The Ministry of Health in collaboration with Padjajaran University (UNPAD) and Bio Farma organized an International Hybrid Seminar with the theme "Epitope-Based Molecular Design For Vaccines, Diagnostics, And Therapeutics" on October 2, 2023 in Bandung.

This International Seminar is a series of activities of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) COMSTECH 2nd batch of fellowship for advanced research and training in the field of virology and vaccine technology in Indonesia.

The COMSTECH OIC Fellowship Programme Center of Excellence for Halal Vaccine and Biotechnology is a collaboration between the Indonesian government and the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the OIC (COMSTECH - OIC), an organization within the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) or members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) which aims to increase the capacity of researchers from OIC member countries in vaccine manufacturing technology.

Speakers at the seminar were ten researchers from eight OIC member countries who had attended training related to vaccine manufacturing technology for four weeks in UNPAD and Bio Farma laboratories.

Head of the UNPAD Research Center for Molecular Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Toto Subroto in his speech said that this seminar is a forum to increase capacity in the development of vaccines and other biotechnology products. "On this occasion we share knowledge and increase knowledge between fellow OKI members," he said.

On this occasion Toto revealed that the material in the training was contributed by various universities, namely from ITB, UI, UNAIR, UNPAD. "I thank you, hopefully what we are doing today can get positive feedback and bring us one step closer to our mission and vision to maintain the achievement of independence from dependence on vaccines and other technological products among OIC members," continued Toto.

Former Vice Chairman of OIC VMG (Vaccine Manufacturer Group) Rahman Roestan added that this collaboration is very important for the OIC Region as we face many challenges during the pandemic. The OIC Region must increase collaboration, not only Research and Development (RnD) but also involve industry.

"We recommend that the next fellowship program can involve participants from industry. Industries that are PQ-WHO certified, less than 30 companies worldwide have this PQ-WHO. Of the 50 OIC member countries, only a few have PQ WHO," said Rahman.

On this occasion ten trainee researchers alternately presented their mini projects, the presentation was divided into four groups on the first occasion Tahmineh Jalali from Iran, and Assanali Bakhyt from Kazakhstan delivered the topic Development Of Rapid Diagnosis Test For Crimean-Congo Hemorragic Fever Virus.

In the second session Saba Faroof from Pakistan, Mohamed Abd El Gawad from Egypt, and Awais Altaf from Pakistan delivered topics related to Immunoinformatic-Driven Chimeric Epitope Vaccine Design For Dengue Virus.

Furthermore, Saila Ismail from Malaysia and Nowar Al Sarayrah from Jordan presented the topic Development Of A Lipopolyplex-Based mRNA Vaccine Againsts Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

The presentation was closed by the next group, Imram Riaz Malik from Pakistan, Lubowa Muniiru from Uganda and Amir Hossain from Bangladesh with the topic Epitope Based Chimeric Vaccine Against IBDV and ND In Poultry.

The seminar was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Academics from UNPAD, UI, ITB, UNAIR as well as a number of institutions namely PT Bio Farma, PT Etana Biotechnologies Indonesia, and PT Kalbio Global Medika.