Speakers

Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary

Place of Birth : Pakistan
Position : Coordinator General, OIC-COMSTECH (Organization of Islamic Cooperation Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation); Vice President (Central & South Asia), The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS); Distinguished National Professor and Honorary Advisor, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi.
Field of study : Bioorganic Chemistry, Natural Product Chemistry, and Structural Organic Chemistry, with applications in drug discovery (including anti-epileptic, anti-Parkinson, anti-leishmanial compounds, antibiotic resistance reversal, diabetic cardiomyopathy prevention, anti-inflammatory steroids, and anti-viral agents).

Professor Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary is a globally renowned figure in bioorganic and natural product chemistry. He currently serves as the Coordinator General of OIC-COMSTECH (Organization of Islamic Cooperation Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation) since April 2020, Vice President (Central & South Asia) of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) since November 2022, and as a Distinguished National Professor and Honorary Advisor at the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, Pakistan.

Professor Choudhary earned his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Karachi, with doctoral research also conducted at Pennsylvania State University, USA, and post-doctoral studies in Crystallography at Cornell University, USA. He holds D.Sc. degrees from the University of Karachi and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

His pioneering research in discovering novel natural products has led to potential treatments for epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and leishmaniasis, along with significant contributions to combating antibiotic resistance and diabetic cardiomyopathy. Professor Choudhary has authored/edited 94 books, published over 1,374 research papers and chapters (H-index 87, >45,548 citations as of May 2025), and holds 64 US patents.

His numerous accolades include Pakistan's highest civil awards (Hilal-e-Imtiaz, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz), the Mustafa Prize (2021), and the Khawarizmi International Award. Recognized multiple times as Pakistan's most productive scientist, research centers in Nigeria and China have been named in his honor. He is a fellow of several prestigious academies, including TWAS and the Royal Society of Chemistry, and has supervised over 100 Ph.D. students.

Experiences

TWAS Vice President (Central & South Asia), The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) (November 2022 – Present)

Coordinator General, OIC-COMSTECH, Islamabad, Pakistan (April 2020 – Present)

UNESCO Chair on Medicinal and Bio-Organic Natural Product Chemistry (November 2020 – 2024)

Honorary Advisor, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi, Pakistan (Present)

Chairholder of the M.A. Raoof Laboratory, The University of Lahore (UOL), Pakistan (Present)

Distinguished National Professor, ICCBS, University of Karachi, Pakistan (2006 – Present)

Professor, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Pakistan (April 2000 – Present)

Director, ICCBS, University of Karachi, Pakistan (October 2009 – September 2023)

Co-Director, Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicines and Drug Research, ICCBS, University of Karachi, Pakistan (August 2002 – September 2023)

Director (Acting), ICCBS, University of Karachi, Pakistan (August 2002 – September 2008)

Associate Professor, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Pakistan (July 1994 – April 2000)

Senior Fulbright Fellow, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, USA (1998)

Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Department of Chemistry, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA (1987–1988)

Doctoral Scholar, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA (1985)