LAHORE, Oct 25: The King Edward Medical University Syndicate took several decisions, including approval for establishment of Advanced Research Centre for Biomedical Sciences (ARCBS) in its 18th meeting held at the varsity on Thursday.

Chaired by KEMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Asad Aslam Khan, the syndicate accorded approval to establishment of ARCBS with the aim of supervising and enhancing research for PhD and masters study programmes.

The approval for appointing eligible candidates against the newly created posts under the Tenure Track System was also accorded.

Health Special Secretary Babar Hayat Tarar, representatives of higher education and finance departments Zark Mirza and Shoaib Iqbal Syed, MPAs Dr Asad Ashraf, Saeed Akbar Khan, Prof (retired) Munirul Haq, HEC representative Prof Kamran Khalid Cheema, KEMU Registrar Prof Fareed Ahmad Khan, Professor of ENT Dr Azhar Hameed, Prof Atif Hasnain Kazmi, Prof S. M. Awais, and Mayo Hospital MS Dr Zahid Pervez, also attended the meeting besides other senior faculty members.

The objective of the ARCBS for which funding had been approved in KEMU Budget and Finance Meeting 2012-13 was to provide the requisite research infrastructure at KEMU to enhance, expand, and support institutional capacity to conduct state-of-the-art biomedical, clinical and bio-behavioural research for expanding research capacity and enhancing research productivity of ARCBS investigators and the King Edward Medical University as a whole.

“The project aims at augmenting the existing world-class research biotechnology and biomedical facilities at KEMU and enhancing the capacity to conduct health disparities at ARCBS through recruitment of a critical mass of investigators and technical personnel,” Asad Aslam told the meeting.

He said the centre would setup appropriate research facility to accommodate research projects being conducted by faculty and students and provide relevant administrative support to researchers allowing them to focus their efforts on teaching and research.

The syndicate also accorded approval to commencement of MD Nephrology at KEMU and constitution of a ‘vigilance committee’ comprising KEMU vice chancellor, chairman of hospital committee, dean of respective faculty, and two retired professors of KEMU -- Prof Dr Muhammad Nawaz Chughtai and Prof Dr Ahmad Wasim Yousuf. The syndicate also approved appointments made in Advanced Diagnostic Lab and promotion of employees from BS-1 to BS-16.