International Neuroscience Workshop:

Tea and science

Ceylon Tea is expected play a significant role in a symposium on natural products unique to Sri Lanka, scheduled to be held on December 16 as part of the 7-day International Neuroscience Workshop, which will get underway tomorrow, December 14, at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. The symposium aims to foster healthy brain-ageing with the aim to bridge industry and academia in private-public partnerships with international collaborations for research and development in enhancing value addition through innovative product development.

The event organized by Prof. Ranil de Silva, Director, World Class Universities Grant Project, under the auspices of the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO), which represents over 75000 neuroscientists and 80 global organizations, has the Sri Lanka Tea Board as one of the sponsors the Symposium. The event is deemed a gateway to greater industrial and academic development in Sri Lanka.

The workshop will constitute lecture/practical sessions conducted by over 25 international academic inventors of the highest calibre from Harvard Medical School, the University of Cambridge, the National University of Singapore, Maastricht University, Netherlands, George Washington University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China, and many faculty members of acclaimed institutions of higher learning from Japan, Australia, and India. It will see the participation of 15 international students as well.

According to Prof de Silva, many international natural products industries will attend the Workshop, which will include several symposia, including one by the Chinese Neuroscience Society (CNS) on brain protection through innovative• therapeutics and interventions to brain disorders headed by the Secretary General, on Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders which will draw academics from Harvard• University and George Washington University, USA. The former will offer CNS Double doctoral opportunities for students through Memorandums of Understanding signed by the• University if Sri Jayewardenepura with the European Graduate School of Neuroscience and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The Workshop will also have lectures by many senior neurologists and consultants from the Asia-Pacific region; practical training sessions creating exposure to multidisciplinary research and cutting edge technology.

President Maithripala is expected to attend the Natural Products Symposium within the Workshop as Chief Guest and many Cabinet Ministers are expected to attend the panel discussion, while Ambassador Yi Xianling, the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka is expected to participate in the CNS symposium.

According to Prof. de Silva, emerging natural product based neutraceuticals could provide the basis for a cost effective therapeutic approach leading to the development of patented products linking industry and academia - paving the way for cutting edge technology to delay the progress of brain disorders. The global costs of increasingly prevalent neurodegenerative disorders exceed US$ 1 trillion at present.

"One of the practical session in the workshop highlights the neuroprotective therapies in brain diseases through cell culture techniques by Prof. T. Arumugam, National University of Singapore, an emerging avenue on neuronal cells in cultures as the novel potential drug targets for future therapeutic strategies," he says, explaining that Prof. Kristi Haik, Northern Kentucky University, will talk on nanoparticles. Prof. Zhu Yi ZhunProfessor of Pharmacology, Dean of School of Pharmacy and Director, Institute of Drug R&D, Fudan University, Shanghai, Prof. Yiming Li, Professor of Chemistry, Vice Dean of School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of TCM, China, and Prof. Vijay Jayasena, Professor of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Science and Health, University of Western Sydney, Australia will all share their expertise in the Symposium.

The symposium will also explore the integration of Ayurveda and modern medicine in a genomic approach, leading to the development of cost effect therapeutics to delay the progress of brain disorders. Professor Mitali Mukerji, Programme Director, CSIR-Ayurgenomics Unit, Translation Research and Innovative Science Through Ayurgenomics, Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi is expected to participate. Professor V. Ravindranath, Indian Institute of Science, will share her experience on 'New approaches to therapies for Alzheimer's disease' based on the extract of a plant used in traditional medicine in India.

Details of the Workshop could be obtained from Professor Ranil de Silva - Email: [email protected]. and by accessing the website of World Class University Project: http://www.sjp.ac.lk/wcup/IBRO/