A research centre to honour leading Pakistani scientist Prof Dr M Iqbal Choudhary opened in southern Nigeria region by a top Nigerian research institution on Friday, according to a local news outlet.
“Iqbal Choudhary Centre for Natural Product Research (ICC-NPR) has been inaugurated in Benin, Nigeria during an international symposium on ‘Recent Discoveries in Natural Product Sciences’, where Prof Iqbal Choudhary, who is heading the country’s leading research establishment of ICCBS [International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences], was the guest speaker to deliver a keynote speech on natural product research at the Edo State Polytechnic Usen,” a senior official of the ICCBS, Karachi University said.
According to a statement, the Edo State Polytechnic Usen has acknowledged Prof Iqbal Choudhary’s excellent contributions to the advancement of drug discovery and natural product research, he added.
The official went on to say that the Governor of Edo state presented ‘Distinguished Innovative Research and Achievement Award’ to the Pakistani scientist. “ICC-NPR is another accolade for the scientist.”
It is pertinent to mention here that Prof Choudhary has established several research centres in Pakistan and helped to set up research units in Africa and South and Central Asia.
His scientific and capacity building contributions have been recognised by prestigious national and international awards and honours and fellowships of several academies of science.
He owns more than 1,300 publications in the fields of organic and bioorganic chemistry, including 58 international/US patents, and 61 books and 40 chapters in books, published by major US and European presses Citations 23,027 and h-index 62 (Google Scholar).
As many as 83 scholars have been awarded PhD and 30 M Phil degrees in various areas of natural product and bioorganic chemistry.
Karachi University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan and Professor Attaur Rahman, patron-in-chief ICCBS, the former federal minister for science and technology and ex-chairman higher education commission, congratulated Dr Choudhary and declared his achievement as an honour not only for ICCBS but also for the whole university.
