0n 23rd February
and 23rd March, 2004, an "International Seminar
on Biosensors" was held in the Department
of Biotechnology, University of Madras. The department
has been conducting a serious seminars, workshops,
conferences etc to the benefit of faculties, scientists,
research scholars and students. Besides, many
industrialists and environmentalists are getting
recent information on the developments and applications
of biotechnology. Our Vice Chancellor Prof.S.P.Thyagarajan
inaugurated the seminar and highlighted the importance
of biosensors and its application. |
Prof. Naresh Magan,
Professor of Applied BioSciences, Dean, Faculty
of Medicine & BioSciences, Cranfield University,
U.K. Professor & Head of Applied Mycology
Group, Dr. Howard H. Weetall, National Association
for Hispanic Elderly at the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, USA. (Dr. Howard H.Weetall,
2001-Present. Grantee of the National Association)
and Dr.G.P.Brennan, School of Biology & Biochemistry,
The Queens University of Belfast, Northern Ireland,
U.K gave invited lectures on the natural biosensors,
development and their application in different
areas.The natural biosensors are the sense organs
primarily the chemical sensors of smell and taste.
Biosensors rely on biological materials (such
as enzymes, antibodies, metabolites, lectins,
DNA, section of tissues or micro-organisms) as
sensing elements having abilities to monitor complex
molecular species in real-time and such biosensors-bioprocess
control-processes never-before available. The
basic principle of biosensor is nothing but evaluation
of biologically generated electrical signal in
a miniaturized technical device. Technical biosensors
have applications in diverse fields such as biotechnology
(DNA and protein microarray, biochips), medicine,
microbial technology, bioreactors, environmental
biotechnology, defense etc., and therefore have
been under intense development to detect gases,
chemicals, toxins and other biomolecules. Traditional
methods for monitoring of such biological molecules,
toxins, toxic chemicals can be expensive, time
consuming, and misrepresentative of in-situ microchemical
sensor conditions. A number of chemical sensors
are commercially available for field studies from
the Hispanic Elderly, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Las Vegas, NV 89119; 2000-Present Advanced
Technology Group (Consultants). |
(Courtesy:
Dr. P. Ramasamy, Professor & Head, Department
of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Building, Guindy
Campus, University of Madras, Chennai - 600025.
Email: ramasamy_p@sify.com ; ramasamy_p@hotmail.com) |