Formerly supported chemistry groups in Bangladesh
IPICS BAN01/1 - Natural products chemistry
ISP supported the research group at Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka, between 1977 and 2004. From 1991, the group was coded BAN:01 (without “/1"). The research group was led by Professor Mohammed Mosihuzzaman 1977-1997, and by Professor Nilufar Nahar 1998-2004.
Up to 2003 the group focused on natural product chemistry. As food and environmental contamination is a burning issue in Bangladesh the group changed their research field in 2004 into studying pollutants, under the new acronym BAN04.
Objectives
A large number of people in countries like Bangladesh depend on traditional medicine for treatment of various diseases. Different preparations of herbal medicine are popular in rural as well as in urban areas. Even in high-income countries drug discovery program includes natural products, besides the use of herbal preparations, specially, for incurable disease like diabetes, cancer, AIDS, asthma etc.
The group started research on bioactive natural products and had its major emphasis on carbohydrate chemistry of plants, vegetables and bacterial which laid the foundation of work on medicinal plants. In the beginning the group had a special interest in diabetes, but later also in anticancer and anti‑HIV materials.
In 1989, collaboration was developed with the Bangladesh Institute for Research and Rehabilitation on Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorder (BIRDEM). In 1995, the cooperation resulted in a new ISP supported research group on Diabetes research (IPICS BAN03), supported 1995-2008.
Achievements
Over the years of ISP support the group has graduated 11 PhD students and 33 MSc/MPhil/Licentiate students. In addition, the group has published papers in 34 international journals, 47 papers in national journals and produced 144 conference reports.
Members of group have contributed to the Bangladesh Food Act 2013, which now is a food safety law ensuring people’s right to access safe food. The group was also part in the creation of the Formalin Control Act 2015, a licensing system for the import and use of formalin, used to preserve fresh food in Bangladesh.
IPICS BAN01/2 – Organometallic chemistry
ISP supported the research group at Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, between 1975 and 1989. The research group was led by Prof. Mohammed Taufugur Rahman.
Objectives
To study the chemistry of organo-copper, -lithium, -magnesium, -silicon, and -tin compounds.
Achievements
During the support period, one PhD and 19 MSC or MPhil has graduated, ten articles have been published in international scientific journals and two in national ones, and seven contributions have been made to conferences.
IPICS BAN01/3 – X-ray crystallography
ISP supported the research group at Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, between 1973 and 1989. The research group was led by Dr. Altaf Hussain
Objectives
To carry out X-ray crystallographic studies of alkali metal tungsten bronzes and intercalated Li-Nb-oxides, as well as of reactions of transition metals with various amino acids and Schiff bases.
Achievements
During the support period, seven articles have been published in international scientific journals.
IPICS BAN02 – Natural Products Chemistry
ISP supported the research group at Department of Chemistry, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh, between 1973 and 1989. The research group was led by Prof. Mesbahuddin Ahmad.
Objectives
To carry out studies of medicinal plants used in Bangladesh.
Achievements
During the support period, one article has been published in a national scientific journal, and three contributions have been made to conferences.
IPICS BAN03 - Diabetes research group
ISP supported the research group at the Bangladesh Institute for Research and Rehabilitation on Diabetes (BIRDEM) between 1995 and 2008. The group has, however, been involved with ISP since 1989 as a collaborative institute under another supported group in Bangladesh, IPICS BAN01/1. The research group was led by Dr Liaquat Ali.
Objectives
Diabetes mellitus is one of the major chronic diseases affecting mankind all over the world. Since the disease is heterogeneous in character there is considerable variation in its etiology and pathogenesis among different races and environmental situations. As a result, both prevention and management policies for diabetes mellitus necessitates basic, clinical and epidemiological research keeping the local perspectives in mind. The areas of studies of the projects have been epidemiology, classification, etiopathogenesis of diabetes mellitus and its complications and the management of diabetes.
Outreach activities
The research group was able to establish scientific collaborations both at home and abroad. Apart from the original collaborations with Dhaka University and Uppsala University, links were established with scientific departments and institutes in Bangkok, Calcutta, Karachi, London, Ulster, Basel, Copenhagen and Paris. The group played a crucial role in the creation of the ISP-supported network ANRAP (Asian Network of Research on Antidiabetic Plants) which, in turn, has stimulated new regional collaborations through scientific meetings, fellowships and exchange visits.
Achievements
Over the years of support the group graduated 44 PhD students and 211 students on the MSc/MPhil/Licentiate level. In addition, they published 64 papers in international journals, 36 papers in national journals and produced 413 conference reports.
After the ISP phase-out, the research group has left its former host institute (BIRDEM) and expanded substantially. They attracted particularly large funding, allowing for building a medical university and hospital, while maintaining research activities in diabetes biochemistry:
- The group leader secured facilities in Dhaka, as well as external funding, to form the Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences (BIHS). The institute gained momentum through the implementation of the Health Care Development Project (HCDP) in 2003, a large scale undertaking of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh supported by a grant from the Dutch Government and a loan from a consortium of 12 banks.
- The institute has then attracted grants from organisations such as University of Oslo (Norway), Rockefeller Foundation (USA) and World Diabetes Foundation (Denmark) to sponsor various academic and development projects.
- In 2015, this institute received university status and is now the Bangladesh University of Health Sciences.
IPICS BAN04 - Studies of organic pollutants in food, water and environment
ISP support to Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, started in 1978 for development of activities in natural products chemistry (IPICS BAN01/1). In 2000, the same research group embarked on a new field, environmental chemistry, in particular to assess and monitor pesticide residues, from 2003 as a new research group, IPICS BAN04. The group was led by Professor Nilufar Nahar 2003-2013, Dr Iqbal Mamun 2014-2015, and Dr Mohammad Shoeb 2016-2023.
Objectives
Food safety is a burning issue in Bangladesh due to the use of unauthorized toxic chemicals in food production, preservation and storage. The objectives are to identify and quantify toxic chemicals in different food items, to produce skilled manpower by giving training to students & young scientists, to disseminate knowledge in conference/seminars and to publish scientific papers in peer reviewed journals.
Achievements
Over the years of support the group has graduated eight PhD and 87 MSc/MPhil students. In addition, they have published twelve papers in quality scientific journals, 43 papers in other journals, and have made about 300 contributions to conferences.
Members of group have contributed to the Bangladesh Food Act 2013, which now is a food safety law ensuring people’s right to access safe food. The group was also part in the creation of the Formalin Control Act 2015, a licensing system for the import and use of formalin, used to preserve fresh food in Bangladesh.
More information
Learn more about the research group and the group leader: Interview with Dr Shoeb.
IPICS BAN05 - Studies on safety, efficiency and adverse health effects of herbal formulations in Bangladesh
ISP supported the group 2013-2026. Initially through support to Daffodil International University, but from 2019 the group was located at Department of Chemistry, University of Rajshahi. The activities were coordinated by Dr Md Rausan Zamir.
The group in now part of the ISP-supported network ANRAP.
Objectives
The overall objectives of the group was to identify toxic components (heavy metals, pesticides, microbes) in herbal preparations, to identify preservatives in herbal preparations and to study adverse health effect (genotoxicity, oxidative stress, cardiovascular effects) of the effective dose of herbal preparation.
Achievements
Over the years of support the group has graduated 1 PhD and 13 MSc/MPhil students. In addition, they have published 4 papers in quality scientific journals, 6 papers in other journals, and have made about 26 contributions to conferences.