International workshop on Risk Factor Investigation inaugurated at GADVASU

Ludhiana, December 20, 2017: A three day International Workshop on Regression modeling for Risk Factor Investigation was inaugurated by Dr JPS Gill, Director of Research, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana. This workshop is being conducted by School of Public Health and Zoonoses, GADVASU in collaboration with The University of Sydney, Australia. Dr. Gill informed that GADVASU had signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ with The University of Sydney, Australia in 2015 for collaborative research and for facilitating exchange of faculty and students. He congratulated the organizers for this endeavor and hoped that it will help boost research in risk factor investigation, disease prioritization and risk analysis of animal diseases at the University and will further strengthen this relationship and enable development of stronger ties between the two premier institutions.

During this workshop, Dr Navneet Dhand, Associate Professor in Veterinary Epidemiology from The University of Sydney, Australia will train participants in approaches for regression modelling and risk factor investigation. Dr BBS Dhaliwal and Dr Jaswinder Singh, scientists from GADVASU will discuss approaches for disease prioritisation and risk analysis. These techniques are invaluable for science based animal health policy development. The workshop will be attended by 43 postgraduate students and researchers from various departments of GADVASU.

Dr RS Aulakh, the organising secretary of this workshop, informed that the workshop is being organised under the project for development of effective animal disease control programs in India and is supported by the Australian Government through the Australia-India Council of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He informed that world renowned epidemiologists Dr Michael Ward, Dr Navneet Dhand, Dr Viki Brookes from The University of Sydney and Dr. Marta Hernandez-Jover from Charles Sturt University, Australia trained GADVASU scientists and students on research study designs, spatial analysis and risk analysis during the workshops conducted in 2015 and 2016.

Dr. AS Nanda, Vice-Chancellor, GADVASU congratulated the School of Public Health & Zoonoses for this endeavour and hoped that the workshop participants will apply the skills learnt in the workshop in their research work.