The medicinal plant industry has a great future

A two-day international conference on medicinal plants and research on natural remedies started today at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

Scientists and experts from PRC, Japan, Uzbekistan, Portugal, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Pakistan, South Korea, Japan, Turkey, Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan were invited to the event. A tour of the museums and campus of the university was organized for them. Foreign scientists visited the Research Center of Medicinal Plants of KazNU.

The International Conference was opened by the Chairman of the Board - Rector of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Zhanseit Tuimebaev. The Rector noted that the most famous scientists and researchers of natural medicinal plants gathered in the walls of the university, which celebrates the 90th anniversary of its foundation. "On the eve of the arrival of foreign guests became known the results of calculation of the international rating QS among the leading universities of the world, where KazNU moved from 230th place to 67th position forward and took 163rd place. This is the result of joint work of the entire staff of the university and one of the indicators of scientific great potential of the university," - said the head of KazNU. 

President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kasym-Jomart Tokayev at the meeting with scientists noted: "We need innovative projects and breakthrough solutions in critical sectors of the economy. Our scientists have great potential in the field of medicine, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. We are establishing cooperation with advanced international companies in these fields."
Rector Zhanseit Tuimebayev emphasized that research universities play an important role in this area. Today, training of high-level specialists, scientists and researchers in biotechnology and pharmacology requires new approaches. "We are ready to cooperate with representatives of scientific society in the field of biochemistry, biotechnology, phytotherapy, pharmacology from different parts of the world. It is important to create synergy between traditional and modern medicine", - said the rector of KazNU.

  The conference session was also addressed by: Professor of Shanghai Institute of Materials Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences Ye Yang (PRC), Academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Director of the Institute of Chemistry of Plant Substances named after S.Y. Yunusov Shamansur Sagdullaev (Uzbekistan), Professor of Chemistry, Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto Anake Kidjoa (Portugal), President of Ryukakusan Co, Chairman of Tokyo Raw Drugs Association Fuji Ryuta (Japan), Professor Zhang Ju of Lanzhou Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Pharmacy, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (PRC) and others.
  Professor of Shanghai Institute of Materials Science Ye Yang congratulated the staff and management of KazNU with a new achievement in the QS rating and noted the multilateral cooperation of KazNU with many universities around the world. Among them is the Shanghai Medical Institute. "In recent studies we have seen that the development of Kazakhstani medicines has great potential. Cooperation with your university plays a very big role for us too. We hope that in the future our students and our graduates will be able to work in China, Japan," said Mr. Ye Yang.

During the event, a signing ceremony of a cooperation agreement between the Japan Association for the Development of International Relations and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University was held.  A memorandum of understanding was signed between Lanzhou Institute of Animal Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, CAAS and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. The opening ceremony of the joint research center opened by Lanzhou Institute of Animal Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, CAAS and the Research Center of Medicinal Plants of Al-Farabi KazNU was also held.

The work of the two-day conference continued with plenary lectures, where invited guests made poster and oral presentations. All active participants of the event will be awarded certificates.

Press-service of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University