Zhahirul Islam

Dr. Zhahirul Islam obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He obtained his PhD from Erasmus MC University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. He pursued his post-doctoral studies at Stanford University, and the NIH, USA. Dr. Islam is currently working as Scientist and Head of the Laboratory of Gut-Brain Signaling (GBS) under Laboratory Sciences and Services Division of icddr,b. Dr. Islam’s research focuses on infectious diseases and peripheral neuropathy. He has a broad background in the field Campylobacter infection and Guillain-Barré syndrome in Bangladesh. Besides basic and applied immunology of infectious diseases, his work also encompasses clinical and large field based studies including clinical trials. He is successfully coordinating a “Phase 1b followed by Phase 2/3 trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability, efficacy, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ANX005 in participants with GBS” in Bangladesh. He has been successfully leading International GBS outcome study (IGOS). Dr. Islam has received Emerging Global Leader Award by NIH (K43), NIH (R21), Young Investigators award by BMGF, Global Health Equity Scholars (GHES) award by the Fogarty International Center/NIH and the Center for Innovation in Global Health at Stanford, USA.