KARACHI: The University of Karachi has conferred the prestigious Doctor of Science (DSc) degree upon Prof. Dr. Muhammad Raza Shah, a distinguished chemist and Director of the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the field of chemistry.
The decision was made during a recent meeting of the university’s Advanced Studies and Research Board (ASRB), chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Khalid Mahmood Iraqi.
An ICCBS spokesperson announced on Tuesday that Prof. Shah, who also holds the UNESCO Chair in Medicinal and Bioorganic Natural Product Chemistry at the University of Karachi, has recently been appointed to the Expert Advisory Committee of the WHO International Traditional Medicine Clinical Trial Registry. He is widely recognized for his pioneering research in nanomedicine and clinical trials.
With an impressive academic and research record, Prof. Shah has authored more than 520 peer-reviewed publications, amassing a cumulative impact factor exceeding 1,800. His work has garnered over 11,450 citations, and he holds an H-index of 55. He has also authored seven books, edited four volumes, and contributed nine chapters published by Elsevier. Several of his patents are registered in both Pakistan and the United States.
Prof. Shah’s outstanding scientific achievements have earned him numerous national and international accolades. These include the prestigious Khwarizmi International Award (with a $20,000 prize from the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology), the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz (2014), the Dr. Raziuddin Prize (2015), and the Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman Gold Medal from the Pakistan Academy of Sciences. He also received the Avicenna Science & Innovation Award (2015) from Brain Trust UK and the Abdus Salam Award in Chemistry (2006). He was recognized as a TWAS Young Affiliate by the World Academy of Sciences in 2010 and was listed among the top scientists of 2019 by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In addition to his research achievements, Prof. Shah currently serves as President of the Chemical Society of Pakistan, is a Fellow of multiple prestigious scientific bodies, and acts as the Editor of the Journal of the Chemical Society of Pakistan.
He has also played a key role in clinical research, leading 23 BE-PK clinical trials, five Phase II, and one Phase III trial for multinational pharmaceutical companies. Notably, he served as the Principal Investigator for Pakistan’s Phase I clinical trial of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinopharm.
