CSIR-IIIM launches three-day Hands-on Training Programme on HPLC to boost scientific skills

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: A three-day Hands-on Training Programme on High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) began on Monday at the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM) in Jammu under the CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative, bringing together researchers, scholars and students from various institutions across Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country.
The training programme aims to enhance technical skills and provide practical exposure in advanced analytical techniques widely used in pharmaceutical research, natural product chemistry and quality control of medicinal formulations.
Addressing the inaugural session, Director of CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, welcomed the participants and highlighted the importance of skill-based scientific training in strengthening research capacity and innovation in the country.
He noted that participants from institutions such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Central University of Jammu, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, and several other academic and research organizations have joined the programme.
Dr. Ahmed said the training would be conducted as a two-way interactive learning process, encouraging participants to actively engage with experts and gain hands-on experience rather than simply attending lectures.
He also spoke about the institute’s pivotal role in drug discovery and natural product research, stating that CSIR-IIIM has been contributing significantly to the development of new pharmaceutical molecules and technologies derived from plant and microbial sources.
Highlighting the importance of analytical techniques such as HPLC, he said such technologies are essential for ensuring quality control, standardization and safety of medicines, particularly in traditional Indian systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha.
Proper analytical validation, he added, helps identify active molecules, detect impurities such as heavy metals, and ensure that formulations meet global quality standards.
Dr Ahmed also emphasised the growing importance of integrating traditional medicinal knowledge with modern scientific techniques, noting that such collaborations are key to developing phytopharmaceuticals and globally competitive healthcare products.
Earlier, Head of the Quality Management and Instrumentation Division, Rajkishor Rai, delivered the welcome address and outlined the objectives of the programme. Maqsood Ahmed, Senior Scientist, introduced the participants and presented an overview of the training schedule.
Abdul Rahim, Chief Scientist and Head of RMBD and IST at the Srinagar branch of CSIR-IIIM, also shared his remarks during the inaugural session, highlighting the need for advanced instrumentation training in modern research laboratories. The vote of thanks was delivered by Nasir ul Rasheed, Principal Scientist.
The first day of the programme featured a detailed lecture on “Introduction to HPLC: Principles, Instrumentation and Applications”, followed by laboratory orientation and an overview of the institute’s analytical facilities. Participants later took part in hands-on training on sample preparation and analysis using HPLC systems under the guidance of experts and technical officers.
The training programme will continue for the next two days, focusing on practical demonstrations, advanced analytical workflows and real-time experimentation, enabling participants to develop essential skills required for research in pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology and quality assurance laboratories.