Biotech Updates

Egypt Celebrates 2013 Biotechnology Day

May 15, 2013

Cairo University hosted the 2013 Biotechnology Day organized by the Egyptian Biotechnology Information Center (EBIC) on April 20, 2013. Prof. Ahmed Sharaf, Dean of the Faculty of Biotechnology, formally opened the celebration passing his warmest wishes to the new generation of the biotechnology students and stressing how the technology is affecting the life of millions of farmers throughout the world. He also mentioned that biotechnology applications in agriculture would help solve several agricultural problems in Egypt.

The program of activities included a brief introduction to biotechnology, including its applications and benefits. Some of the students demonstrated their graduation projects including anti-cancer, bioluminescent bacteria, bioremediation, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

As part of their celebration, the students performed a play "Milestones of Biotechnology" which featured four major events in the field of biotechnology: 60 years for discovering the structure of DNA, 30 years since producing the first transgenic plant, 30 years since PCR discovery, and 10 years for human genome sequencing.

For more information about biotechnology events in Egypt, contact Dr. Naglaa Abdallah at naglaa_a@hotmail.com.