A three-week long refresher course in pharmaceutical sciences was organized by University Grants Commission at the Department of Pharmacy, Annamalai University from March 10 to 30, 2004.

Conducted as part of the continuing education programme for college and university teachers by UGC, New Delhi the 3-week programme was attended by 28 teachers from various states including Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Resource persons from Anna University, Chennai; Government Pharmacy College, Calicut; Mother Teresa Institute of Health Sciences, Pondicherry; Drug Information Centre, SPC, Bangalore; International Institute of Biotechnology and Toxicology, Chennai; College of Pharmacy, Coimbatore; Gandhigram Rural Institute, Gandhigram; Ato Fina Peroxides Ltd., Cuddalore; MMC Health Care, Chennai; SB College of Pharmacy, Sivakasi; and local resource persons from Annamalai University, were invited for delivering lectures.

The major topics debated in the programme were: ISO 9000, 1400, 1800; Blood Pressure Regulation and Antihypertensive Drugs, Pharmaceutical Marketing, Regulatory Requirements in Controlled Release Formulations, Pharmaceutical Statistics, Rational Drugs Use, Drugs from Marine Source, Human Genome Project, Pharmacy Practice, Time Management, Personality Development, Yoga and Health, Prescribing in Paediatrics, Designing Experiments, Combinatorial Chemistry, A rational Approach to Drug design, Pharmacoeconomics, HPLC detectors, Phytochemical Research, Standardization of herbal medicines, Chiral Separations.

Beside lectures, there were laboratory classes on HPLC analysis and HPTLC method for herbal drugs standardization and seminar by participants. An industrial trip to near by industrial complex, Cuddalore and Pondicherry was also arranged.

A visit to CAS in Marine Biology, Parangipettai, was arranged to expose the participants how the marine source can be exploited for various purposes including search for new drugs, an official release said.

The 5th programme was inaugurated by Dr S B Nageswara Rao, director of Distance Education of Annamalai University. Prof. B Palaniappan, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, presided over the function. Dr R Manavalan, Professor & Head, Department of Pharmacy, welcomed the gathering. Dr P K Manna, Professor of Pharmacy and one the Course Coordinators proposed vote of thanks.

In valedictory function, Dr N S Nagarajan, head, department of Chemistry, Gandhigram Rural Institute, a Deemed University, was the chief guest. Professor B Palaniappan, Dean, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Annamalai University presided over the function. Dr R Manavalan, the course director and head of the department, welcomed the guests and participants. Dr G P Mohanta, Professor of Pharmacy, proposed vote of thanks.