Christine Le

 Toronto organic chemist Christine Le has developed a more efficient and environmentally friendly method of manufacturing a potential anti-cancer drug.

Toronto Organic chemist Christine Le has developed a more efficient and environmentally friendly method of manufacturing a potential anti-cancer drug.

Christine Le is talking about cooking. It isn’t long before the conversation collides with her other passion: molecules.
She is describing a recent visit to Alinea, the world-renowned Chicago restaurant that uses a cooking style called molecular gastronomy to create new flavours and textures in food. The restaurant is known for using liquid nitrogen and helium in its dishes.
“I thought [the food] was great, but you definitely have to have an open mind to it,” she says.
It is her curious mind that has just earned the University of Toronto PhD candidate a place on Forbes‘ “Top 30 Under 30” list for science. She is the only Canadian on the list, described by Forbes as the “greatest gathering of young game changers, movers and makers.”
The 26-year-old organic chemist is being recognized for discovering an efficient way to recreate molecules found naturally in plants. Her discovery could fight cancer at its source by decreasing abnormal cell growth.
“One reaction she pioneered uses rhodium to speed the production of eight medicinal compounds, including an anti-cancer drug candidate,” Forbes notes.

James MacDonald for National PostChristine Le in her lab at the University of Toronto campus.

Ms. Le, who worked on this synthesis during her year completing a master’s degree at U of T, says that while she and her team did not discover the molecule — named cytosporone B — they developed a way to create it that reduces the amount of hazardous waste generated in the production.
“You can’t get a large quantity of these molecules because nature only produces small amounts. In the lab we try to mimic the compound,” explains Ms. Le.
The molecule is a naturally occurring compound that is isolated from a Costa Rican fungus. Previous studies on cytosporone B have shown that it has the ability to activate a receptor that controls cell death in live mice.
“When you invent a new reaction you look for a way to shorten the number of steps it takes to make a molecule of interest. Ideally, you also want to reduce the amount of waste that you produce. So if you take fewer steps and use reaction conditions that produce less waste, then that is best of all,” says Mark Lautens, Ms. Le’s professor and an Order of Canada recipient for his contributions to organic chemistry.
The molecule can now be made in three steps, saving time, money and resources. In addition to reducing chemical waste in the manufacturing process, her method yields the most molecules. “The final step of our method to create cytosporone B, and related compounds, is completely ‘atom-economical,’ meaning that all the atoms in the starting materials are conserved in the product and no wasteful by-products are produced,” says Ms. Le, who was named to Scientific American journal’s “30 under 30” list in 2013.

‘Our motivation lies in what we can create, but our interest and our passion for chemistry stems from what we can discover and learn along the way’

In October, Forbes is holding a summit in Philadelphia so the members of the “30 under 30” list can connect. “It will be great stepping out of this bubble and meeting people in diverse industries,” says Ms. Le, adding that she hopes to combine her scientific background with more business or technology-oriented people.
The daughter of a single mother who works as hairdresser, Ms. Le grew up in Richmond Hill with two older half-brothers. She realized she had a passion for science at a young age, ironically through television. Her favourite shows were Popular Mechanics for Kids, Bill Nye the Science Guy and The Magic School Bus.
Ms. Le says she hopes to inspire the next generation of chemists, much like her teachers at Cardinal Carter Catholic High School in Aurora did for her, by tutoring. She is still driven by the same natural curiosity that her students have.
“I want to understand the world around me on a microscopic level,” she says. “Our motivation lies in what we can create, but our interest and our passion for chemistry stems from what we can discover and learn along the way.”
 
 
Christine Le cle@chem.utoronto.ca

Ph.D Student (July 2012)
M.Sc. University of Toronto
B.Sc. University of Western Ontario 

Christine Le Named to Forbes' Top 30 Under 30 Science List

Christine Le (Lautens' group) has been named to the Forbes’ Top 30 Under 30 Science list. She’s been cited as a rising star by Forbes for her research on designing more efficient and environmentally-friendly methods to create molecules that are mainly used by pharmaceutical drug and chemical manufacturing industries.
To read more about Christine, please visit, http://news.artsci.utoronto.ca/news/chemistry-phd-candidate-forbes-top-30-under-30-science-list/.

Christine Le (@christine_m_le)  



https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=234501529


Toronto

University of Toronto

University in Toronto, Ontario

 
 





Through this committee, you can help maintain and protect the Soldiers' Tower, a 143-ft. tall stone monument to the sacrifices of these servicemen and ...

Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan

 Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan

Outstanding & blessed Young Women Scientist from Bangladesh – Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan, the eldest daughter of Begum Hasmat Ara M.D. and Sahfique Khan. Her father is a well known activist from Bangladesh, profoundly involved with the development of the country by serving himself as an Executive Director and Senior Advisor of Gonoshahthaya Kendra (Peoples’ Health Center; Coordinator Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury, is the winner of Alternative Nobel Prize”), and has played a prominent role in nation building, as a health care provider to a vast majority of population in Bangladesh particular with respect to global health care issues.

 

Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan

Associate Professor,
Dept. of Pharmacy

Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan

Associate Professor,  Dept. of Pharmacy

East West University

A/2, Jahurul Islam City, Aftabnagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Phone:09666775577-  Ext:137

Email: shamsun@ewubd.edu

Web: http://www.ewubd.edu/~shamsun

 Telephone:

Office:   137

 Email:   shamsun@ewubd.edu

 Homepage:   http://www.ewubd.edu/~shamsun
https://www.facebook.com/shamsunnahar.khan.7

BANGLADESH

• 
  

  Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University

  Past: East West University
• 
  

  Studied at Jahangirnagar University

  Past: BAF sHAHEEN school and College, 1989
• 
  

  Lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts

  From Dhaka, Bangladesh

 Academic Background:

Post Graduate Diploma in Molecualr and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, USA
Ph.D. in Chemistry and biochemistry, H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, KU, Pakistan
M.Pharm. in Pharmacy, Jahangir Nagar University, Savar-Dhaka, Bangladesh
B.Pharm. in Pharmacy, Jahangir Nagar University, Savar-Dhaka, Bangladesh

 Selected Publications:

Mosihuzzaman, M., Naheed, S., Hareem, S., Talib, S., Abbas, G., Khan, S.N., Choudhary, M.I., Sener, B., Tareen, R.B., Israr, M., , "Studies on α-glucosidase inhibition and anti-glycation potential of Iris loczyi and Iris unguicularis", Life Sciences , 92, 187–192 (2013) , 2013
Details
Sultan S, Choudhary MI, Khan SN, Fatima U, Atif M, Ali RA, Rahman AU, Fatmi MQ, "Fungal transformation of cedryl acetate and α-glucosidase inhibition assay, quantum mechanical calculations and molecular docking studies of its metabolites", European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Volume 62(2013), 764–770, 2013
Details
M. Fawzi Mahomoodally, A. Hussein Subratty, A. Gurib-Fakim,M. Iqbal Choudhary and S. Nahar Khan, , "Traditional Medicinal Herbs and Food Plants Have the Potential to Inhibit Key Carbohydrate Hydrolyzing Enzymes In Vitro and Reduce Postprandial Blood Glucose Peaks In Vivo", The Scientific World Journal, (2012). USA, 2012
Details
Nasir Rasool, Muhammad Abid Rashidb , Saleha Suleman Khand, Zulfiqar Alic , Muhammd Zubaira, Viqar Uddin Ahmadd,*, Shamsun Nahar Khand, M. Iqbal Choudharyd and Rasool Bakhsh Tareene, , "Novel Alpha-Glucosidase Activator from Pulicaria undulata,", Natural Product Communications, (2012). USA , 2012
Details
, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Vincent Pham, V. M. Dsouza, , "Structure and Function of Human 7SK snRNA and HIV1 Tat Interaction", Molecular and Cellular Biology, 2011 MCB, 16-18 September, Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratories, Woods Hole , 47, (2012), USA, 2012
Details
Attaur Rahman, Mohammed Iqbal Choudhary, Syed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar Khan, "Method of producing tibolone metabolites by fermentation with Rhizopus stolonifer", US Patent, 20110124041 USA, 2011
Details
Attaur Rahman, Mohammed Iqbal Choudhary, Syed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar Khan, "Method of producing tibolone metabolites by fermentation with Rhizopus stolonifer", US PATENT , 20110124041, (2011). USA, 2011
Details
Attaur Rahman, Mohammed Iqbal Choudhary, Syed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar Khan, "Method of producing tibolone metabolites by fermentation with Fusarium lini", US PATENT, USA, 20110124042, (2011). USA, 2011
Details
Atta-ur-Rahman, Mohammad Iqbal ChoudharySyed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar Khan, "Method of producing tibolone metabolites by fermentation with Gibberella fujikuroi", US PATENT, USA, 20110124043 (2011), USA, 2011
Details
Pascal Wafo Ramsay S.T. Kamdem, Zulfiqar Ali, Shazia Anjum, Afshan Begum, Ogbole O. Oluyemisi, Shamsun N. Khan, Bonaventure T. Ngadjui, Xavier F. Etoa, Muhammed Iqbal Choudhary, "4. Kaurane-type diterpenoids from Chromoleana odorata, their X-ray diffraction studies and potent alpha-glucosidase inhibition of 16-kauren-19-oic acid", Fitoterapia, 82, 642-646, (2011). Netherlands, 2011
Details
Pascal Wafo, Ramsay S. T. Kamdem, Zulfiqar Ali, Shazia Anjum, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Afshan Begum, Karsten Krohn, Berhanu M. Abegaz,| Bonaventure T. Ngadjui, and Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, "Duboscic Acid: A Potent alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor with anUnprecedented Triterpenoidal Carbon Skeleton from Duboscia macrocarpa", Orgainc Letters, vol.12, No. 24, 5760-5763, (2010). USA, 2010
Details
M. Iqbal Choudhary, S. Adnan Ali Shaha,Atta-ur-Rahman, Shamsun-Nahar Khan, Mahmud Tareq Hassan Khan, "Alpha-glucosidase and tyrosinase inhibitors from fungal hydroxylation of tibolone and hydroxytibolones", Steroids, 75 (2010) 956–966, 2010
Details
Atta-ur-Rahman, Muhammed Iqbal Choudhary, Syed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar Khan, "Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors from fungal hydroxylation of Tibolone and hydroxytibolones", US PATENT, USA, 20090137542, (2009).USA, 2009
Details
Uzma Ashiqi, Rifat Ara, Mohammrd Mahroof-Trhir, Zahida T. Maqsood, Khalid M . Khan, Shamsun N. Khan, Hina Siddqui, and Muhammad I. Choudhry, , "Synthesis, Spectroscopy, and Biological Properties of Vanadium (IV)-Hydrazide Complexes", Chemistry and Biodiversity (Switzerland), 5, 82-92, 2008
Details
Atta-ur-Rahman, Seema Zareen, M.Iqbal Choudhary, M. Nadeem Akhtar and Shamsun Nahar Khan, "α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of new Triterpenoids from Cichorium inbytus", Journal of Natural Product, 71, 910–913, (2008). USA, 2008
Details
Viqar Uddin Ahmed, Nasir Rasool, M. Iqbal Choudhary, Shamsun Nahar Khan, "New Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus", United States, Patent Publication, , Publication No.: US 2007/0287674 A1. (USA), 2007
Details
Ngoupayo J., Noungoue Diderot, Lenta B. N., Tabopda., Shamsun N. Khan., Ngouela S., Shaiq M.A. Tsamao E., Brevipsidone, a New Depsidone and other α-Glucosidase Inhibitors from Garcinia Brevipedicellata (Clusiaceae), , "19. A New Depsidone and other α-Glucosidase Inhibitors from Garcinia Brevipedicellata (Clusiaceae)", Natural Product Communications (USA) , 2 (11), 1141-1144, 2007
Details
Luc Meva’a Mbaze, Herve Martial P. Poumale, Jean Duplex Wansi, Jean Alexandre Lado, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Muhammad Choudhary Iqbal, Bonaventure Tchaleu Ngadjui, Hartmut Laatsch, , "α -Glucosidase Inhibitory Pentacyclic Triterpenes from the Stem Bark of Fagara tessmannii (Rutaceae)", Phytochemistry (UK), 68, 2096–2100, 2007
Details
Jean Duplex Wansi, Marie-Christine Lallemand, David Daco Chiozem, Flavien Aristide A. Toze a, Luc Meva’a Mbaze, Shamsun Nahar khan, Muhammad Choudhary Iqbal, Franc¸ois Tillequin, Jean Wandji, Zacharias Tanee Fomum, , "α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Constituents from Stem Bark of Terminalia superba (Combretaceae), ", Phytochemistry (UK), 68, 2096–2100, 2007
Details
Choudhary M. I., Nasir M., Khan S. N., Atif M., Ali R.A., Khalil S. M., Rahman A., , "Microbial Transformation of Hydroxyprogesterone and Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibition Activity of its Metabolites,", Zeitschrift für Naturforschung B- Chemical Sciences(Germany), 62b, 593-599, 2007
Details
M. Iqbal Choudhary and Shamsun Nahar Khan, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Pakistan , "Bioassay Models for Antidiabetic Activity of Natural Products", (Published by International Center for Science and High Technology, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Trieste, Itally, 78, 2007
Details
Simeon F. Kouam, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Karsten Krohn, Bonaventure T. Ngadjui, Deccaux G. W. F. Kapche, Diane Yapna, Seema Zareem, Amal M. Y. Moustafa, and M. Iqbal Choudhary, , "1. -Glucosidase Inhibitory Constituents from the Stem Bark of Harungana madagascariensis", Journal of Natural Product (USA) , 69, 229-233, 2006
Details
Jean Duplex Wansi, Jean Wandji, Luc Meva’a, Alain Francois Kamdem Waffo, Rosa Ranjit, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Azaz Asma, Choudhary Muhammad Iqbal, Marrie-Christane Lallemand, Francois Tilequin and Zacharias Fomum Tanee, , "Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory and Antioxidant Acridone Alkaloids from the Stem Bark of Oriciopsis glaberrima ENGL. (Rutaceae), ", Chem Pharm Bull. (Japan), 54(3), 292-296., 2006
Details
Farzana Shaheen, Manzoor Ahmad, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Syeda Samreen Hussain, Shazia Anjum, Bahodir Tashkhodjaev, Kambarali Turgunov, Mukhlis N. Sultankhodzhaev, Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, and Atta-ur-Rahman, , "New Antibacterial and α-Glucosidase Inhibitors from Myrtus communis L. ", Eur. J. Org. Chem. (UK), 2371, 2006
Details
Shamsun Nahar Khan, Simeon F. Kouam, Karsten Krohn, M. Iqbal Choudhary, , "Anthranols the Potent α-Glucosidase Inhibitors, ", 10th symposium on Natural product Chemistry, 2006, , January 10-13, 2006, Karachi, Pakistan., 2006
Details
Viqar Uddin Ahmad, Muhammad Zubair, Muhammad Abid Rashid, Nasir Rasool, Shamsun Nahar Khan and M. Iqbal Choudhary and Farzana Kousar, , "Spectral Assignments and Reference Data, Structure Determination of Bioactive Galloyl Derivatives by NMR Spectroscopy,", Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry (UK), 43, 486-488, 2005
Details
Muhammad Athar Abbasi Viqar Uddin Ahmad, Muhammad Zubair, Muhammad Abid Rashid, Shamsun Nahar Khan, M. Iqbal Choudhary and Klaus–peter Zeller , "A new Alph Glucosidase Inhibiting Dithiadiazetidin Derivative from Symplocos racemosa,", Heterocycles, (Japan) , 65, 8, 2005
Details
Muhammad Athar Abbasi, Viqar Uddin Ahmad, Muhammad Zubair, Shamsun Nahar Khan and M. Iqbal Choudhary, , "Alpha- Glucosidase Inhibiting and Chymotrypsin Inhibiting Lignans from Commiphora Mukul,", Proc. Pakistan Acad. Sci. (Pakaistan), 42(1), 23-26., 2005
Details
Cholinesterase, Urease and α-glucosidase Inhibitors, Farzana Latif Ansari, Sumaira Umbreen, Latiff Hussain, Talat Makhmoor, Sarfraz A. Nawaz, M. Arif Lodhi, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Farzana Shaheen, M. Iqbal Choudhary and Atta-ur-Rahman, , "Synthesis and Biological activities of Benzothiazepine Derivatives and of their intermediate Chalcones as Antioxidant ", Chemistry & Biodiversity, (Switzerland), 2, 487, 2005
Details
Farzana Shaheen, Manzoor Ahmad, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Shazia Anjum, Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, and Atta-ur-Rahman , "US Patent preparation and filing vide application", US patent, 11/306345(23, December 2005) , 2005
Details
Shmausn Nahar Khan, S. Adanan Ali Shah, M.Iqbal Choudhary and Atta-ur-Rahman , "New and Novel α-Glucosidase Inhibitors Evaluated from the Fungal Metabolites of Tibolone for the Management of Type II Diabetes, ", FEBS Congress, Hungary, Budapest, Abstract No.: D4-011P, FEBS Journal 272, 2005
Details
Shamsun Nahar Khan, Khalid M khan, M. Iqbal Choudahry, , "New and Novel α-Glucosidase Inhibitors Evaluated For the Management of Type II Diabetes,", 11 – 12 January, 2005, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2005
Details
Naveen Mukhatar, Abdul Malik, Kiran Iqbal, Rasool Bakhsh Tareen, Shamsun Nahar Khan Sarfraz Ahmad Nawaz, and M. Iqbal Choudhary, , "Berchemins A and B: Novel Enzyme –Inhibiting Dimeric Lignan Glycosides from Berchemia Pakistanica,", Helvetical Chemica Acta, (Switzerland), 87, 2050-2056, 2004
Details
Naveen Mukhatar , Abdul Malik, Naheed Riaz, Kiran Iqbal, Rasool BakhshTareen, Shamsun Nahar Khan Sarfraz Ahmad Nawaz, Juveria Siddiqui and M. Iqbal Choudhary,, "Pakisolides A and B , Novel Enzyme Inhibitory and Antioxidant Dimeric 4-(Glucosyloxy) Benzoates from Berchemia Pakistanica,", Helvetical Chemica Acta (Switzerland), 87, 416-424, 2004
Details
Kiran Iqbal, Abdul Malik, Naveen Mukhtar Itrat Anis, Shamsun Nahar Khan, and Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, , "α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Constituents from Duranta Repens, ", Chem. Pharm. Bull, (Japan), 52 (7) 785-789, 2004
Details
, "α-Glucosidase Inhibitors for the Management of Type II Diabets.", 4 th International & 14 th National Chemistry Conference, The chemical Society of Pakistan,, May 16-18, 2004, Karachi, Pakistan., 2004
Details
Shamsun Nahar Khan, M. Iqbal Choudhary, "New α-glucosidase Inhibitors from Natural sources ", 9th International Symposium on Natural product Chemistry, January 10-13, 2004, Karachi, Pakistan. , 2004
Details
Shamsun Nahar Khan, Shahida Shujat, M.Iqbal CHoudhary, Atta-ur-Rahman, "β-Glucuronidase Inhibitory and Antibacterial Activity of Vernonia anthelmintica Willd. ", 7 th Eureshia Conference on Chemical Sciences, 2002 March 09-12, Karachi, , 2002
Details
Shamsun Nahar Khan, Samad Talukdar, Shahabuddin K. Chowdhury, "Antibacterial activity of Pterocarpus santalinus and compared with conventional antibiotics against pathogenic bacteria.", 1st National convention forum for Medical Microbiologists, Dhaka, Bangladesh., 2002
Details
Shamsun Nahar Khan, Samad Talukdar, Shahabuddin K. Chowdhury, Hashmat Ara Khan, "Sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria to water extract of the dried", 17th annual conference, Bangladesh Society of Microbiologists, Dhaka, Bangladesh., 2000
Details
Shamusn Nahar Khan, Samad Talukdar, Shahabuddin K. Chowdhury, "Antibacterial activity of the bark Holarrhena antidysenterica Wall. ", Eighteenth National Convention 2000 Society of Pathologists, Dhaka, Bangladesh., 2000
Details
Shmausn Nahar Khan, Samad Talukdar, Shahabuddin K. Chowdhury , "Comparison of effects of herbal extracts and antibiotics against bacteria.", 9 th Annual Scientific conference (ASCON), ICDDR, B Dhaka, Bangladesh., 2000
Details

Dr. Shamsun Khan’s, Mother Dr. Hasmat Ara started her career as a medical doctor (Dhaka Medical College) and later on engaged herself as an academician to teach Pharmacology at the Bangladesh Medical College – one of the most renowned medical institute of the country. Dr. Khan has been brought up by her parents in an intellectually enlightened environment.

Shamsun, has spent indeed a great deal of her childhood time with her maternal grandparents Mohammad Harun Mallick and Mrs. Raisa Harun, – who served the Bengal Civil Service Cadre. Mrs. Raisa Harun has made an extensive contribution in the development of education system and economical status of woman in Bangladesh and has also been decorated with the prestigious Presidential award for her elaborate contributions to the social welfare to the woman deprived from social benefits in the country. Dr. Shamsun Khan has been influenced, groomed, embraced and encouraged by her grandmother from childhood towards nation building.

Regarding the research:
Dr. Khan’s started her drug discovery research during her undergraduate training in Dhaka, by conducting clinical trials studying various important indigenous medicinal plants and their bioactivity on chronic skin diseases. These diseases, according to Dr. Khan did not show any sensitivity or activity using conventional steroids, but observed fascinating bio-activity by using these medicinal plants. So she went ahead and isolated multi drug resistant clinical bacterium specimen from different clinical disease conditions and discovered that many of the plants extracts of these medicinal plants are highly bioactive on these bacterium specimens.

This led to Dr. Shamsun’s keen interest in the drug discovery and development, that started earlier in her research career. Till date, she has discovered more than 20 classes of new alpha-glucosidase inhibitors from both natural and synthetic sources. These are of interest, due to their therapeutic potential in the treatment of variety of disorders, such as diabetes, HIV infection, cancer, and lysosomal storage diseases. Results of this research are reflected in her thirty research publications, in peer-reviewed and reputed journals.

Due to the important clinical and industrial applications of her research, she has been awarded a total of 7 US patents and publications. She has also expanded her work to the enzyme stabilizers by characterizing Pulicarside-1; which helps to increase efficiency of the alpha-glucosidase by reducing the production cost of monosaccharide from disaccharides. She has elaborated her work to the method development of clinical / synthetic fungal transformation.

Dr. Khan has shown an extraordinary enthusiasm for both chemistry and biology since her doctorate studies, and carried out a variety of interdisciplinary investigations, including: anticancer studies; enzyme kinetics using chromatographic techniques; homology modelling; and pesticide & medicinal plant analysis etc. She eventually focused her efforts on the identification of enzymes associated with different clinical conditions and a kinetic study of enzyme inhibition.

One of Dr. Khan’s projects involved the identification of a complex structure of 7sk small nuclear RNA and HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus) Tat peptide through NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance). She has currently completed this project successfully with excellent findings. One of the findings includes introducing innovative research idea in the country specially to work in the interface of chemistry and biology. She is currently working in the field of pharmacology and enzymology along with phytochemical investigation of medicinal plants in Bangladesh.

Dr. Khan’s project was also involved in the identification of a complex structure of 7sk small nuclear RNA and HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus) Tat peptide through NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance). She has completed the project successfully with an excellent finding. She is introducing this innovative research idea in the country specially to work in the interface of chemistry and biology. She is working in the field of pharmacology and enzymology along with phytochemical investigation of medicinal plants in Bangladesh.

Dr. Khan is now working on developing novel alpha glucosidase inhibitors – alpha glucosidases are known to be the enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. Their inhibitors interfere with the absorption of glucose in the gut, and could help to control the blood sugar level in type-2 diabetes. Dr. Khan has identified some major inhibitors within different families of natural compounds, such as terpenoids, flavonoids and iridoids, as well as within synthetic compounds such as biscoumarins, isocoumarins and chalcone derivatives.

Awards & Accolades:
Khan began her academic career in 1999 as a lecturer in the Department of Pharmacy and Clinical Pharmacology, at Gono Bishwabidyalaya (People’s University), in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In 2002, she was awarded a postgraduate fellowship to undertake research on a PhD by the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), which is hosted by TWAS at its headquarters in Trieste. Khan completed her thesis at the H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, at the University of Karachi, Pakistan, in 2008.
Shamsun Nahar Khan is the holder of 7 patents, and the recipient of several
awards, including the award of Merit Scholarship Programme for High Technology from the Islamic Development Bank in Saudi Arabia. She supervised some 20 students between 2008 and 2010, and has authored more than 30 papers in international peer-reviewed journals. For these contributions to her field, Khan was awarded the Atta-ur-Rahman Prize for chemistry.

Shamsun has had been invited for many international conferences and university for her talk including, most prestigious 42nd congress of IUPAC (International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry) held in Glasgow, UK and University of Bath, UK in 2009.

She has had been awarded “TWOWS Postgraduate Fellowship” to start her Ph.D. due to her keen research interest. For her excellent performance as an academician, East West University awarded her “Excellence in Research and Teaching” award.

Publications:
One of her important contribution is as an author of a chapter of a book entitled “Bioassay Models for Antidiabetic Activity of Natural Products” published by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Trieste, Italy. This chapter is very often used as guidelines for the alpha-glucosidase inhibition and in-vivo pharmacological studies for diabetic and related research work by the researchers.


 

She actively participates to extending her contribution to the different international and national organization among them “RSC (Royal Society of Chemistry) UK, “Organization for Women in science for Developing World (OWSD)”, Italy and “Asian Network Research on Antidiabetic Plants” are noticeable.

Profile:
Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan, Born in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 1974, Shamsun Nahar Khan received the first Atta-ur-Rahman Prize in chemistry in 2012, she has been also awarded TWAS-Bangladesh Young Scientist Award in 2011.

Dr. Khan has Bachelor and Master’s in Pharmacy, being a Professional she has chosen to develop her carrier as an academician and continued her research in academia. Dr. Khan has been recently completed her postdoctoral training program from the department of Molecular and Cellular Biology Department, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Shamsun is exceptionally resourceful; she has established well-equipped laboratories with HPLC (High pressure Liquid Chromatography, IR (Infrared Spectroscopy), GC (Gas Chromatography) to facilitate research work at her university.

During pursuing her Ph.D she showed her courage and volunteer as a coordinator of her research group at her host research institute for a significantly longer period of time. She was actively involved in organizing more than a dozen’s of international conferences and workshops. At this moment she is serving as an Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy, East West University Currently Shamsun is guiding more than 10 research students at Masters and graduate levels. Shamsun is looking forward to have contemporary science education in Bangladesh.

Currently Shamsun is guiding more than 10 research students at Masters and graduate levels. Shamsun is looking forward to have contemporary science education in Bangladesh.

Prof. Shamsun Nahar Khan article on Drug Discovery and Development in Bangladesh

...
Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy, East West University, has been selected as a Young Affiliated Fellow of World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). TWAS is a global science academy based in Trieste, Italy, it is working to advance science and engineering for sustainable prosperity in the developing world as well developed world. Dr. Khan’s affiliation was announced and the certificate was given by TWAS President, Professor Chunli Bai from China through an induction ceremony, in the presence of the Executive Director, Secretary General and many other officials of TWAS, which was held during the 25th Annual General Meeting of TWAS on 27 October 2014, in Muscat, Oman. A total 400 participants from different disciplines of science participated in this conference from all over the world. Dr. Khan presented her scientific research paper on the 28 October 2014 at the conference. 



Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan Receiving First "ATTA-UR-RAHMAN PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY" from The Ministry of Science & Technology Banglore India on 8th March 2014.

Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan Receiving gold medal awards from Honorable Prime Minister Of Bangladesh on 20th May 2014. Bangladesh Academy of Sciences & World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Prize to Young Scientists Trieste Italy.

Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan Receiving First "ATTA-UR-RAHMAN PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY" from The Ministry of Science & Technology Banglore India on 8th March 2014.

Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan Receiving Award of "Excellence Teaching & Research" from Distinguished National Professor Dr. Serajul Islam Chowdhury, 14 Foundation Day, East West University, (2009).

Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan Receiving Certificates for Bangladesh Academy of Sciences US Patents: 1. Patent Title: Method of producing tibolone metabolites by fermentation with Rhizopus stolonifer, Inventors: Attaur Rahman, Mohammed Iqbal Choudhary, Syed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Assignees: International Center for Chemical Sciences ?IPC8 Class: AC12P3300FI ?USPC Class: 435 52 ?Class name: Preparing compound containing a cyclopentanohydrophenanthrene nucleus; nor-, homo-, or D-ring lactone derivatives thereof ?Publication date: 05/26/2011, US?Patent application number: 20110124041, (2011). USA 2. Patent Title: Method of producing tibolone metabolites by fermentation with Fusarium lini, Inventors: Attaur Rahman, Mohammed Iqbal Choudhary, Syed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Assignees: International Center for Chemical Sciences ?IPC8 Class: AC12P3300FI ?USPC Class: 435 52 ?Class name: Preparing compound containing a cyclopentanohydrophenanthrene nucleus; nor-, homo-, or D-ring lactone derivatives thereof ?Publication date: 05/26/2011 US?Patent application number: 20110124042, (2011). USA 3. Patent Title:Method of producing tibolone metabolites by fermentation with Gibberella fujikuroi, Inventors: Atta-ur-Rahman, Mohammad Iqbal ChoudharySyed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar Khan,International Center for Chemical Sciences, IPC8 Class: AC12P3312FI ?USPC Class: 435 54 ?Class name: Acting on D-ring ?Publication date: 05/26/2011, US?Patent application number: 20110124043 (2011), USA. 4. Patent Title:Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors from fungal hydroxylation of Tibolone and hydroxytibolones, Inventors: Atta-ur-Rahman, Muhammed Iqbal Choudhary, Syed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar KhanIPC8 Class: AC12P3306FI, USPC Class: 514178. US?Patent application number: 20090137542, (2009).USA 5. Patent Title:New alpha-glucosidase inhibitors and antibacterial compounds from Myrtus communis L., Inventors: Attaur Rahman, Mohammad Iqbal Choudhary, Farzana Shaheen, Manzoor Ahmad, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Shazia Anjum, Assignees:International Center for Chemical Sciences, IPC8Class: AC07D49304FI, USPC Class: 549382 Class name: Pentacyclo ring system having the hetero ring as one of the cyclos Publication date: 10/30/2008, US Patent application number: 20080269510, (2008). USA 6. Patent Title:?-amyrin acetate for treatment of diabetes mellitus, Inventors: Wijayabandara, Mirihanage Don Jayantha; Khan, Shamsun Nahar Khan; Choudhary, Muhammad Iqbal, Publication date: 05/01/2008, US?Patent application number: US2006-553465, (2008). USA 7. Patent Title: Patent application title: Novel alpha glucosidase activator, pulicarside 1, Inventors: Viqar Uddin Ahmad, Muhammad Iqal Choudhary, Nasir Khan, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Assignees: HEJ Research Institute, IPC8 Class: AA61K317028FI, USPC Class: 514 27, Class name: Oxygen of the saccharide radical bonded directly to a nonsaccharide hetero ring or a polycyclo ring system which contains a nonsaccharide hetero ring, Publication date: 11/06/2008 Patent application number: 20080274987, (2008), USA Books /Chapter Written: 8. Bioassay Models for Antidiabetic Activity of Natural Products, M. Iqbal Choudhary and Shamsun Nahar Khan, International Center for Chemical Sciences, H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry,University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan (published by International Center for Science and High Technology, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Trieste, Itally). List of Publications (PUBLISHED) 9. Studies on ?-glucosidase inhibition and anti-glycation potential of Iris loczyi and Iris unguicularis, Mosihuzzaman, M., Naheed, S., Hareem, S., Talib, S., Abbas, G., Khan, S.N., Choudhary, M.I., Sener, B., Tareen, R.B., Israr, M., Life Sciences, 92, 187-192 (2013). 10. Traditional Medicinal Herbs and Food Plants Have the Potential to Inhibit Key Carbohydrate Hydrolyzing Enzymes In Vitro and Reduce Postprandial Blood Glucose Peaks In Vivo, M. Fawzi Mahomoodally, A. Hussein Subratty, A. Gurib-Fakim,M. Iqbal Choudhary and S. Nahar Khan, The Scientific World Journal,(2012).USA 11. Structure and Function of Human 7SK snRNA and HIV1 Tat Interaction, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Vincent Pham, V. M. Dsouza, Molecular and Cellular Biology, 2011 MCB Research Retreat 16-18 September, Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratories, Woods Hole 47, (2012), USA 12. Novel??-Glucosidase Activator from Pulicaria undulata, Nasir Rasool, Muhammad Abid Rashidb , Saleha Suleman Khand, Zulfiqar Alic , Muhammd Zubaira, Viqar Uddin Ahmadd,*, Shamsun Nahar Khand, M. Iqbal Choudharyd and Rasool Bakhsh Tareene, Natural Product Communications, (2012). USA 13. Kaurane-type diterpenoids from Chromoleana odorata, their X-ray diffraction studies and potent alpha-glucosidase inhibition of 16-kauren-19-oic acid, Pascal Wafo Ramsay S.T. Kamdem, Zulfiqar Ali, Shazia Anjum, Afshan Begum, Ogbole O. Oluyemisi, Shamsun N. Khan, Bonaventure T. Ngadjui, Xavier F. Etoa, Muhammed Iqbal Choudhary, Fitoterapia 82, 642-646, (2011). Netherlands 14. Role of Human 7SK snRNA and Retroviral Tat Interaction During Transcriptional Elongation in HIV1, Shamsun Nahar Khan, M. Durney, V. M. Dsouza Molecular and Cellular Biology Dept, Structural Biology Retreat, Harvard University, 28 July, 2011, Cambridge, 02138 (2011), USA 15. Alpha-glucosidase and tyrosinase inhibitors from fungal hydroxylation of tibolone and hydroxytibolones, M. Iqbal Choudhary, S. Adnan Ali Shaha, Atta-ur-Rahman, Shamsun-Nahar Khan, Mahmud Tareq Hassan Khan, Steroids 75 (2010) 956-966 16. Role of Science Technology in the Empowerment of Women-Women Scientists in a Changing World, TWOWS Fourth General Assembly and International Conference: Women Scientists in a Changing World, 27-30 June 2010, Beijing, China, 30 (2010) 17. Duboscic Acid: A Potent alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitor with anUnprecedented Triterpenoidal Carbon Skeleton from Duboscia macrocarpa, Pascal Wafo, Ramsay S. T. Kamdem, Zulfiqar Ali, Shazia Anjum, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Afshan Begum, Karsten Krohn, Berhanu M. Abegaz,| Bonaventure T. Ngadjui, and Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Orgainc Letters, vol.12, No. 24, 5760-5763, (2010). USA 18. Kinetic and Three Dimensional Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (3D-QSAR) Studies on New and Natural Classes of ?-Glucosidase Inhibitors with the Aspect of Diabetes, Bangladesh Chemical Congress 2010, 33 Annual conference of Bangladesh Chemical Society, 10-12, December, 23 (2010). 19. Alpha-glucosidase and tyrosinase inhibitors from fungal hydroxylation of tibolone and hydroxytibolones, M. Iqbal Choudhary, S. Adnan Ali Shah,Atta-ur-Rahmana, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Mahmud Tareq Hassan Khan, Steroids,75, 956-966, (2010). USA 20. Aspects of the Newalpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors in the Treatment of Diabetes, Shamsun Nahar Khan, M. Iqbal Chowdhury, 6th ANRAP International Seminar, Asian Network Research on Antidiabetic Plants, 15-17 January, 25, (2010). 21. Alphaglucosidase Inhibitors from Fungal Hydroxylation of Tibolone and Hydroxytibolone, Viqar Uddin Ahmed, Nasir Rasool, M. Iqbal Choudhary, Atta-ur -Rahman, Syed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar Khan, United States, Patent Publication: US 2009/0137542 A1.(2009) USA 22. Kinetic and Three Dimensional Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (3D-QSAR) Studies on New alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors, 42nd IUPAC Congress, Organized by Royal Society of Chemical Sciences, 2-7 August 2009, SECC, Glasgow, (2009), UK. 23. Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of new Triterpenoids from Cichorium inbytus, Atta-ur-Rahman, Seema Zareen, M.Iqbal Choudhary, M. Nadeem Akhtar and Shamsun Nahar Khan, Journal of Natural Product, J. Nat. Prod., 71, 910-913, (2008). USA 24. Three Dimensional Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (3D-QSAR) Studies on alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors, Shamsun Nahar Khan, M. Iqbal Choudhary and Atta-ur-Rahman, Bangladesh Chemical Congress 2008, 31st Annual Conference of Bangladesh Chemical Society Dhaka, Bangladesh. 25. Antioxidant Activity of the Crude Extract of the Fruits of Pycnanthus angolensis and Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of its Constituents, Alembert T. Tchinda*, Marguerite H. Tchuendem, Shamsun N. Khan, Iman Omar, Francois Ngandeu, Pepin, E.A. Nkeng, Iqbal M. Choudhary, Pharmacologyonline 1 : 422-431. (2008). 26. Synthesis, Spectroscopy and Biological Properties of Vanadium (IV)-Hydrazide Complexes, Uzma Ashiqi, Rifat Ara, Mohammad Mahroof Tahir, Zahida T. Maqsood, Khalid M. Khan, Shamsun N. Khan, Hina Siddiqui and Muhammad I Choudhary, Chemistray and Biodiversity, 5, (2008). 27. Bioactive aristolactams from Piper umbellatum, Turibio Kuiate Tabopda, Joseph Ngoupayo, Jiawei Liu, Anne-Claire Mitaine-Offer, Sheraz A. Khan Tanoli, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Muhammad Shaiq Ali, Bonaventure Tchaleu Ngadjui, Etienne Tsamo, Marie-Aleth Lacaille-Dubois, Bang Luu, Phytochemistry 69, 1726-1731, (2008). UK 28. Microbial Transformation of Hydroxyprogesterone and Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibition Activity of its Metabolites,M. Iqbal Choudhary, M. Nasir, S. N. Khan, M. Atif, R. A. Ali, S. M. Khalil, Atta-ur-Rahman, Zeitschrift fur Naturforschung, 62b, 593-599, (2007). Germany 29.Alpha -Glucosidase Inhibitory Constituents from Stem Bark of Terminalia superba (Combretaceae), Jean Duplex Wansi, Marie-Christine Lallemand, David Daco Chiozem, Flavien Aristide A. Toze a, Luc Meva'a Mbaze, Shamsun Nahar khan, Muhammad Choudhary Iqbal, Francois Tillequin, Jean Wandji, Zacharias Tanee Fomum, Phytochemistry, 68, 2096-2100, (2007). UK 30. Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory Pentacyclic Triterpenes from the Stem Bark of Fagara tessmanni (Rutaceae), Luc Meva'a Mbaze, Herve Martial P. Poumale, Jean Duplex Wansi, Jean Alexandre Lado, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Muhammad Choudhary Iqbal, Bonaventure Tchaleu Ngadjui, Hartmut Laatsch, Phytochemistry, 68, 591-595, (2007). UK 31. Science and the Interface of Chemistry and Biology: Discoveries Inhibitors and Antiglycation Agents, Atta-ur-Rahman, M. I. Choudhary, F. Z. Basha, G. Abbas, S. N. Khan Pure and Applied Chemistry,79(12) 2263-2268 (2007). 32. New Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus, Viqar Uddin Ahmed, Nasir Rasool, M. Iqbal Choudhary, Shamsun Nahar Khan, United States, Patent Publication: US 2007/0287674 A1, (2007).USA 33. Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors from Millettia conraui,Alembert Tiabou Tchinda,Shamsun Nahar Khan, Victorine Fuendjiep,Francois Ngandeu, Annie Ngono Ngane,and Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Chem. Pharm. Bull., 55(9), 1402-1403. (2007). Japan 34. A new Steroid and Glucosidase Inhibitors from Anthocleista schweinfurthii, R.N. Mbouangoueere, P. Tane, D. Ngamga, S.N. Khan, M.I. Coudhary and B.T. Ngadjui, Research Journal of Medicinal Plant 1(3), 106-111, 2007. 35. Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory Constituents from the Stem Bark of Harunganamadagascariensis, Simeon F. Kouam, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Karsten Krohn, Bonaventure T. Ngadjui, Deccaux G. W. F. Kapche, Diane Yapna, Seema Zareem, Amal M. Y. Moustafa, and M. Iqbal Choudhary, Journal of Natural Product Chemistry, 69, 229-233. (2006) USA 36. New Antibacterial and ?-Glucosidase Inhibitors from Myrtus communis L.,Farzana Shaheen, Manzoor Ahmad, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Syeda Samreen Hussain, Shazia Anjum, Bahodir Tashkhodjaev, Kambarali Turgunov, Mukhlis N. Sultankhodzhaev, Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary,and Atta-ur-Rahman, Eur. J. Org. Chem., 2371, (2006). USA 37. Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory and Antioxidant Acridone Alkaloids from the Stem Bark of Oriciopsis glaberrima ENGL. (Rutaceae),Jean Duplex Wansi, Jean Wandji, Luc Meva'a, Alain Francois Kamdem Waffo, Rosa Ranjit, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Azaz Asma, Choudhary Muhammad Iqbal, Marrie-Christane Lallemand, Francois Tilequin and Zacharias Fomum Tanee, Chem Pharm Bull. 54(3), 292-296, (2006). Japan 38. Synthesis and Biological Activities of Benzothiazepine Derivatives and of their intermediate Chalcones as Antioxidant, Cholinesterase, Urease and ?-Glucosidase Inhibitors,Farzana Latif Ansari, Sumaira Umbreen, Latiff Hussain, Talat Makhmoor, Sarfraz A. Nawaz, M. Arif Lodhi, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Farzana Shaheen, M. Iqbal Choudhary and Atta-ur-Rahman, Chemistry & Biodiversity, 2, 487-496, (2005).Switzerland 39. Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibiting and Chymotrypsin Inhibiting Lignans from CommiphoraMukul,Muhammad Athar Abbasi, Viqar Uddin Ahmad, Muhammad Zubair, Shamsun Nahar Khan and M. Iqbal Choudhary, Proc.Pakistan Acad.Sci.42(1): 23-26, (2005). Pakistan 40. New And Novel alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitors Evaluated For the Management of Type II Diabetes, Asian Network on Research of Antidiabetic Plants (ANRAP) to be held on 11 - 12th. January 2005, Kuala Lumpur. (2005) Malaysia. 41. New Alpha- Glucosidase Inhibiting Dithiadiazetidin Derivative from Symplocos racemosa, Muhammad Athar Abbasi Viqar Uddin Ahmad, Muhammad Zubair, Muhammad Abid Rashid,Shamsun Nahar Khan, M. Iqbal Choudhary and Klaus-peter Zeller Heterocycles, 65, No: 8, (2005).Japan 42. Spectral assignments and Reference Data, Structure determination of bioactive galloyl derivatives by NMR spectroscopy,Viqar Uddin Ahmad, Muhammad Zubair, Muhammad Abid Rashid, Nasir Rasool, Shamsun Nahar Khan and M. Iqbal Choudhary and Farzana Kousar, Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry, 43, 486-488, (2005). USA 43. New and novel a-glucosidase inhibitors evaluated from the fungal metabolites of tibolone for the management of type II diabetes, Khan S. N., Choudhary M. I., Rahman A. U., Shah S. A. A., FEBS 2005 Congress, Hungary, Budapest, Abstract number: D4-011P, (2005) [title] FEBS Journal272 (s1), (2005), Hungary 44. Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory Constituents from Duranta Repens, Kiran Iqbal, Abdul Malik, Naveen Mukhtar Itrat Anis, Shamsun Nahar Khan, and Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Chem. Pharm. Bull, 52 (7) 785-789, (2004). Japan 45. Alpha -Glucosidase Inhibitors for The Management of Type II Diabets 4 th International & 14 th National Chemistry Conference, The chemical Society of Pakistan, May 16-18, 2004, Karachi, Pakistan 46. Pakisolides A and B, Novel Enzyme Inhibitory and Antioxidant Dimeric 4-(Glucosyloxy) Benzoates from Berchemia Pakistanica, Naveen Mukhatar, Abdul Malik, Naheed Riaz, Kiran Iqbal, Rasool BakhshTareen, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Sarfraz Ahmad Nawaz, Juveria Siddiqui and M. Iqbal Choudhary, Helvetica Chemica Acta, 87, 416-424, (2004). Switzerland 47. New alpha-glucosidase Inhibitors from Natural Sources,Shamsun Nahar Khan, M. Iqbal Chowdhury, 9th International,Symposium on Natural product Chemistry,January 10-13, 2004, Karachi, Pakistan. (2004) Pakistan 48. Berchemins A and B: Novel Enzyme-Inhibiting Dimeric Lignan Glycosides from Berchemia Pakistanica, Naveen Mukhatar, Abdul Malik, Kiran Iqbal, Rasool BakhshTareen, Shamsun Nahar Khan Sarfraz Ahmad Nawaz, and M. Iqbal Choudhary, Helvetica Chemica Acta, 87, 2050-2056, (2004). Switzerland 49. Anthranols-the Potent ?-Glucosidase Inhibitors, Shamsun Nahar Khan,Simeon F. Kouam, Karsten Krohn and M. Iqbal Choudhary, 10th symposium on Natural product Chemistry, January 10-13, 2004, Karachi. (2004) 50. Brevipsidone, a New Depsidone and Other ?-Glucosidase Inhibitors from Garcinia brevipedicellata (Clusiaceae), Joseph Ngoupayoa, Diderot T. Noungouea, Bruno N. Lentaa, Turibio K. Tabopdaa, Shamsun N. Khan, Silvere Ngouelaa, Mohammad A. Shaiqb and Etienne Tsamoa, Natural Product Communications, 2 (11), 1141-1144 51. Beta-Glucuronidase Inhibitory and Antibacterial Activity of Vernonia anthelmintica Willd. Shamsun Nahar Khan, M. Iqbal Choudhary, Shahida Shujat., 7 th Eureshia Conference on Chemical Sciences, March 09-12, Karachi. Pakistan. (2000), Pakistan 52. Comparison of effects of herbal extracts and antibiotics against bacteria., Shamsun Nahar Khan, Samad Talukdar,9th Annual Scientific conference (ASCON), ICDDR, B (International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research Bangladesh) Dhaka, (2000), Bangladesh 53. Antibacterial activity of Pterocarpus santalinus and compared with conventional antibiotics against pathogenic bacteria, Shamsun Nahar Khan, 1st National convention forum for Medical Microbiologists, (2000) Dhaka, Bangladesh. 54. Sensitivity of pathogenic bacteria to water extract of the dried Fruit and resistance to conventional antibiotic 17th annual conference, Bangladesh Society of Microbiologists, (2000), Dhaka, Bangladesh. 55. Fungal Trans Antibacterial activity of the bark Holarrhena antidysenterica Wall.,Shamsun Nahar Khan, Samad Talukdar,Eighteenth National Convention 2000 Society of Pathologists, Dhaka, (200).Banglades 56. Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibition Activity of Cedryl Acetate, M. Iqbal Choudhary, Sadia Sultan, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Muhammad Qaiser Fatmi, Urooj Fatima, Rahat Azhar Ali, Muhammad Atif and AttaurRahman, Chemistry and Biodiversity, (2007),. SWITZERLAND. Research Interest: Dr.  Shamsun Nahar Khan was honoured for her work on enzyme identification and inhibition, cutting-edge research on the borders of chemistry and biology. The Atta-ur-Rahman Prize - worth US$5000 - was established last year and the first winner was announced on Tuesday 18 September at the TWAS 23rd General Meeting in Tianjin (China). The prize honours original and cutting-edge research carried out in chemistry by young scientists from scientifically lagging countries. The first recipient of the Prize is Shamsun Nahar Khan, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at East West University in Dhaka, Bangladesh, for her studies on the borders of chemistry and biology, looking at the structure-activity relationship of novel alpha glucosidase inhibitors. She will receive her award at a meeting in Bangalore of TWAS-ROCASA (the TWAS Regional Office for Central and South Asia). Khan began her academic career in 1999 as a lecturer in the Department of Pharmacy and Clinical Pharmacology, at Gono Bishwabidyalaya (People's University), in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In 2002, she was awarded a postgraduate fellowship to undertake research on a PhD by the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), which is hosted by TWAS at its headquarters in Trieste. Khan completed her thesis at the H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, at the University of Karachi, Pakistan, in 2008. Showing an uncommon enthusiasm for both chemistry and biology, Khan carried out a variety of interdisciplinary investigations, including: anticancer studies; enzyme kinetics using chromatographic techniques; homology modelling; and pesticide and and medicinal plant analysis. She eventually focused her efforts on the identification of enzymes associated with different clinical conditions and a kinetic study of enzyme inhibition. Khan is now working on novel alpha glucosidase inhibitors. Alpha glucosidases are enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. Their inhibitors interfere with the absorption of glucose in the gut, and could help to control the blood sugar level in type-2 diabetes. Khan identified some major inhibitors within different families of natural compounds, such as terpenoids, flavonoids and iridoids, as well as within synthetic compounds such as biscoumarins, isocoumarins and chalcone derivatives. Shamsun Nahar Khan is the holder of 7 patents, and the recipient of several awards, including the award of Merit Scholarship Programme for High Technology from the Islamic Development Bank in Saudi Arabia. She supervised some 20 students between 2008 and 2010, and has authored more than 30 papers in international peer-reviewed journals. For these contibutions to her field, Khan was awarded the Atta-ur-Rahman Prize for chemistry.  East University was founded in 1996 under the private university act 1992. Now East West University has nine departments under three faculties. Participation in the following Workshops and courses: 1. NUS Bootcamp/HMS Nonuniform Sampling in Multidimensional NMR An intensive introduction to theory and application, offered at Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, June 14-17, 2011 2. Mentoring Lunch Series Agenda, offered by life sciences education office, Harvard University, March 1, 2011 3. Bruker NMR Work shop by France counterpart, 2007 4. HEJRIC-ROKTEN Workshop on "Animal Cell Culture" which was jointly sponsored by the United Nation Development program/ National Talent Pool of Pakistan and Methodist Research Institute, Clarian Health Partners, Inc. Indianapolis, USA. 3. Lecture Series on Scientific Integrity, offered at H.E.J Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, 2nd September -16th September, 2004 5. Lecture Series "Biochemical Basis of Diabetes and Ageing" conducted by Dr. Nessar Ahmed, Department of Biological Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK, 15-24 April 2003 6. H.E.J. COMSTECH(CPC)-TWAS International Workshop on the Development of Medicines from Plants, September 8-13, 2003, Karachi, Pakistan. 7. Workshop on "Modern NMR Spectroscopy and Its Application in Research", Organized by International Center for Chemical Sciences, H.E.J Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karchi, Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research and Bruker Biospin S.A., France. February 17-18, 2004, Karachi, Pakistan 8. "Pak-China Binational workshop onthe Pharmacology and Standardization of Herbal Medicines" October 22-27, 2004 9. Workshop on "Electron Microscopy" organized by M. A. H. Qadri, Biological Research Center, in collaboration with department of microbiology and department of Botany, University of Karachi December 22-24 nuary 14-15, 2004, Karachi, Pakistan. 8. 1st Internaitonal Conference of Bangladesh Bioethics Society (BBS)15-16 March, 2010, Organized by UNESCO Bankok, UNESCO Bankok and UGC 10. "X-ray Crystallography" course offered at H.E.J Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, August 2001 Organizing member of the following international Conferences: 1. People's Health Assembly-2000, Gonoshasthaya Kendra, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh 2. Asian Symposium on Medicinal plant, Spices& Natural products (ASOMPS) Held on -18 th -23rd July at Dhaka, Bangladesh. 3. Asian network Research on Antidiabetic Plant (ANRAP) Held on 16 th to 17 th july at Dhaka, Bangladesh. 4. 7 th Eureshia Conference 7 th Eureshia Conference on Chemical Sciences March 09-12, Karachi, Pakistan. 5. 3rd International and 13 th National Chemistry Conference, December 28-31, 2002 6. 9th International Symposium on Natural Product Chemistry, January 10-13, 2004-Karachi, Pakistan 7. 8th International Symposium on Protein structure Function Relationship, Jan.7-10, 2005, Karachi., AFASSA Symposium on Natural Products and Regional Meeting July 25-27, 2005, Karachi, Pakistan 8. 10th symposium on Natural product Chemistry, January 10-13, 2004, Karachi, Pakistan.

Post Doctoral Training:
Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan has completed her post-doctoral training program at Molecular and Cellular biology, Harvard University, USA in January 2013.
Ph.D:
Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan has been awarded a PostgraduateFellowship from TWAS, Trieste Italy, has been established by Noble Laureate Professor Dr. Abdus Salam. Dr. Khan has submitted her thesis at International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J Research Institute of Chemistry University of Karachi, Pakistan, December 2008.
M. Pharm (Masters in Pharmacy):
Dr. Khan completed her M. Pharm from Jahangirnagar University.
B. Pharm (Bachelor of pharmacy):
Dr. Khan completed her M. Pharm from Jahangirnagar University.



Awards& Honors:

"ATTA-UR-RAHMAN PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY"September, 2012 by Third world Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Trieste, Itally.
TWAS-BANGLADESH ACADEMY of SCIENCES-2011 Prize to Young Scientists from Bangladesh Award 2011, Bangladesh Academy of Science and Third world Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Trieste, Itally.
AWARD of "MERIT SCHOALRSHIP PROGRAM FOR HIGH TECHNOLOGY" Sept, 2010, Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Award of "EXCELLENCE in RESEARCH and TEACHING", 14 Foundation Day, East West University, (2009).
Award of "TWOWS POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP", 23rd May 2002, Third world Organization for Women in Science, Trieste, Itally, C/O Third world Academy of Sciences (TWAS).
"Fellowship for International Graduating Students"by International Center for Chemical and Biological Science, H.E.J. ?Research Institute of Chemistry, 2007-2008
"Visiting Research Fellowship" by COMSTECH 2000,
Jahangir Nagar University Talent Scholarship1992-1993
Bangladesh Government Talent Scholarship, 1989-1991 (full free studentship) (Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka SSC Examination)
US Patents:
1. Patent Title: Method of producing tibolone metabolites by fermentation with Rhizopusstolonifer, Inventors: AttaurRahman, Mohammed IqbalChoudhary, Syed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Assignees: International Center for Chemical Sciences ?IPC8 Class: AC12P3300FI ?USPC Class: 435 52 ?Class name: Preparing compound containing a cyclopentanohydrophenanthrene nucleus; nor-, homo-, or D-ring lactone derivatives thereof ?Publication date: 05/26/2011, US?Patent application number: 20110124041, (2011). USA
2. Patent Title:Method of producing tibolone metabolites by fermentation with Fusariumlini, Inventors: AttaurRahman, Mohammed IqbalChoudhary, Syed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Assignees: International Center for Chemical Sciences ?IPC8 Class: AC12P3300FI ?USPC Class: 435 52 ?Class name: Preparing compound containing a cyclopentanohydrophenanthrene nucleus; nor-, homo-, or D-ring lactone derivatives thereof ?Publication date: 05/26/2011 US?Patent application number: 20110124042, (2011). USA
3. Patent Title:Method of producing tibolone metabolites by fermentation with Gibberellafujikuroi, Inventors: Atta-ur-Rahman, Mohammad IqbalChoudharySyed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar Khan,International Center for Chemical Sciences, IPC8 Class: AC12P3312FI ?USPC Class: 435 54 ?Class name: Acting on D-ring ?Publication date: 05/26/2011, US?Patent application number: 20110124043 (2011), USA.
4. Patent Title:Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors from fungal hydroxylation of Tibolone and hydroxytibolones, Inventors: Atta-ur-Rahman, MuhammedIqbalChoudhary, Syed Adnan Ali Shah, Shamsun Nahar KhanIPC8 Class: AC12P3306FI, USPC Class: 514178. US?Patent application number: 20090137542, (2009).USA
5. Patent Title: New alpha-glucosidase inhibitors and antibacterial compounds from Myrtuscommunis L., Inventors: AttaurRahman, Mohammad IqbalChoudhary, FarzanaShaheen, Manzoor Ahmad, Shamsun Nahar Khan, ShaziaAnjum, Assignees:International Center for Chemical Sciences, IPC8Class: AC07D49304FI, USPC Class: 549382
Class name: Pentacyclo ring system having the hetero ring as one of the cyclos
Publication date: 10/30/2008, US Patent application number: 20080269510, (2008). USA
6. Patent Title:?-amyrin acetate for treatment of diabetes mellitus, Inventors: Wijayabandara, Mirihanage Don Jayantha; Khan, Shamsun Nahar Khan; Choudhary, Muhammad Iqbal, Publication date: 05/01/2008, US?Patent application number: US2006-553465, (2008). USA
7. Patent Title: Patent application title: Novel alpha glucosidase activator, pulicarside 1, Inventors: ViqarUddin Ahmad, Muhammad IqalChoudhary, Nasir Khan, Shamsun Nahar Khan, Assignees: HEJ Research Institute, IPC8 Class: AA61K317028FI, USPC Class: 514 27, Class name: Oxygen of the saccharide radical bonded directly to a nonsaccharide hetero ring or a polycyclo ring system which contains a nonsaccharide hetero ring, Publication date: 11/06/2008
Patent application number: 20080274987, (2008), USA

Interview by Florian, Montebello, Montreal , Canada

 

 

 

 

 


 

 



 



 

East West University (EWU) (Bengali: ইস্টওয়েস্ট বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়) is a private university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in 1996 by the Private University Act, 1992.^[2] Its campus is in Jahrul Islam City, Aftabnagar.
The university is accredited by the government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, and its curricula and programs have been approved by the Bangladesh University Grants Commission. The President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh is the Chancellor of EWU. The Vice Chancellor, the Pro-Vice Chancellor, and the Treasurer are appointees of the President of the country in his capacity as the Chancellor of the University.
East West University has collaboration agreements with Pace University, Suffolk University, Southern Illinois University, University of Luton, University of Fukui. EWU has entered into collaboration agreements with universities in the USA, UK and Australia.
Pharmacy Council of Bangladesh is the sole accreditation authority in Bangladesh to accredit professional degree programme in Pharmacy. The council accredited the Department of Pharmacy, East West University on August 13, 2007.
The university has student clubs to promote sporting and academic activities.

Inside Campus of EWU

East West University
Motto	"Excellence in Education"
Established	1996
Type	Private
Chancellor	President Abdul Hamid
President	Dr. Mohammed Farashuddin (Trustee Board)
Vice-Chancellor	Professor Ahmed Shafee
Academic staff	Full Time: 290[1] Adjunct: 120[1]
Administrative staff	350
Undergraduates	9000 students (approx)
Postgraduates	2500 students (approx)
Location	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Campus	Urban Jahurul Islam City, Aftab Nagar, Dhaka 1212
Colors	Blue
Nickname	EWU
Affiliations	University Grants Commission
Website	www.ewubd.edu

Jahurul Islam City, Aftabnagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Jahurul Islam City, Aftabnagar, Dhaka

Jahurul Islam City, Aftabnagar, Merul Badda 

 

 Aftab Nagar - Main road

BANGLADESH





 Dr. Shamsun Nahar Khan post ends............want a tour then continue or stop here



 VISIT INDIA

Glimpses of india




 Love, cast in stone: Temples in India depicting erotic art

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India is dotted with many glorious temples, but erotica on the walls of some arouses curiosity and even puzzles tourists. There are various theories about the reason for such vivid depiction of erotica--mass sex education, warding off natural calamities and the devdasi system. Due to the presence of 64 Yogini temples near Khajuraho, Padawali, Konarak/Lingaraj etc., scholars also attribute the erotic art to Tantric practices, which revolve around the ultimate union of the male and the female energy and forms referred to as Maithuna. Whatever the reason be, the brazenness or ethereal beauty of temple erotica will never cease to amaze us.

Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh

Built by the Chandela Kings who were greatly influenced by Tantric traditions, this temple is said to represent the ultimate seductress.
While the fine sandstone statues built earlier have a well rounded finish, the ones made later are more angular. In his history of the Kamasutra, Mc Connachie describes the amorous sculptures as "the apogee of erotic art", where the twisting, broad hipped and high breasted nymphs, fleshy apsaras and extravagantly interlocked maithunas run riot along the surface of stone.
The various scenes of passionate love making, in acrobatic postures that sometimes border on the physically impossible, strike viewers. Look out for the bold panels of multiple partners engaged with each other. For an interesting perspective on Khajuraho, watch the Sound and Light show. The best time to visit is during the Khajuraho Dance Festival in the first week of February.
Markandeshwar Temple, Maharashtra

Near the naxal district of Gadchiroli, the Markandeshwar temple complex, by the River Wainganga, showcases a sprinkling of erotic art. A couple performing ‘fellacio’ will raise eyebrows. Know to be built by danavas (evil forces) in one night, the temple is made from stone, and follows Hemadpanth architecture. The annual fair during Mahashivratri attracts devotees from far and wide every year. Hiring a car from Nagpur is recommended, unless you fancy hitch-hiking with villagers past moonlit fields or changing several buses and autos. If you're stranded, look for the dharamshala near the temple.
Padawali Temple,  Madhya Pradesh

In Morena district near the Chambal Valley, once notorious for dacoits, lies the fortress of Padawali. Two stalwart lion statues greet you at its entrance. The temple inside has earned the reputation being a 'Mini Khajuraho' due to the prevalence of erotic art. The difference between big brother Khajuraho and Padawali Temple, is that the erotic art here seems less acrobatic and more ‘real life' and 'doable’. The carvings of maithunas in various positions, ranging from simple to difficult almost brings the Kamasutra to life.
Ranakpur Jain Temples, Rajasthan
This marble temple of superlative beauty is a ‘vision in white’ with its domes, shikharas and turrets. Over 1,444 intricately carved marble pillars hold up the temple and a monolithic marble rock depicting over 100 snakes catches the eye. Look out for a panel depicting several experimental love making scenes, in a line with a central queen-like figure seated on a throne, with an amorous midget on her lap. It's interesting to note that not only Hindus, but even Jains decorated temples with erotic art. It hints at how nudity had a religious connect due to the 'Digambara’ ideology or the Tantric cult.

Sun Temple,  Orissa 

When I first visited the Sun Temple at Konarak in Orissa, as a giggly 16-year-old , I was  taken aback by how the panels revealed way more about the ‘birds and bees’ than our biology classes had taught us. My second visit recently, helped me appreciate the beautiful erotic art better. The brazenness of the sculptures here gives Khajuraho stiff competition; one of the most scandalous panels is of a dog licking a woman’s genital area. I overheard a guide say, "this was considered a cure for sex related infections, as the dog’s saliva has antibiotic properties." Scenes of polygamy, polyandry and lesbian love are blissfully abundant.
An architectural genius, this temple shows the Sun God on a colossal chariot drawn by seven horses. The word Konarak is a combination of Kona (corner) and Arka (Sun).  The temple was previously located closer to the sea, but the magnetic properties of its stone caused shipwrecks. This, along with the dark colour of its stones, earned it the tile of 'The Black Pagoda'. An interesting study in contrast is the famous Jagannath Temple at Puri, also referred to as ‘The White Pagoda' due to its whitewashed walls. If you are an art enthusiast you must visit the Konarak Archaeological Museum nearby that contains fallen sculptures from the temple.
Sun Temple, Gujarat

It is believed to be the place where Lord Rama conducted a yagna here to purify himself of the sin of killing a Brahmana-Ravana. Like Konarak, its architecture is such that the temple catches the first rays of the rising sun. The most striking feature of the temple is a perfectly designed Kama Kunda (water tank) meant for ablutions and for a reflection of the temple in the water. It has lateral stone steps leading down to the tank, allowing both direct and diagonal descent from all sides. Carvings of men and women in various acts of sex with small midget like creatures are prominent. However, due to erosion the detailing of the stone carvings is blurred in places.

Osian, Rajasthan

Amidst the sand dunes of Thar, Osian has a cluster of Hindu and Jain temples dating back to the 11 century AD. The Sachiya Mata temple dedicated to the resident Goddess has a gorgeous carved archway leading up to the shrine and has some beautiful depiction of erotic love locked couples, complete with details like the bed on which the couples lie.
Virupaksha Temple, Karnataka
On the banks of the Tungabhadra River, this temple with beautiful pillars and towered gateways dedicated to Lord Shiva in his avatar as Virupaksha. It is one of the oldest functioning temples since the 7th century AD. A  panel  that catches the eyes depicts a nude woman being 'admired' by men and women around her. It is best to visit the temple, during the Hampi festival in November. While in the area, also check out the erotic art on the pillars of the Achyutaraya temple.
Several other temples in South India like Belur, Halebidu, Somanathapura and Nugguhalli, the Badami and Banashankari temples of the Chalukya times and the Vijayanagar temples of Bhatkal and Lepakshi also have a profusion of erotic art. The Meenakshi temple of Madurai and Veeraranarayan temple of Gadag have erotic sculptures on their Gopuram. (Information about other temples with erotic art in South India taken from www.kamat.com)
No one has summed up the beauty of erotica on temple walls better than Tagore while he was referring to Konarak, 'The language of man here is defeated by the language of stone.’