KARACHI, Jan 5: Nations should review their respective policies of competition and conflicts and divert their non-development expenditures towards public welfare schemes.

This was suggested by Dr Hameed Khan of National Institute of Health (USA), while delivering a lecture on “Human Genome Project” at the Dow University of Health Sciences, here on Thursday.

The senior researcher is well-known for his outstanding work in “genomic”, tracing back the human history to one single mother.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that the establishment of fact enhanced the due realization that none held any superiority over other and the common goal must be the general well-being of all human beings.

Citing genetic revolution greatest of all the revolutions, Dr Khan said that it had focussed and continued to focus on unlocking the secrets of life beneficial for six billion inhabitants of the world.

Elaborating his stance, he said that new vistas were being established to combat wide range of diseases including cancer, thalassaemia, etc through genetic therapy as well as drug therapy.

Referring to critics raising objections against allocation of billions of US dollars for research and development in the field of genetics, he said it was aimed not only at the creation of artificial genes capable to clear out environments, create food and new fuel but also provide new personalized modern knowledge to the human kind.

With regard to Human Genome Project, he said that medical scientists, including those from Pakistan could play a role in identifying genes and contribute towards Gene Bank, part of the ongoing efforts being made in USA as well as in other parts of the developed world.

By 2015 scientists would be able to genome all human beings further easing the process of gene sequencing and fragmentation of chromosomes.

Dr Khan also mentioned that genetics had its equally crucial role in fields other than therapeutic and curative interventions, mitigation of diseases, improved physiology and biological conditions.

Earlier, DUHS Vice-Chancellor Prof Masood Hameed Khan welcomed the speaker.

Prof Ilyas Saleem introducing him mentioned that Dr Hameed Khan acquired his PhD in Chemistry from London University and then was associated with the US Board of Science Advisory.

Dr Khan was mentioned to had undertaken 500 researches leading to the identification of 200 anti-cancer drugs, including AZQ used in treating brain cancer.—APP