Pakistani professor makes it to list of top 100 scientists in medicine

KARACHI – A Pakistani professor has made it to the list of top 100 medicine scientists. 

Prof Zulfiqar Bhutta of the Aga Khan University (AKU) has been ranked among top 100 medicine scientists in the first edition of the top scientists ranking for medicine published by Research.com, one of the major knowledge centres for research.

The ranking is based on the criteria that considers h-index, which indicates how productive and influential a researcher is, publications and citations, says a statement.

The ranking team examined 166,880 scientists on Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic Graph, and over 65,743 profiles for the discipline of medicine.

Prof Bhutta is the only scientist from Pakistan and other low and middle-income countries who made it to the top 100.

“As is the case for other recent recognitions, though a personal recognition, this ranking reflects the achievements of scores of young researchers and faculty members across the world who have worked with me on problems of the most marginalised and impoverished women and children in poor communities,” commented Prof Bhutta.

Prof Bhutta is the founding director of the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health and the Institute for Global Health and Development at AKU; and Co-Director of the SickKids Centre for Global Child Health, Robert Harding Chair in Global Child Health and Policy, and a Senior Scientist in the Child Health Evaluative Sciences programme at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto.

“Congratulations to Prof Bhutta and his team for this great achievement. Their relevant research at AKU has changed lives not only in the countries where we seek to serve but also globally,” said AKU President Sulaiman Shahabuddin.

Prof Bhutta is one of the original members of AKU’s faculty since the establishment of the University. Having begun his career at AKU in 1986, the University provided a foundation for the development of an illustrious career in which he built research programmes on maternal and child health and nutrition with national and global impact, despite the challenges of political turmoil and economic insecurity in Pakistan.

At AKU, Prof Bhutta holds the title of Distinguished University Professor – the highest faculty rank the University can confer – as well as an Award of Distinction and Award of Excellence in Research. He has received several international awards and recognition.

Recently, he received the Roux Prize for turning evidence into health impact and the John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award for outstanding achievements in global health research.