenesis of the disease and past case reports with associated medical conditions. Dr Rohit Baradwaj spoke on office practice and vaccine strategies. His lecture covered several of the core topics like IAP (Indian Academy of Pediatrics) Covid 19 management plan, when to test children for Covid-19, outputs from systematic reviews about Covid-19 in children. He stressed that the children need to be tested to lessen the spread and it is important to bring the child to medical attention if there are any suspicion. He indicated that asthmatic children may not be prone to Covid-19 infection because of the various reasons like steroid treatment, lower IFN production and inverse relation of the allergic sensitization with ACE2 receptor. He elaborated on factors that might protect the children from infection and various vaccines that are underway covering various age groups. Dr Santhosh Soans, spoke about herd immunity in connection with speculation of different waves of Covid-19. He emphasised that continuing Covid reinforcing behaviour, isolating the children from infected individuals, vaccination, uplifting the resources, recruitment and training of health care workers are the main strategies to tackle the third wave. The webinar was coordinated by Prof. Dr. Indrani Karunasagar, Director, DST NU-TEC and moderated by Dr Rathika Shenoy, HOD Paediatrics, KSHEMA

Last updated 2021-07-13 10:35:22

Webinar on "Strengthening National Food Safety Systems Challenges in the era of Covid19"

Date : 2021-06-07

Link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1RAhI-sKak

An oration on “Strengthening National Food Safety Systems Challenges in the era of Covid19” was organized at the DST NU-TEC platform on June 7, 2021 on the occasion of World Food Safety Day. Dr. Indrani Karunasagar, Director Projects and DST NU-TEC accorded a cordial welcome to the speaker and the participants. She introduced the aims and objectives of the DST NU-TEC and its benefits to young researchers of the country. In her welcome address she stressed on the theme of world food safety day “Safe food now for a healthy tomorrow” as well as on the concept of one health. Dr Iddya Karunasagar, Advisor, Research and Patents Nitte (DU) introduced Dr Allen Reilly recalling his early work in Asia on seafood safety and his stint at Natural Resources Institute, UK; as head of Food Safety Group at WHO, Geneva and his role in setting up and heading the Food Safety Authority of Ireland as its Chief Executive Officer. Currently, he is Advisor, WHO and Adjunct Professor at University of Dublin. The opening remarks was given by Dr. Satheesh Kumar Bhandary, Vice-Chancellor, Nitte (DU) wherein he mentioned India is self-sufficient as a producer and exporter of food grains and sea food to the whole world and which is a 10 billion US dollar business. Recalling that India is diabetes capital, he noted that consumers need healthy and safe food. He highlighted the measures being taken by the University to ensure and students and staff in the University campus get a safe and healthy food. The orator Dr. Allen Reilly spoke about the challenges posed by COVID-19 outbreak on the National food safety systems and how the pandemic is impacting the private and government food sectors. Developing new food strategies is the need of the hour and mentioned the Global strategy for food safety (2022-2030) being developed by the WHO and FAO and brought to the attention of the participants on the importance of occupational health and safety measures that are essential for ensuring COVID-19 free food processing. He explained the possible sources of SARS-Cov-2 exposures in processing environment and strategies to reduce the risk of transmission in working environment. He suggested that the national authorities need to identify and prioritize critical areas of work in food sector and establish Food Safety Emergency Response Plans. He emphasized on the requirement of a robust contingency plan for communication (having dedicated websites and food industry liaisons) on food related risks as the integrity of food supply chain is vulnerable to food frauds during pandemic. He highlighted the need to have farm to fork strategy to endure food safety in the entire food supply chain. In view of the emergence of zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance as a major public health issue, he emphasised the need to have a one health approach for a better alignment in areas of food, human health, animal health, and environment. Such an approach is key to managing risks at the human-animal-environment interface and could help tackle this pandemic as well as predict and halt the emergence of similar or worse challenges in the future. The oration was attended by faculty, students, food industry representatives and scientists from other disciplines from across the country.

Last updated 2022-10-11 10:50:56

Strengthening National Food Safety System- Challenges in the era of Covid19

Date : 2021-06-07

Link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1RAhI-sKak&t=4s

An oration on “Strengthening National Food Safety Systems - Challenges in the era of Covid19” was organized by DST NU-TEC on 07 June 2021 commemorating the World Food Safety Day. Dr Alan Reilly, Advisor, WHO and Adjunct Professor at University of Dublin, graced the occasion by an oration appropriate for the event. Dr Indrani Karunasagar, Director Projects and DST NU-TEC accorded a cordial welcome to the speaker and introduced the theme of the webinar to the participants. Dr Iddya Karunasagar, Advisor, Research and Patents Nitte (DU) introduced the speaker, Dr Alan Reilly, who has been a professional and personal friend for over three decades. In his opening remarks, the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, Nitte (DU) Dr. Satheesh Kumar Bhandary, exalted the role of the United Nations in ensuring food and nutritional security for all the developing and underdeveloped nations of the world. He complimented the TEC for bringing a world class eminent scientist cum bureaucrat to deliver an oration at Nitte (DU). The event was attended by faculty, students, food industry representatives and scientists from across the country.

Last updated 2021-12-29 07:36:46

Webinar on "Biological Diversity Act -2002"

Date : 2021-06-05

Link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1lsHYdH9sE

On the occasion of World environment day an oration on Biological Diversity Act -2002 (BDA) was organized by DST NU-TEC. Opening remarks was delivered by Dr Satheesh Kumar Bhandary, Vice Chancellor, Nitte (DU). He proudly explained how Nitte University has been constantly striving towards achieving carbon neutral campus and explained how the new campus is designed to have 60% of the area representing bioconservation island that will harbor natural habitats. He appreciated the efforts of the university green brigade team in striving to initiate and implement alternative source of energy to reduce pollution. He highlighted the importance of handling biomedical waste wisely in the context of increase in the use of PPE and mask during this unprecedented challenging time. The orator Dr B Meenakumari, Former chairperson, National Biodiversity Authority, Govt of India spoke about Biodiversity with a focus on laws applicable to various issues of interest to biomedical scientists such as Intelectual Property Rights (IPR), international collaboration and transfer of Clinical and Biomedical samples. Dr B Meenakumari, enlightened the students and academicians on the importance of abiding by the act and how it can help in ecosystem restoration which is the focus of this environment day with the theme ‘Reimagine. Recreate. Restore'. She asserted that India is a mega biodiversity country and one of the oldest and biggest repositories of biological and genetic resources as well as associated traditional knowledge. Today, biodiversity degradation is a global challenge and is an irreversible damage. She enunciated the aim of Biodiversity Act – conservation, sustainable use of country’s biological sources and promotion of equity in benefit sharing from their use. Along with expressing that the biodiversity is fundamental to technological innovations, she stated that the scope of biodiversity act includes biosurvey, research, and commercial utilization, IPRs and transfer of research results and knowledge. She briefed the audience on various provisions of the Biodiversity Act under the article 48A and 51 A, and process of application by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA). The oration also gave a glimpse of modern threats to biodiversity and how human actions pose a threat to various species and ecosystem that was never witnessed in the history of mankind. She also highlighted how we can respond to crisis through scientific analysis and communication about the drivers of change in biodiversity and human welfare, technological developments. Academicians could play a role involving citizens by making them aware of various environmental acts, disseminating information on legal and institutional instruments, economic incentives and plans by the government.. She expressed that lack of awareness, sectorial issues, lack of cooperation from stakeholders and lack of enforcement mechanisms undermines the act's intent and spirit. Concluding the oration, Dr B Meenakumari, gave an update and a checklist to researchers about how to go about with research that involves various biological resources from nature and various sector specific training and awareness programmes that the government offers. The virtual session was moderated by Dr Indrani Karunasagar, Director Projects and DST NU-TEC and Dr Smitha Coordinator DST NU-TEC.

Last updated 2021-06-14 06:22:20

Webinar on “Lessons from Covid-19 second wave”

Date : 2021-05-21

Link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th_KncSBrSI

Webinar on “Lessons from Covid-19 second wave” was organized under DST NU-TEC platform on May 21, 2021. Prof. Dr. Satheesh Kumar Bhandary, Vice-Chancellor, Nitte DU in his opening remarks highlighted the importance of the webinar. He noted that as India reels under a massive second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, with an alarming rise in positive cases and deaths, it is important for us to be well prepared to face the unprecedented challenge of third wave ahead. The webinar focused on core topics that included whether the second wave of Covid-19 could have been prevented, impact of genomic variants in India, vaccination drive and its constraints and public response and preparedness for the third wave. The speaker of the webinar Prof Dr V Ravi, Nodal officer for SARS CoV2, Genome Sequencing, Government of Karnataka, summarised lessons from the first and second wave of Covid-19. He asserted that the first wave predominately affected the elderly, people with comorbidites and that the transmission was related to travel history or contact with symptomatic individuals. He further explained that the mortality is linked with aggressive immune response and not the attribute of the virus. However, some of the new variants of virus can be more transmissible than the parent virus. New variations in the virus could be due to the poor proofreading activity of RNA dependent RNA polymerase resulting in the change of amino acid which may happen when virus replicates in a host consequent to the immunological pressure. Implications of the new variant could be in transmission, replication and vaccine escape. Currently there are 5 variants which are of concern. B.1.617.2 is the most predominant circulating strain in Karnataka. To sum up treatment strategy Prof Dr Ravi said that the spectrum of illness was vast affecting multiple systems. Covid-19 related symptoms worsen after 5 days which requires critical monitoring and this fact correlates with the relevance of monitoring inflammatory response and stress markers at this period. Remdesivir, an antiviral drug shows effective results and steroids help to reduce the mortality associated with the disease. Further, he emphasised that vaccines do not prevent the infection rather it reduces the course and severity of illness. There are no significant differences reported in terms of neutralization of Covid-19 variants by various vaccines currently available. In conclusion he noted that emergence of second wave was majorly due to superspreading events like crowding and rise of new virus variants and to tackle the third wave it demands vaccination coverage and Covid appropriate behaviour. The webinar was coordinated by Prof. Dr. Iddya Karunasagar, Senior Director (International Relations) Nitte DU and moderated by Prof Dr. Indrani Karunasagar, Director, DST NU-TEC. YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW2MEfy2CrY

Last updated 2021-06-14 06:19:07