Noor Rahman, a promising PhD student at the Dr Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), University of Karachi (UoK), has made Pakistan proud by receiving an international travel award worth £1,400 to participate in a high-profile workshop on Artificial Intelligence Competencies held in the United Kingdom.
The workshop took place at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), located at the renowned Wellcome Genome Campus in Hinxton, Cambridge — a global hub for cutting-edge research in genomics and data science.
Rahman, who is pursuing his doctoral research under the supervision of Dr Humaira Zafar, presented his research paper titled “Machine Learning Approaches in Drug Discovery and Vaccine Development”. His work underscores the growing importance of artificial intelligence in the advancement of medical science, particularly in the design of next-generation therapies and immunizations.
The International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) at the University of Karachi confirmed the achievement in a statement released on Wednesday.
Prof. Dr M Raza Shah, Director of ICCBS, extended his heartfelt congratulations to Noor Rahman and Dr Zafar, calling the recognition a “moment of pride for ICCBS, the University of Karachi, and the entire nation.”
He further emphasized the importance of such global academic exchanges, stating that they help strengthen Pakistan’s scientific presence on the international stage.
The EMBL-EBI is one of six research sites of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), an intergovernmental organization supported by over 20 member, prospective, and associate member states. The institute is known for pioneering work in computational biology, genomics, and bioinformatics.
Rahman’s selection and recognition by a leading global research institution signals not only individual excellence but also the growing potential of Pakistani scholars in the field of artificial intelligence and biotechnology.