IBC 2025 Day 1: Setting the stage for breakthroughs 

The International Biotechnology Conference 2025, hosted by Brac University, kicked off on June 20th with the theme “Harnessing sustainable environment, agriculture, and health.” This set the stage for two days of visionary dialogue and scientific discovery centered on sustainability and real-world problem solving. Dr. David Dowland (Registrar, BracU) eloquently expressed the purpose of this conference: “This is a golden opportunity to get to learn these vital subjects of science and build professional projects that seek their solutions through both national and international collaborations with different institutes.”

The inaugural session featured an esteemed panel: Professor Dr. Ainun Nishat (Advisor, Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research, C3ER), Dr. Syed Ferhat Anwar (Vice Chancellor, BracU), Dr. David Dowland, Dr. Mahbubul Alam Majumdar (Dean, SDS, BracU), and keynote speaker Professor Dr. Md. Sayedur Rahman (Special Assistant to the Chief Advisor for Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) who urged students to go beyond classrooms and publications, stating, “Technology will not transform Bangladesh, people will.” The inauguration was followed by oral presentations simultaneously held in the auditorium and lecture theatres with distinguished scientists as speakers. The presentations were nothing short of a powerhouse of insight that inspired the audience to ask challenging questions, sparking curiosity and a display of lively engagement.

The exhibition hall brimmed with aspiring scientists as they flaunted their research breakthroughs in poster presentations. Sadia Jannat Tauhida, a postgraduate student of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology from Jessore University of Science and Technology (JUST) shared her excitement, “ The conference had so many great minds all under one roof, and I got to learn so much.” The first plenary session, with the theme of ‘From Bench to Breakthroughs: A Lifetime Journey in Biotechnology,’ had professors from renowned universities across the globe share their work with an engaging audience. 

In one of the sessions, Dr Shawkhat Hossain (Head of Biotech R&D, Incepta Pharmaceuticals) expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “The Biotechnology industry is still evolving, and the international conference organized by Brac University was a great milestone in uniting aspiring scientists from all over the world to share science and grow together.”