Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary is the Coordinator General of OIC-COMSTECH (Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation), Distinguished National Professor of Bioorganic and Natural Product Chemistry and Senior Honorary Advisor at the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry and Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research). He is also serving as the Vice President (Central & South Asia) The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) since 2022. Prof. Choudhary has, since 1990, been among the world leaders in the fields of natural product chemistry, and evidence based traditional medicine has made pioneering contributions in the discovery of novel natural products. He has discovered many potent anti-epileptic and anti- leishmanial compounds from indigenous medicinal plants that are under clinical trials. His contributions to reverse bacterial resistance to antibiotics represent seminal contributions in this important field. He leads the developing world's finest research center of natural product chemistry (H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry) since 2002, and has trained hundreds of young researchers, especially women, from across the Afro-Asian region in natural product chemistry. He has established several research centers in Pakistan, and helped to setup research units in Africa, and South and Central Asia. His scientific, and capacity building contributions have been recognized by prestigious national and international awards and honors, and fellowships of several academies of science. Prof. Choudhary has over 1,520 publications, impact factor of publications is over 4,000 (Citations 51,769, h index 90, i10 index 1099) in the fields of organic and bioorganic chemistry, along with 95 patents (64 US Patents), 98 books and 40 chapters in books, published by major U.S. and European presses. On the basis of his researches over 110 students have been awarded Ph. D. degrees in various areas of natural products and, bioorganic chemistry.

AWARDS & HONORS

 The Hamdard Shaheed Hakim Mohammed Said High Achievement Award 2025 in Education and Science & Technology by the Governor of Punjab, Pakistan (2025).
 House Key of Prestigious Academician Center Ningbo by the Deputy Director General (2024).
 3rd Sheikh Zayed International Award (Laureate) for Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine, Abu Dhabi (2024).
 The Chinese Government International Friendship Award by the President of the P. R. China (2022).
 Gold Medal conferred by the International Turkic Academy (ITA), Kazakhstan (2022).
 Mustafa (pbuh) Prize and Award (Laureate) in Bioorganic Chemistry (Mustafa pbuh Science and Technology Foundation) (2021).
 Appointed as a UNESCO Chair holder on Medicinal and Bio-Organic Natural Product Chemistry (2020-2024).
 President’s International Fellowship Initiative (PIFI), “Distinguished Scientist Award”, Chinese Academy of Sciences” (2020).
 Doctor of Science (D.Sc.), Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan (2019).
 Declared as the top scientists among 1,650 scientists of Pakistan in all disciplines/ fields of science and technology (year 2010- 2013) in terms of research productivity (publications and patents) by the PCST (Ministry of Science and Technology, Pakistan)
 COMSTECH Award in Chemistry (2010) (in 57 OIC member countries) by the Prime Minister of Pakistan (2010).
 Civil Award Hilal-e-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan (2007).
 Civil Award Sitara-e-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan (2001).
 Civil Award Tamgha-i-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan (1999).
 First Khwarizmi International Award and Prize from the President of Islamic Republic of Iran (2006).
 Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Excellence Awards in Education 2006 from the President of Azerbaijan.
 Distinguished National Professor by the Higher Education Commission (2004).
 Prof. Abdussalam (Nobel Laureate) Prize in Chemistry (1989).
 Prof. Riazuddin Siddiqui Gold Medal of Pakistan Academy of Sciences (1992).
 The Third World Academy of Science (Trieste, Italy) Young Scientists Award (1994).
 National Book Foundation Prize for the Best Science Book (1995).

FELLOWSHIPS
 Fellow, The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) (2003).
 Fellow, Islamic World Academy of Science (2003).
 Fellow, Pakistan Academy of Sciences (2003).
 Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry (2004).
 Fellow, Chemical Society of Pakistan (2001).
 Fellow, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC).
 Senior Fulbright Fellow, University of California at San Diego, USA (1999).
 Fellow, LEAD-International (Leadership for Environment and Development).

Key Academic Appointments:
 Distinguished National Professor (2004 – to date)
 Honorary Advisor ICCBS (2023 – to date)
 M. A. Raoof Chair at the University of Lahore (2024 – to date)
 Bao Yufeng Visiting Professor at the Ningbo University, China (2024 – to date)
 111 Project Lead Professor at the Guangxi Normal University, China (2025)
 Honorary Professor at the School of Science, The University of Jordan (2026)
 Meritorious Professor University of Karachi (2013-2019)

Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary is a recipient of prestigious Mustafa (PBUH) Prize, Distinguish National Meritorious Professor at International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry and Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research) and Coordinator General COMSTECH (Organization of Islamic Cooperation Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation). He is among the most prominent scientists of Pakistan, recognized for his original contributions in the fields of natural products and bioorganic chemistry. He has written and edited 90 books, most of which have been published in USA and Europe. He is also the author of over 1,193 research papers and chapters in top international science journals of the West, as well as 62 US patents. He has supervised 98 Ph. D. dissertations. This is by far the largest number of quality publications from any scientist in Pakistan. He has been among the most cited scientists of Pakistan in last five years with citations exceeding 32,300 (h-Index: 76). He is the Volume Editor of many international book series and journals. He has served as a visiting faculty in many prestigious universities of the world, including Cornell University (New York), Purdue University (Indiana), Pennsylvania State University (Pennsylvania), Scripps Institution of Oceanography (San Diego, California), The University Rhode Island (Rhode Island) and various top Universities of UK, China, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, and Iran.

Prof. Choudhary has skillfully used his deep understanding of chemical principles and biological processes in the discovery of a large number of fascinating molecules with potential therapeutic applications. More specifically his research group has discovered and studied new inhibitors of clinically important enzymes, which can be used to stop the molecular processes involve in the enzyme-related disorders. As a result, several new classes of lead molecules were introduced to the world of science along with associated understanding of their mechanism of action. The most notable contribution of Dr. Choudhary is in broad area of Bioorganic Chemistry where he used structural diversity of natural and synthetic compounds combined with biological targets to discover lead molecules with potential to be developed as effective pharmaceutical agents. Some of the internationally recognized discoveries of his research group include the discovery of novel classes of acetylcholinesterase, urease, and a-glucosidase inhibitors. His contributions to reverse bacterial resistance to antibiotics represent seminal contributions in this important field. His research group has also discovered the two most potent antiepileptic natural products (Isooxylitones A and B), patented in USA, from a local medicinal plant Delphinium denudatum, which has attracted a major attention internationally and are currently in second phase clinical trial. His work has also resulted in a number of important scientific discoveries including the discovery of plant materials with pronounced antidiabetic, antileishmanial and cholesterol-lowering activities. Many of the structurally novel compounds, discovered by his research group, were found to have interesting pharmacological profiles, and are in different stages of development.

Prof. Choudhary has won several national and international awards, such as Hilal-e-Imtiaz, Sitara-e-Imtiaz and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan, Pakistan Academy of Sciences Gold Medal, National Book Foundation Prize on best book and the Third World Academy of Sciences Young Scientist Prize. He received the prestigious title of “Distinguished National Professor” from the Higher Education Commission in 2004 and “Meritorious Professor” by the University of Karachi 2013. He is a member and fellow of many prestigious science academies including Fellow of The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS), Islamic World Academy of Sciences (IAS), Chemical Society of Pakistan, Royal Society of Chemistry (London) and LEAD-International. He is also the recipient of the 1st Khawarizmi International Award and Prize from the President of Islamic Republic of Iran, Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Award in Education by the President of Azerbaijan, and COMSTECH Award in Chemistry by the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

List of Publications