Prof. Anwar Nasim Receives BioAsia-2011 Award!

World distinguished Pakistani scientist, widely credited for being father of biotechnology in Pakistan, Dr Anwar Nasim has been selected as Winner of BioAsia-2011 Award. Valedictory Ceremony in his honor is being held on 24 February in Hyderabad in India. The Governor of Andhra Pradesh will be the Chief Guest in the Valedictory Ceremony. Dr Anwar Nasim remained president of Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA) and his services in this field are recognized at global level. The decision for his selection as winner of Bio-Asia Award was conveyed announced today by Dr BS Bajab, the Secretary General of FABA.

Dr Nasim, currently Adviser Science with COMSTECH Secretariat in Islamabad, is widely considered father of biotechnology in Pakistan. His role for the promotion of modern biotechnology in the Middle East region and among Islamic countries is also well recognized. He received his Ph.D. from University of Edinburgh, UK. He remained Executive Secretary of Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Principal Scientist, and Head Molecular Genetics Group, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, visiting scientist at Max Plank Institute at Tubingen in Germany and the Biology Department of Stanford University in California USA. He has also been Senior Research Officer, National Research Council of Canada and Research Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.

Dr. Anwar Nasim has long history of scientific collaboration with Iranian scientists. He is currently one of the distinguished fellows of "Iran Biotechnology Information Center (IRBIC)" (see: http://www.irbic.ir/index.aspx?siteid=2&pageid=173). He is also recipient of many civil awards, including Sitara-e-Imtiaz, by the government of Pakistan for his outstanding services in molecular genetics.  He has been Fellow of TWAS, Pakistan Academy of Sciences, member Human Genome Organization and Fellow of Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences. He is member of the editorial boards of many biotechnology publications in foreign countries. His areas of research include Molecular Genetics, Mechanisms of DNA repair in eukaryotes, Environmental Mutagenesis, Biotechnology and Bioethics. He is also President of Pakistan Chapter of International Council for Life Sciences (ICLS). He has tremendous contributions to Urdu literature as well. He has been globally admired for giving NGI idea which says that society can be transformed through individuals. He has delivered many lectures on how this is possible.

He regrets for the Islamic countries for lagging behind the development and application of Modern Biotechnology that according to him suffers from over regulation in the region.

IRBIC congratulates this achievement to Dr. Anwar Nasim, BIC community and to Pakistani people.