Seminar on “Biotechnological interventions in Withania Somnifera” at BBK DAV College

Amritsar, Sept. 17 (Punjab Post Bureau) –  Department of Biotechnology, BBK DAV College for women organized DBT sponspored seminar on “Biotechnological interventions in Withania Somnifera”. Dr. P.K. Pati presented the talk on above said topic. Dr. Pati is currently holding the position of Professor at Biotechnology Department,GNDU. He has been recipient of many awards and fellowships of international repute. He has published more than 50 research papers and 2 patents to his credit,. He is also reviewer of many journals. Withania somnifera is a medicinal plant and has appeared in WHO monograph in selected medicinal plants. This plant is widely utilized in various herbal products. It has been found that there are 62 major and minor metabolites in leaves and approximately 48 in roots. Withaferin A & Withanone is found in leaves and Withanolide A & Withanolide D in Roots. Moreover plant has been found to possess pharmaceutical active constituents which have anti cancer properties. Plant is being utilized at commercial scale because of its disease resistant, abiotic stress resistant and high biomass properties.

Dr. Pati also mentioned that in his lab they found that leaf spot disease affects the metabolites by doing HPLC on the plant. Various sophisticated and precise technologies have been employed to establish the medicinal properties of plant and characterisation of various genes like SS, SE & FAPS and papers have been published. By doing analysis of anti cancer properties, a lot of variation were observed in terms of plant height, thickness etc. by Technologies like RT PCR, HPLC and Quantitative PCR. All these observations and researches has improved the plant and it has been named as PKP-1

Department of Biotechnology presented a memento at the end of talk Principal Dr. (Mrs.) Neelam Kamra and Mrs. Rashmi Kalia HOD, Botany Department offered thanks on behalf of department. As a part of event on the spot collage making, poster presentation was also organised. A total of 50 students participated in the event. At the end of seminar winners were felicitated. Navpreet and Sarabjeet won first prize in collage making; followed by Navkirat and arshdeep won second prize and palak & palakpreet won third prize.  Dipanwita & Ishani won first prize in poster making. Akarshita and simran won second prize; supriya and shirsha won third prize in the event.