Islamabad, (Parliament Times) : A 3-day online workshop on Cancer Genetics organized jointly by COMSTECH, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), and Sindh Innovation Research and Education Network during March 21, 22, and 24, 2022 at Latif Ebrahim Jamal National Science Information Center (ICCBS) University of Karachi.
The workshop consists upon lectures by renowned expert Prof. Dr. Rafat Ali Siddiqui Senior Investigator at the Methodist Research Institute, and Professor of Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University School of Medicine, USA. Each lecture followed by extensive exercises and discussion sessions.
Fundamentals of cancers, oncogenes, anti-oncogenes, epigenetics, miRNA and cancer genes regulation, and diet and cancer were the topic taught by Prof. Rafat during the workshop.
He said two major causes of death in the world are cardiovascular disease and cancer. He said the number one cause of cancer is tobacco, and mentioned that tobacco does not only cause the lung cancer but it also causes cancer of different other organs. He said the obesity is the second cause of cancer because lots of fat deposits in body serve as reservoir for inflammatory cells which leads to cancer. The pathogens are the third cause of cancer. Life style, diet, occupational exposure, alcohol, reproductive factors, and ultraviolet radiation are other causes of cancer.
Prof. Rafat said that the major causes of cancers like tobacco, obesity, life style, diet and occupational exposures are easily preventable just by paying attention to these risk factors. He said fifty percent of cancer can be reduced by just paying attention to the major risk factors.
Prof. Rafat said that the cell is the fundamental unit of life, and all cells are derived from the pre-existing cells. He said that normal cells retain the ability to divide and repair wounds, replace damaged cells, maintain normal developmental and physiological process and make the organism survival possible. Whereas cancer cells escape the normal regulation and start multiplying to make more copies. They are derived from the tissue where they are first discovered and belong to cell lineage that can be traced back to the fertilized eggs.
Students, experienced investigators, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty members from the OIC member states attending the session online.