Ludhiana, November 10, 2026:- A four-day international seminar on “Genome Editing for Food Security and Environmental Sustainability” concluded at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana. During the seminar, a commitment was expressed to strengthen international research collaboration and translate scientific innovations into practical solutions for food security and environmental sustainability.
The seminar was attended by eminent experts from India and abroad, including Dr. Stanford Blade, Deputy Director General, Research and Innovation; Dr. Manish K. Chatley; Dr. J. Wilson, University of Saskatchewan, Canada; Dr. Kanwarpal Singh Dhugga, Mexico; Dr. Simon Suzanne Lipinski, Germany; Dr. Girdhar Kumar Pandey, Delhi University; and McGill University experts Dr. Mark Lefsrud, Dr. Karina Gutierrez and Dr. Mehtab Singh.
The experts shared valuable insights into the latest advancements in genome editing and biotechnology and their applications in agriculture, livestock development and sustainable food production.
Dr. Jatinder Pal Singh Gill, Vice-Chancellor, highlighted the crucial importance of food security in ensuring human welfare, sustainable development and global prosperity. In this context, a “Run for Food Security” was also organised to raise awareness among participants, particularly young people and other sections of society, about the importance of ensuring adequate, safe and sustainable food for all.
Dr. Ram Saran Sethi, Dean, College of Animal Biotechnology and Organising Secretary, stated that the seminar provided an important platform for interaction and exchange of ideas among scientists, academicians and young researchers from India and abroad.
A Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition was also organised, providing young researchers an opportunity to present their research in a concise and engaging manner. Rishabh Shukla won the first prize, Navdeep Kaur Dhiman secured the second prize, while Dr. Tarandeep Kaur and Piyali Das jointly received the third prize.
Dr. Jaswinder Singh, Director, McGill University, Canada, said that the seminar concluded with a call for continued global collaboration to advance genome-editing research and transform scientific discoveries into impactful technologies for a sustainable and food-secure future.
Dr. Raj Duggavathi, Chair, Animal Science, McGill University, Canada, proposed the vote of thanks and appreciated the contributions of participating experts, partner institutions, delegates, organisers and students in making the international seminar a success.
