The Microbiology Program, of the Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at BRAC University organized a seminar on "Molecular Epidemiology of Dengue: Bangladesh Perspective", recently at the BRAC University. The event was a commendable platform for experts and students to delve into the complexities of dengue, a pressing health issue, and understand its dynamics from a Bangladeshi perspective.
Dr. Nadia Deen, the Microbiology Program Coordinator inaugurated the session introducing the esteemed speakers. The role of hosting and guiding the seminar was entrusted by Dr. Mahbubul H. Siddiqee, Associate Professor of the MNS Department at BRAC University.
The seminar commenced with a thought-provoking presentation by Mr. Akash Ahmed, a Senior Lecturer at BRAC University. His presentation on dengue set the stage for the in-depth discussions that followed. Following his presentation, the seminar featured a lineup of distinguished speakers who shared their expertise and insights on dengue within the context of Bangladesh. Dr. Gulzar Hossain Ujjal, at National Institute of Cancer Research & Hospital, a prominent figure in the field of hematology provided a comprehensive overview of real life scenerios on dengue virus as well as the parameters, causes, symptoms, emphasizing the importance of this information in understanding the disease's dynamics.
Dr. Mohammad Shafiul Alam, scientist at icddr,b explained his work on the clinical trial of tetravalent Dengue vaccine. This work has been published on the prestigious journal “Lancet Infectious Disease”. The seminar continued with a presentation by Dr.
Md. Kaiissar Mannoor, Chief Scientific Officer of Overseas Marketing Corporation (OMC) Healthcare Limited. He discussed the role of diagnostic tools in dengue surveillance and elaborated on the various diagnostic methods available and their suitability in the context of Bangladesh. Dr. Kabirul Bashar, Professor of the Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University, concluded the series of talks with his presentation on the potential impact of climate change on dengue transmission through aedes mosquitoes in Bangladesh. He stressed the importance of visionary measures to mitigate the disease's impact in the future.
The seminar concluded with an question-and-answer session, allowing the students and attendees to interact with the speakers directly. This open forum provided an opportunity to enrich the knowledge and understanding of dengue and its implications in Bangladesh.