“Question science that does not sound convincing to you and be open-minded. Find a mentor who is an expert and put your heart and soul. Don’t forget to enjoy your work,” said Professor Khalid Iqbal from New York State Institute for Basic Research, USA in his keynote address at the 5th Annual Neuroscience Conference held at Aga Khan University, which aims to inspire young people towards neuroscience and highlight scientific advancements.
Dr. Iqbal’s talk was focused on his lifelong work on Alzheimer’s disease, which, according to him, had been one big puzzle. He added that the objective of research should go beyond publishing papers and should aim to solve a meaningful problem. He added that scientific research is synonymous with solving puzzles and the more challenging it is, the more fun it is.
“The idea behind this annual conference is to attract young people towards the wonderful world of basic and applied neuroscience. The enthusiasm of both medical and non-medical students is very promising in Pakistan,” said Dr Syed Ather Enam, Professor, and Chair of Surgery at AKU and pioneer of the conference.
Speakers - both national and international - shed light on their areas of expertise ranging from subjects such as how metal exposure accelerates aging to how the cerebellar cortex in vertebrates has structurally evolved.
Another aspect of neuroscience that speakers touched on was mental health in adolescence, stress and addiction management at a personal and public health level and impact of neuroscience on a person’s well-being. Additionally, Dr Joshua Sanes from Boston University’s Centre for Brain Science focused his talk on the cell types working as keys to neural function and dysfunction.
The one-day conference was attended by students, fresh graduates, trainees and neuroscience experts from Pakistan and abroad. Lieutenant General Naveed Zaman was invited as chief guest and he spoke about how he was interested in seeing neuroscience progressing and moving forward in Pakistan.
The event was jointly organized by AKU’s Department of Surgery, Pakistan Society of Basic & Applied Sciences (PASBAN), Advance Educational Institute and Research Centre (AEIRC), The Science Bridge and Canada Pakistan Research & Development Council.