News:  CSF to help beef up ICCBS project
Name of NewsPaper: The Financial Daily
Date of Publication: 16, July, 2008
URL: http://www.thefinancialdaily.com/NewsSearchResult/NewsSearchDetail.aspx?NewsID=44517

By our correspondent

KARACHI: The International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) and the Competitiveness Support Fund (CSF), a joint initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of Finance discussed on Tuesday the possibilities of working together to strengthen the ICCBS' Industrial Analytical Center.

A statement issued here on Tuesday said they also agreed to work on initiating new technology incubators for "virus free" bananas and orchids. Welcoming possible joint initiatives, Dr Iqbal Chaudhry, the ICCBS' Director HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, said it was an excellent opportunity to work for the enhancement of analytical work, research as well as technology incubators.

Chief Executive Officer CSF, Arthur Bayhan, said working with ICCBS provided the grounds for exploring and developing a technology incubator for the production of nutraceuticals in Pakistan. The analytical center at the HEJ research institute provides analytical and consultancy services to over 350 industries in Pakistan.

A number of goal-oriented projects relating to the chemistry of natural products, protein chemistry, plant biotechnology and pharmacology of herbal medicines are being vigorously pursued at the center and has led to the awarding of over 300 doctorate degrees, 50 MPhil degrees and 200 MSc degrees and the publication of over 2,500 research papers that have earned international recognition. -PR