Biorisk management workshop at PU

Chandigarh: Thirteenth three days workshop from 3rd to 5th January 2020 on “Foundational and Laboratory Level Biorisk Management” was organised in the Department of Biotechnology, Panjab University, Chandigarh in collaboration with Sandia National Laboratories, USA under the MoU with Panjab University. The workshop was attended by faculty from Panjab University, local colleges, medical doctors and the research scholars working in the area of biological Sciences. According to Prof. Neena Capalash, workshop organizer, the  main purpose of this activity- based workshop was to enable the participants to understand laboratory biosafety and biosecurity issues associated with microbial pathogens and other biological materials used in the research laboratories and clinical set ups. She added since multiple drug resistance in pathogens has become a major challenge, working with these disease causing bacteria specially, the drug resistant pathogens, require proper handling and needs to be disposed off carefully in order to reduce the risk of spreading them into the environment. This workshop provided in depth knowledge to the participants on important topics such as personal protective equipment, segregation of biological wastes, use of decontamination methods and disposal of biohazardous waste. The faculty and researchers who participated in the workshop would act as ambassadors of this cause to further create awareness at their institutions and in society as a whole to reduce risk associated with biological hazards.