June 17, 2025--- Chairman Punjab Higher Education Commission (PHEC), Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan, inaugurated a three-day hands-on training workshop on CRISPR/Cas systems in genome editing at the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab. He was warmly received by the Vice Chancellor of the University of the Punjab, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali, and Director CEMB, Prof. Dr. Moazur Rahman.

Prof. Dr. Moazur Rahman, Director CEMB, welcomed the distinguished guests and participants. In his welcome address, he highlighted the significance of CRISPR technology in modern science and also shared a brief history of the establishment and contributions of CEMB.

Prof. Dr. Abdul Qayyum Rao, the focal person of the workshop, provided an overview of the training program. He informed the audience that the workshop had received an overwhelming number of applications, from which 33 participants were shortlisted from academic institutions across the country. He also acknowledged and appreciated the dedication and hard work of his team in organizing the training sessions.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Muhammad Ali lauded the efforts of CEMB researchers and remarked that CEMB is the premier research centre of the University of the Punjab. He encouraged the participants to make the most of the training opportunity, which could prove pivotal in shaping their future careers. He also thanked the PHEC Chairman for his presence and commended Prof. Dr. Moazur Rahman and his team for organizing a workshop on such an important and emerging technology.

Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Chairman PHEC, appreciated the quality of research being conducted at CEMB. He paid tribute to the visionary efforts of Dr. Riazuddin and other pioneering scientists who laid the foundation of the centre. He advised the participants to actively interact with the researchers at CEMB working across diverse domains to enhance their knowledge and skills.

In the end, souvenirs were presented by Chairman PHEC Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan to Dr. Bushra Rashid, Dr. Abdul Qayyum Rao, Dr. Moazur Rahman, and Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ali and Prof. Dr. Moazur Rahman presented a souvenir to Chairman PHEC Prof. Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan as a token of appreciation.