Farooq Azam (born in Lahore, Pakistan ) is a researcher in the field of

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microbiology Microbiology () is the scientific study of microorganisms, those being unicellular (single cell), multicellular (cell colony), or acellular (lacking cells). Microbiology encompasses numerous sub-disciplines including virology, bacteriology, prot ...

. He is a Distinguished Professor at the

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, at the University of California San Diego. Farooq Azam grew up in Lahore and received his early education in Lahore. He attended University of Punjab, where he received his B.Sc in Chemistry. He later he received his M.Sc from the same institution. He then went to Czechoslovakia for higher studies. He received his PhD in Microbiology from the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. After he received his PhD, Farooq Azam moved to California. Azam was the lead author on the paper which coined the term microbial loop. This 1983 paper involved a synthesis between a number of leaders in the (then) young field of microbial ecology, specifically, Azam, Tom Fenchel, J Field, J Gray, L Meyer-Reil and

Tron Frede Thingstad Tron Frede Thingstad (born 1946) is a Norwegian scientist. Professor Thingstad is leading a research group on marine microbiology at the Department of Biology, University of Bergen. His work has facilitated understanding the role of microbes i ...

. In addition to introducing the concept of the microbial loop Azam is responsible for bringing conceptual advances in several areas of marine microbiology. He is a leader in identifying the importance of microscale patchiness in the marine environment, and that bacteria can respond to patchiness in nutrient fields and particulate organic matter. This area of research is now pursued more actively in the field at large with the introduction of advanced digital and single cell imaging. He and then graduate student Kay Bidle also showed that the dissolution of diatom frustules was accelerated by bacteria, as opposed to being a strictly abiotic process as previously thought. He and former post-doctoral researcher Alexandra Worden introduced the concept of Eco-systems Biology in 2004. Eco-systems Biology (or Ecosystems Biology) has since been adopted by the field, empowered by the advent of high-throughput sequencing platforms.

Honors and awards

* Elected to the Academia Europaea (European Academy of Science and Letters) 2019 * Elected to the American Academy of the Arts and Sciences, 2016
D. C. White Research and Mentoring Award, 2013
* John Martin Award, ASLO, 2006ASLO Award Recipient Talks
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Accessed September 1, 2010. *

G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award The G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award is an award granted annually by the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography to a mid-career scientist for work accomplished during the preceding 5–10 years for excellence in any aspect of limnology ...

(ASLO), 1995G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Accessed September 1, 2010. * Nan-Qiang Forum for Distinguished Scientists Lecture, Xiamen University, PRC, 2006 * Elected Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology, 2004Scripps Oceanography Microbiologist Receives Honors
University of California at San Diego news release, June 2, 2004. Accessed September 1, 2004 * Doctor of Philosophy, honoris causa, U. Kalmar, Sweden, 2004 * Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award, Scripps, UCSD, 2004 * Tiedje Award, International Society for Microbial Ecology, 2004 * ISI Highly Cited Researcher, 2002 * C. B. Van Niel Memorial Lecture,

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, 1997Memorial lectures
, Hopkins Marine Station,

. Accessed September 1, 2010 * Plymouth Marine Sciences Lecture & Medal, 1996 * Excellence in Research Award, UCSD, 1996 * Eminent Scholars Series Lecturer, U. South Florida, 1995 *

(ASLO), 1995G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Accessed September 1, 2010. Award citation: "in recognition of his seminal contributions to our knowledge of fundamental processes in the sea, and particularly for his central role in the development of the concept of the 'microbial loop'". * Honorary Staff Member, Ecology Institute, Germany, 1985 * Rosenstiel Medal in Oceanographic Sciences, 1984 * Steinbach Visiting Scholar, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, 1984 * Distinguished Visiting Scholar,

SUNY, Stony Brook Stony Brook University (SBU), officially the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is a public research university in Stony Brook, New York. Along with the University at Buffalo, it is one of the State University of New York system ...

, 1983 * Antarctic Service Medal of the USA * Faculty of 1000, Present

References

External links

Farooq Azam's webpage at Scripps

Webpage of Farooq Azam's Lab
{{DEFAULTSORT:Azam, Farooq Pakistani scholars People from Lahore American Muslims University of California, San Diego faculty University of the Punjab alumni Pakistani emigrants to the United States Pakistani microbiologists Pakistani marine biologists Pakistani expatriate academics Living people American academics of Pakistani descent Pakistani expatriates in Czechoslovakia Year of birth missing (living people)