A three-day national workshop cum-training on “Bio-informatics and Statistics in Aquaculture Research,” being organized by the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA), Kausalyaganga, commenced on Monday. The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India is sponsoring the workshop. The workshop is intended to enhance knowledge and skills in application of ICT in the field of aquaculture and life sciences. Dr. Swadheenananda Pattanayak, Director, Institute of Mathematics and Applications, Bhubaneswar, the chief guest inaugurated the workshop. Professor S.C.De Sarkar, Vice-chancellor, KIIT and Dr. P. Kumar, ex-Professor, Agricultural Economics, IARI, New Delhi were the guests of honour.

Welcoming the dignitaries and participants, Director of CIFA Dr. N. Sarangi said that tools and techniques of bio-informatics have simplified data management leading to an in-depth understanding of various complex biological phenomena. He also informed that the bio-informatics center of CIFA is doing a commendable job by extending facilities to students and researchers in conducting advance research in the field of fisheries.

Sh. A.K.Roy, coordinator of the programme, said that bio-informatics is the application of information technology in biological research. He explained the Institute's activities and achievements with regard to bio-informatics applications and how it is contributing to genetic improvement work.

The three-day programme covers data warehousing, data mining, Knowledge mining and discovery, modeling, reverse engineer gene regulatory networks, statistical package for exploratory data analysis, methodological aspect of impact assessment and estimation of technical efficiency, forecasting, application of ICT in fisheries extension. Resource persons are drawn from prestigious institutions like ISI, Kolkata; IIT, Kharagpur, NCAP, New Delhi; CRIDA, Hyderabad, CIFRI, Kolkata; NBFGR, Lucknow; IGAU, Raipur; and OUAT, ILS, KIIT, RRL, Bhubaneswar.

More than 80 academicians, researchers and others working in the related fields from all over the country are attending the workshop. Two books “ Applied bio-informatics, statistics and economics in fisheries research” and “ Socio and techno-economic aspects of aquaculture in Kolleru Lake, Andhrapradesh” were released on the occasion.

Media contact details:
Himansu K. De
Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (Indian Council of Agricultural Research),
Kausalyaganga, Bhubaneswar, Orissa 751 002 Tel. 0674-2465446 ext.112. Mobile: 09437303382
email: hkde@sify.com