News | Monday, 10th February 2014
Biomedical scientist is British Muslim winner
Nessar rewarded for superb research and teaching
A BIOMEDICAL scientist has been honoured at the annual British Muslim Awards for his exceptional research and teaching.
Dr Nessar Ahmed was crowned winner in the ‘Services to Science and Engineering’ category despite facing stiff competition from other eminent academics and experts.
Now in their second year, the high-profile awards seek to highlight the outstanding work by British Muslims in 22 different fields, ranging from education to charity to business.
Previous nominees have included Olympic gold medal winner Mo Farah, renowned heart surgeon Sir Magdi Yacoub, entrepreneur James Caan and Conservative life peer Baroness Warsi.
'Astonished and humbled'
Dr Ahmed, a Reader in Clinical Biochemistry at the Department of Life Sciences, has called Manchester Metropolitan University home for the last 18 years where he has conducted ground-breaking research and penned four must-have undergraduate textbooks – but his latest achievement now takes pride of place.
“It was a bit of a shock when I found out I had even been nominated,” said Dr Ahmed, who picked up his award at the ceremony held in Salford City Stadium on January 30. "I am not sure who nominated or voted for me and I was quite astonished and humbled, as it’s voted for by people all over the UK.
“Over a three-month period, they invited people and organisations to nominate who they think should win in each category. I went to Pakistan over the Christmas holidays and came back and that was when I found out that I was a finalist.
“I had to beat other eminent scientists and engineers from Cambridge, Manchester and Glasgow universities and thought I didn’t have a chance.
Awards
“So it came as quite a surprise when I won and it is one of my proudest moments.”
Dr Ahmed is no stranger to winning and has previously picked up a Best Supervisor prize at the MMUnion awards in addition to several awards for his research activities.
His expertise is relied on by countless PhD students at Manchester Metropolitan University as their supervisor and his books have become standard texts for university biomedical science courses across the country.
His latest textbook, Blood Science: Principles and Pathology, has just been published and is the only book covering the subject for the next generation of healthcare scientists trained by the NHS.
Dr Ahmed’s trailblazing research has probed the role of sugar-modified proteins or so called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in diabetes and ageing and how natural products such as garlic can be used to stop the damaging side-effects of these AGEs.
The scientist’s research has also highlighted the harmful effects of high blood lead and manganese in young children with iron deficiency in some of the world’s most polluted countries.
