Science city

The Gujarat Science City is organizing a popular science lecture on the topic "Stem Cells: Exciting Possibilities" on 31^st July 2006 at 3.00 pm in its Auditorium to be delivered by Dr. Narender K. Sehgal, the former Advisor to Government of India in the Department of Science & Technology.

The lecture is the second of its series titled as, "Science Matters" that aims to bring awareness among the young students, parents, teachers and the media persons about the fascinating world of basic and applied sciences and its promising future. The series deals with topics on frontier areas of science and technology for the spreading of new knowledge and awareness among the students as well as the public at large.

Stem Cells in animals are primal undifferentiated cells that retain the ability to divide and differentiate into other cell types in the body. Serving as a sort of repair system for the body, they can theoretically divide without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential to either remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.

The lecture will discuss about the "Stem Cells" and the enormous and exciting possibilities they hold for future treatment of some of the most debilitating diseases like Cancer and Parkinson's; heart ailments, blindness; problems with repair of teeth, skin and bones; re-growing of damaged parts of liver, other organs and limbs; and so on and on. It will provide an insight about stem cells, where they can be found, what they do and what they can be made to do, in future! It also discusses on the issues like cell therapies to become routine and common place in the world and the work carried out in India in this field stands, vis-a-vis elsewhere in the world.

Dr. Narender K. Sehgal, an eminent particle physicist, is widely known and recognized as the architect of India's internationally acclaimed Science Popularization Programme. During the course of his work as Head of NCSTC and Vigyan Prasar, Dr Sehgal has had to work closely with academic and research institutions, universities, colleges and a large number of voluntary agencies, state governments, non-governmental organizations as well as international agencies. He is the recipient of UNESCO's Kalinga Prize for Science Popularization in the year 1991.

The interaction will provide clarity on the importance of various technologies and the role that basic and applied science processes play in the present and future.

All are cordially invited to attend the programme at Auditorium I in the Science City.