SGT University, Gurgaon is organizing a 5-day workshop on Genome Editing jointly with Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, New Delhi, and in collaboration with ICAR institutes, NRRI, Cuttack, and NIPB, New Delhi, and the DBT-NABI, Mohali, from March 23 -27, 2021.Prof. KC Bansal, a renowned Plant Biotechnologist and the Former Director of, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (ICAR), New Delhi is the Course Director. The faculty of the course include eminent scientists from India and abroad.

Indian agriculture has contributed significantly to the well-being of the growing human population. However, several challenges need to be addressed to further increasing our food production. These challenges include climate change and its adverse impact on agriculture, shrinking natural resources like land and water, the increasing pressure of emerging pests and pathogens, and abiotic stress factors. Fortunately, in the recent past a new technology has fast emerged, that is, Genome Editing as a game-changer for the genetic improvement of crops. Notably, the 2020 Nobel Prize for Chemistry was awarded to this versatile technology.

The Genome Editing technology has immense potential and promise particularly for developing climate-resilient crops that can sustain extreme weather conditions, and utilize water and nutrients more efficiently to produce more from less for more.

The workshop at SGTU will have both online and offline participation of young scientists and scholars as trainees. Since the technology has newer dimensions and avenues for diverse applications, building capacity and developing the desired skills is of extreme value. It is, thus, highly timely that such a course has been planned with faculty drawn from nationally and internationally reputed institutions.

Such a workshop will provide a ready platform to the participants for understanding the basic concepts for use of this technology in various applications for agriculture, the environment, and the health sector. Science-based regulatory guidelines in harmony with the global framework and an enabling environment will help achieve the best results from the use of such a powerful technology for the benefit of smallholder farmers and the society at large.

www.sgtuniversity.ac.in
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