Prof. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, A 2021 Mustafa (Pbuh) Prize Laureate from Islamic Countries Officially Started His Role as The Head of The Life and Medical Science and Technology Committee.

The distinguished Pakistani scientist who is a professor of organic chemistry and natural products chemistry has been leading the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) in Karachi University since 2022. This center is recognized as the best chemical and biological sciences institution in developing countries.

Born in Pakistan in 1959, Choudhary was recently appointed Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) by the President of Pakistan. A prominent figure in organic chemistry, he has so far established several research institutes both within Pakistan and internationally.

Choudhary has authored over a thousand scientific articles and holds 57 international patents. His prolific contributions also include 68 books and 40 book chapters, making his career in the field of biological organic chemistry evermore impactful.

In addition, Chaudhary has been the supervisor to nearly a hundred international PhD students. He has designed experiments with his team to prove the effectiveness of medicinal plants. His research focuses on natural and synthetic compounds addressing metabolic and neurological disorders.

In 2021, Professor Chaudhry was honored as one of the Mustafa (pbuh) Prize laureates from Islamic Countries for “Discovery of fascinating molecules with therapeutic applications.”

Over the years, Chaudhary's team has conducted research on numerous medicinal plants used in traditional medicine, successfully extracting several bioactive compounds or potential drugs from them. Notably, they have discovered a substance in delphinium denudatum that has strong anti-epileptic properties, which they have synthesized in the laboratory for further investigation. These herbal compounds, along with their synthetic counterparts are currently undergoing clinical trials.

In addition to the Life and Medical Science and Technology Committee, Mustafa(pbuh) Prize also has a Basic Sciences and Engineering Sciences Committee members of which are tasked with reviewing and screening the scientific backgrounds of scientists nominated by prestigious institutions and universities in the world.