Adoption of modern practices in livestock and agriculture sector is essential to increase productivity, and ensure food security as a step towards poverty alleviation, said University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Dr Zafar Iqbal Randhawa .

He addressed International Workshop on Cell culture arranged by Department of Anatomy University of Agriculture Faisalabad at New Senate Hall. Dean Dr Zafar Iqbal Qurshi, Chairman Dr Anas Sarwar, Turkish Scientist Dr Korhan Altunbas, Dr Artay Yagci also spoke on the occasion. The Vice Chancellor said that the university was making all out efforts to ensure practical knowledge in the syllabus in order to produce skilled manpower. He stressed upon the scientists to produce the tangible research work to address the problems of the common man and the farming community. He said livestock contributes approximately 56 percent of value addition and nearly 11 percent to gross domestic product (GDP). He said that research in the medical field is expanding and involves major emerging areas with influential effects and regeneration approach. Animal tissue culture plays a substantial role in the field of biotechnology. He said that Allah Subhanotallah guides humans in Quran about human beings creations and way to spent lives. He urged the participants to spend their lives as per golden principles of Quran and Sunnah. Dean Zafar Iqbal Qureshi said that the reprogramming in the genetic makeup and transcription factors of somatic stem cells has opened up the new doors for some of the important areas like cancer research, toxicity testing, virology and others. Dr Anas Sarwar said that stem cells technology brought into the clinical practices a bit later because of the associated high cost and ethical concerns. However, the emerging need and being alternative to significance disease treatment, it has been brought to practical trials.