To motivate young scientists to pursue progressive research work and to encourage advancement of pharmacology in the country, the Indian Pharmacological Society (IPS) is planning to organise a three-day 'Southern Regional Conference' from July 25 to July 27. The conference will be held at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad.

Around 400 pharmacologists and eminent professionals from different parts of south India are expected to attend the conference. The event is for creating awareness among students on the prospects of pharmacology and the available career options. It will be a good opportunity for them to interact with industry and institutes for placements. About 60-70 per cent of the students from medical colleges who are into their doctorate or M Phil studies are expected to participate in the conference.

Speaking to Pharmabiz, Dr Prakash K. Diwan, general secretary of IPS said: "The conference is being held exclusively for the pharmacologists of South India. The reason behind it is to network with pharmacologists from medical institutes, pharmacy and veterinary sectors in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and some parts of Goa".

"It will be a good platform to have a better understanding of how a drug works as there are certain molecules which do not show any activity in animals but have very positive results in humans. As clinicians they can let people know about the actual application of a drug, we are trying to accommodate some clinicians in this event from Nizams Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Apollo Hospitals and other hospitals", Dr Dewan further added.

The event will have sessions on regulatory toxicology, biostatistics, translational medicine, pharmacogenomics, metabolonomics, plant to patient and GLP. A special session is also planned for non-pharmacologists to bring their knowledge on the process of drug evolution, evaluation and its effects. There would also be a scientific conference and parallel workshops.

The conference will also host a special event to honour the senior pharmacologists who made valuable contributions in the field of pharmacology and research. They include Dr Ranjit Roy Chaudhary, Dr PL. Sharma, Dr S Nanjappa, DS Salunkhe and others, Dr Diwan said.

For more details contact Dr Prakash K Diwan, Tel: 040-27193753, Email: diwansrips@rediffmail.com