Muhammad Akhtar FRS (; born 23 February 1933) is a

British-Pakistani British Pakistanis (; also known as Pakistani British people or Pakistani Britons) are Britons or residents of the United Kingdom whose ancestral roots lie in Pakistan. This includes people born in the UK who are of Pakistani descent, Pakist ...

biochemist Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. They study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. Biochemists study DNA, proteins and Cell (biology), cell parts. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of ...

, and former Director General of the School of Biological Sciences, at the

University of the Punjab The University of the Punjab (UoP) is a public university, public research university in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab, Pakistan. Founded in 1882, its international influence has made it one of the most prestigious universities in South As ...

Biography

He spent the years 1959 to 1963 doing science research in Cambridge, Massachusetts before moving to the

University of Southampton The University of Southampton (abbreviated as ''Soton'' in post-nominal letters) is a public university, public research university in Southampton, England. Southampton is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universit ...

, UK as a lecturer, then reader and then Professor of Biochemistry (1973-1978). From 1978 until 1991 he was head of the Department of Biochemistry. He was chairman of the School of Biochemical and Physiological Sciences from 1983 to 1987 and chairman of the Institute of Biomolecular Sciences from 1989 to 1991. He was a founding fellow of the

Third World Academy of Sciences The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS) is a merit-based science academy established for developing countries, uniting more than 1,400 scientists in some 100 countries. Its principal aim is t ...

in 1984 and a director of the SERC Centre for Molecular Recognition from 1990 to 1994. He was appointed Director General of the School of Biological Sciences at the University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan in 2002. He is also an emeritus professor of the

. He is also an honorary fellow at the

University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

. He was elected a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the Fellows of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

(FRS) in 1980 under the recommendation of a notable Biochemist George Joseph Popják (FRS). He mentions this proposal in a memoir he authored for the FRS: Prof. Akhtar and his wife Monika Akhtar have authored Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society including

Adolf Butenandt Adolf Friedrich Johann Butenandt (; 24 March 1903 – 18 January 1995) was a German biochemist. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1939 for his "work on sex hormones." He initially rejected the award in accordance with government pol ...

, George Popják, and

Salimuzzaman Siddiqui Salimuzzaman Siddiqui, ( ; 19 October 1897 – 14 April 1994) was a Pakistani organic chemist specialising in natural products, and a professor of chemistry at the University of Karachi. Siddiqui studied philosophy at Aligarh Muslim Univers ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Akhtar, Muhammed 1933 births Living people Pakistani biochemists Academics of the University of Southampton Fellows of the Royal Society TWAS fellows Pakistani emigrants to the United Kingdom 20th-century biologists 21st-century biologists