Author: Farhana Jui Mithila, North South University
Dr. Firdausi Qadri is a distinguished Bangladeshi scientist who has made significant contributions to public health, especially through her longstanding work on immunology and vaccines for cholera, typhoid, and enteric diseases. Through her pioneering research and innovations, she is opening new horizons in the country’s healthcare sector.
In 2021, Dr. Qadri was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award, known as the Nobel Prize of Asia. Honoring her, the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation stated, “for her passion for the scientific profession and lifelong dedication, her vision in building human and physical infrastructure for future generations of Bangladeshi scientists, especially for female scientists, and her relentless contributions in vaccine development, advanced biotechnology therapeutics, and valuable research that is saving millions of precious lives.“
Education and Career
Dr. Firdausi Qadri completed her Master’s in Biochemistry from the University of Dhaka. Later, she earned her PhD in infectious diseases and immunology from the University of Liverpool, UK. In 1988, she joined the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b). There, she specialized in infectious diseases, immunology, vaccine development, and clinical trials.
Research and Innovation
Dr. Qadri led the development of the low-cost and effective oral cholera vaccine “Shanchol.” This vaccine is being used as a primary tool to control the disease among Bangladesh’s poor and underserved populations. She has also played a crucial role in developing a conjugate vaccine for typhoid, which is equally effective for both adults and children.
In 2011, she conducted research in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where her team tested the efficacy of the “Shanchol” vaccine. More recently, she led a vaccination program to prevent cholera among Rohingya refugees, whose living conditions make them particularly vulnerable to these infectious enteric diseases.
Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives (ideSHi)
In 2014, Dr. Qadri founded ideSHi, a research institution focusing on biomedical research, training, and education. The organization conducts advanced scientific research and provides training for the next generation of scientists in the country.
Awards and Recognition
These remarkable achievements have brought Dr. Firdausi Qadri global recognition. In 2021, Singapore-based magazine “Asian Scientist” included her in its list of Asia’s top 100 scientists.
Our Pride
The life and work of Dr. Firdausi Qadri stand as a shining example for Bangladeshi scientists and researchers. Her research and innovations play an important role not only in the progress of public health in Bangladesh but also around the world. Her achievements make us proud and inspire the scientists of tomorrow. Scientist.org pays its deepest respects for her contributions to research and social work.
References:
https://ideshi.org/2021/10/dr-firdausi-qadri-wins-ramon-magsaysay-award-2021/
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