Department of Computer Sciences

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, the immense growth of numerous industries resulted in the instant need for young and vigorous IT professionals, who could utilize their skills internationally to support IT industry exports. The need for developing essential technologies remains, a new challenge for this century is knitting technology into the structure of society in supportive ways. Future scientific leaders and managers must not only understand how to program and mine for data, but also know when and how to apply a fastidious result to a fastidious problem.

The Department of Computer science is home to a vibrant and talented community of academics, researchers and students. Recognised for high quality teaching and research, we attract staff and students from all cities of Pakistan. Driven by our research expertise and supported by excellent facilities, our undergraduate and postgraduate courses help students to develop their academic abilities and the essential skills required for the workplace such as evidence-based analysis and decision-making, problem-solving and project management skills. Future employability and career success are supported by our professional placement schemes.

The Department of Computer Science, GC University Lahore was established in 1999 as an independent Department in the postgraduate block of the GC University. At present, the Computer Science Department has four Computer Labs vis-à-vis postgraduate lab, main lab, general lab and ICS lab, and these labs comprising of more than 230 computers. The department offers 4 years BS honor in Computer Science and 2 years MS in Computer Science degree programs. The courses both at MS and BS degree programs are selected through its Departmental Academic Committee and External Academic Committee keeping in view the modern computing needs both for software industry and academic research. The Department of Computer Science is having three main research groups which include Computer Networks & Information Security, Formal Methods & Mathematical Modeling, and Cybernetics & Quantum Information. These groups are lead by Ph.D. and M.S. faculty members of the Department.

The computer science department runs and administrates a network unit which provides optical interconnectivity and internet facilities to the various departments of the Government College University. At present, the network unit possesses high end servers under 2 main projects of HEC namely Pakistan Education and Research Networks (PERN1 and PERN2), and various IT facilities are provided through these servers. Besides the regular teaching to BS (CS) and MS (CS) programs the faculty of computer science is also engaged in teaching of computer related courses both at intermediate level and B.A/B.S (honor) level offered by the University. In the forthcoming academic session the Department intends to introduce more disciplines of information technology at under and postgraduate degree programs.

Department of Chemistry

The Department of Chemistry is one of the oldest thriving Departments of the University. It is housed in two Blocks: the Old Block was erected in 1896 and the New Postgraduate Chemistry Block was constructed in the 1990s. The New Postgraduate Block has seven well-equipped laboratories with modern apparatus. A galaxy of distinguished scientists has chaired the Department of Chemistry here at GCU Prof. Dunnicliff, a prescient scholar and educationist, joined the Department as Chairperson in 1917 while simultaneously chairing the Department of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of the Punjab. After the Professor’s promotion to Principal, Government College Lahore, Bhai Man Singh replaced him at the Department, becoming the first Indian Professor of Chemistry at GC. He remained Chairperson, Department of Chemistry, from 1936 to 1947. At the time of the Partition of the Subcontinent in 1947, Pir Ghulam Waris took over the responsibility of chairing the Department. Dr. Riffat Siddiqui held the Chair from 1950 to 1957. Dr. M.A. Azim became the Chairperson in 1958 and retired in 1970. The Chairpersons succeeding him are: Prof. Mahboob Shah Hashmi, Dr. Ahsan Akhtar, Prof. Masood Hassan Khan, Dr. Anwar Chaudhry, Dr. M. A. Rehman, Dr. B.A. Khokhar, Dr. M. Nasim Akhtar and Prof. M. Akram Kashmiri. Prof. M. Saeed Iqbal is the present Chairperson of the Department.

Facilities Library

The Library at the Department of Chemistry has an extensive collection of books, journals and other research material. The Library has material on Physical, Inorganic, Organic, Bio, Analytical and Applied Chemistry.

Laboratories

The Department has the following state of the art and well equipped laboratories.
• Materials Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Natural Products
• Biochemistry
• Advanced Research Lab-I
• Advanced Research Lab-II
• Organic Lab
• Process Development Lab
• Applied Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• B.Sc Physics Chemistry
• B.Sc. Inorganic Chemistry
Research

Research Groups
• Metal-Based Drug Development
• Biomaterials
• Materials & Analytical Chemistry
• Biotransformations
• Natural Products
• Herbal Medicine
• Bioremediation
• Pesticides
• Surface Chemistry
Research Projects

The Department promotes a culture of inquiry and research and prods its students to carve a niche for themselves in the field of research. Currently, the Department has undertaken 25 research projects in collaboration with industries and research institutions.

Academic Programmes

The Department of Chemistry offers BSc (Hons.), MS, MPhil and PhD Degree Programmes.
List of Equipments in Chemistry Department
Description Make/Model
Single Crystal X-ray Diffractometer Bruker
CHNSO Elemental Analyzer Elementar
1HNMR JEOL (60 MHz) MY60FT
GC-MS QP2010, Shimadzu, Japan
HPLC (02) Shimadzu; Altech; with UV, DAD, RID & ELSD detectors
FTIR MIDAC M2000
FPLC BIO-RAD 2110
UV/Visible Spectrophotometers (03) Cessil CE-7200
Techom UV-2300
Shimadzu UV-1700
Fermentor
Electrophoresis DEP-1, Local

Institute of Industrial Bio-Technology

INTRODUCTION

The Institute of Industrial Biotechnology was established as the Biotechnology Research Centre at the Department of Botany in the early 1990s. The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) approved Rs. 48.087 million for the independent establishment of the Institute of Industrial Biotechnology in 2005. The Institute has advanced, and sophisticated instruments and apparatus are available to researchers in the fields of fermentation technology, enzymology, food microbiology, tissue culture and molecular biology.
MISSION STATEMENT

Untiring efforts for the development of human resource and sustainable industrial bioprocesses for Biotechnology.

All the Programmes of the IIB are based on the mission statement of the Institute and are aimed at developing indigenous human resource and industrial bioprocesses.

Programme Aim:

The aim of the Institute of Industrial Biotechnology is to develop indigenous manpower experts in the field of Biotechnology. This will increase the employability of qualified students in industrial research and development markets. The manpower will be highly instrumental in developing in-house technologies for the production of various Biotechnology products.

Curriculum Upgradation

• The Course contents of our Programmes are prepared according to the guidelines of the HEC and the QEC of GCU.
• The Departmental Curriculum Committee updates/revises the curricula regularly on the bases of latest trends and developments, and feedback from the concerned teachers and students.
• The courses are then approved by our Board of Studies which consists of renowned Scientists, Academicians and Industrialists.

Role of Faculty

• All the faculty members are engaged in R & D activities in addition to teaching and other activities.
• A large number of research students are being supervised by faculty members.
• The Institute organised an International Conference: “Business Opportunities in Industrial Biotechnology” in 2006. We are organising another International Conference on “Vaccine Production and Industrial Enzymes” in August, 2008.
• Several prestigious awards such as the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, fellowships of the Fellow Pakistan Academy of Science, Fulbright Scholarships, Best University Teacher awards and Productive Scientists of Pakistan have been awarded to the faculty of the IIB.

Institutional Support

• The University encourages foreign training of faculty members.
• Two faculty members have availed the Fulbright Scholarship for pre- and postdoctoral studies and two have specialised in bioenzyme preparation from China.
• The University also encourages Faculty Members to attend National & International Conferences & Seminars.

The Learning Process:

The learning process at the Institute is a blend of lectures (theory & practical), seminars, presentations, assignments, group tasks, research projects, internships in various industries, industrial study tours, self-directed readings and independent studies.

FACILITIES & RESOURCES
Facilities and resources available at present include equipment like Stirred Fermentors (7.5, 15 & 20 L), Rotary Shakers, HPLC, Scanning Spectrophotometer (UV double beam), Gel Electrophoresis & Documentation System, PCR, DGG Electrophoresis Freeze Dryer, Lab Cool, Growth Chambers (Bacteria & Fungi), Centrifuge Machines, Basket Centrifuge, Rotary Vacuum Filter, Spray Dryer, Laminar Flow and Vacuum Concentrator, etc. Highly qualified and experienced teaching staff is present to instruct and supervise students in the latest fields of Biotechnology.

Facilitation, Support and Guidance :

All equipment and facilities at the Institute are available to students and researchers. Students from other universities and organisations also benefit from these facilities. Two students of BSc Biotechnology are awarded scholarship by the HEC every year to support their studies. The University also provides support to deserving students in the form of Financial Aid. Teachers also guide students in matters of employment/placement.

Available Equipment

• Stirred Fermentors
• Rotary Shaking Incubators
• High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
• Scanning Spectrophotometer (UV/VIS Double Beam)
• Gel Electrophoresis & Documentation System
• Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE)
• Thermocycler (PCR Machine)
• Freeze Dryer
• Lab Cool & Growth Chambers
• Centrifuge Machines (Low, medium & High Speed)
• Basket Centrifuge
• Rotary Vacuum Filter
• Spray Dryer
• Laminar Air Flows
• Rotary Vacuum Evaporator
Research

The consumption of Biotech-products, including conventional Biotechnology and recombinant DNA products, exceeded Rs. 5.3 billion in 1997. The main contributors are fermentation-based products in vaccines, DNA products, antibiotics, alcohol, organic acids, enzymes, amino acids and Baker's yeast among industrial products. In the coming years, fermentation-based products and services would remain important contributors to Biotech-production.

During the last four decades, enzymes have shown steady growth. Production and application of traditional enzymes has considerably been improved and new applications have been found. The use of gene splicing techniques has helped in achieving dramatic increase in the activity and stability of traditional microbial enzymes. Most of the important gene manipulation in microbial strains has either been patented by big industrial houses or has been kept secret. These areas need to develop rapidly in our country.

In the next decade, applications of Biotechnology will be increasingly exploited for the development of viable recombinant products for animal and human health. The products include a range of new recombinant therapeutic proteins such as growth factor cytokines, haematopoietic factors, human and veterinary vaccines, and proteins of diagnostic importance. In addition, combinatorial approaches to obtain approved protein therapeutics and diagnostic tools, particularly where simple express hosts are used, will offer immense opportunities for alleviating human miseries.

Research Groups
• Fermentation Group
• Molecular Biology Group
• Tissue Culture Group
• Food Microbiology Group
Future Prospects

Biotechnology is a rapidly developing field of science, covering a wide range of industrial processes. Successful graduates from the institute have career opportunities in a number of international and national Biotech industries. In addition, they also have employment opportunities in different universities and research organisations of national and international fame.