Bhubaneswar: Nobel laureate Erwin Neher on Monday spoke to students at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) and scientists at the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS).

At KIIT, he delivered the JBS Haldane Lecture on the topic "Ion Channels: Their Discovery and Their Role in Biomedicine and Pharmacology".

He explained the patch clamp technique that he had developed along with Bert Sakmann to study ionic currents in individual isolated living cells, tissue sections, or patches of cell membrane.

Neher elaborated on concepts such as the involvement of ion channels in conducting tasks in different types of cells. He also spoke on the interest of the pharmaceutical industry in ion channels for drug discovery, role of ion channels in heat and cold sensation, diseases caused due to defect in ion channels, channelopathies in cardiology and the patch clamp technique.

Neher was conferred with the JBS Haldane Award 2017 by KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta.

At the ILS, Neher interacted with faculties and students and said science and technology interventions were crucial to human welfare and betterment. "With the growing challenges and emerging global trends, it is essential for us to invest appropriately in scientific research both in fundamental science as well as in translational research.

He advised scientists to carry out research in collaboration of with universities and academic institutions so that research results are translated for benefit of human beings.