Nanoscale science is a fascinating world for the upcoming advanced technology-driven century. Keeping that in mind, BRAC University Society for Biotechnology (BUSB) along with the Biotechnology program, BRAC University had arranged the third episode of the Biotechnology Seminar Series on “Nanobiotechnology” last 28th March 2024. The purpose of this seminar was to open the magic door of nanobiotechnology to the participants. This seminar mainly focusing on basic aspects of Nanobiotechnology was attended by MNS Chairperson Professor Dr. Yusuf Haider, faculties and BRACU students from different majors such as Biotechnology, CSE, Microbiology, and Pharmacy.
The speaker Dr. Munima Haque was introduced by Assistant Professor Dr. Jebunnessa Chowdhury of the Biotechnology program. Dr. Munima Haque, Associate Professor of Biotechnology Program, conducted an extremely engaging session on Nanobiotechnology as her research areas involved Nanobiotechnology, Radiation Biotechnology, Environmental Biotechnology, Medical Physics, and Biomedical Data Science.
Dr. Munima completed B.Sc. (honors) and M.Sc. in Physics with minors in Mathematics and Statistics from Rajshahi University, Bangladesh. Then she did another M.S. in Nuclear Radiation Physics from Southern Illinois University (SIU), Carbondale, IL, USA. She obtained her Ph. D. in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Urbana, IL, USA with a thesis titled “A colloidal science approach to characterize the nanoscale aggregation behavior of corn protein zein”. Her postdoctoral research was in the Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, IL, USA in Biomedical Engineering on Targeted Drug delivery using hybrid nanocarriers for breast and prostate cancer detection and treatment in addition to research on gene therapy.
The seminar discueesd that the fusion of nanotechnology and biotechnological advancement unveiled current possibilities of learning to participants. Nanobiotechnology focuses on studying and applying biological and biochemical processes found in nature to create innovative devices such as biosensors for disease detection. Targeted drug delivery is such an approach to create medication for a patient in a way that enhances the concentration of the medication in specific parts of the body compared to others. Moreover, Nanopharmacology promises targeted treatments with minimized side effects by combining nanotechnology with pharmacology and enhancing drug delivery with precision and efficacy.
The discussion flowed from medical applications of nanoparticles to the textile industry, food preservation, the agricultural sector, nanobioelectronics, and many more. The interactive format of the seminar encouraged participants to perform critical analysis and integrate nanomaterials with biological systems.
The technical session enlightened students about the potential of nanobiotechnology and the importance of achieving skills and insights for future biotechnological endeavors.