Experience

International BioCamp 2011

Shahreen Raihana

Courtesy: Carrotcomm

From 28-31 August 2011, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Switzerland for an International Biotechnology Leadership Camp. Novartis sponsored my visit to Basel, Switzerland the Head Quarters of Novartis International (AG). With my background education in Pharmacy, I found the seminars, visit to the laboratory facilities and case study presentations to corroborate my academic concentration and interest. Some of the sessions were immensely eye-opening for me and provided a peak into the whole scenario of scientific advancement over the past decade in the arena of biotechnological research.

We were given a case study to work on and come up with a suitable business plan for a Diagnostic tool for early detection of Alzheimer's disease. The participants were distributed into eight groups and we worked for two and half days on our assigned case. My team members consisted of representatives from Turkey, France, Brazil, South Africa, Singapore and Switzerland. The novel experience of broadening the horizon of vision, taste, sound and feel was an experience to be cherished, mainly because of the flawless effort put in by the organisers.

Because of flight scheduling I, along with few others, had to stay an extra night at Basel and that last night in that small city was a living dream. Some of the Swiss participants were the perfect hosts for the night. They showed us around the city following an awesome dinner at an Italian restaurant. Overall, the journey between Dhaka and Basel was full of colour and sound.

Copyright (R) thedailystar.net 2011