Sat, Mar. 11 9:40-10:10

Professor (retired) 

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

University of Dhaka

Dr Haseena Khan, a fomer UGC Professor has been recognized by the Govt. of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh with Independence Day Award 2019, the highest civilian award of the country for her unique contribution to research and training. She has received the Kazi Mahbubullah Gold Medal in 2016 and Bangladesh Academy of Science-M.O.Ghani Memorial Gold Medal in 2011. She is also the recipient of the first BASIS Luna Shamsuddoha Award 2022.  

She was one of the team leaders of the jute genome project, the first major genome project of Bangladesh. She with the help of an international team decoded the Hilsa fish genome and was the first group to publish the genome findings. Her research team was the first to establish a transformation protocol for jute, an important breakthrough as the two cultivars of jute (deshi and tossa) grown in Bangladesh are cross incompatible and recalcitrant to tissue culture. Using this transformation protocol, she has developed jute lines in which the lignin content has been reduced. These lines will be useful in paper pulping. Her lab has also reported the existence of new antibiotic compounds in microbes isolated from jute which are proving to be high yielding and pristine sources of commercially invaluable bioactive compounds. 

She was the founder Chairperson of the Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Dhaka. She has served in the 1st National Executive Committee on Biotechnology, (2004-2006), advising on the application of biotechnology in national development. She helped in the development of the National Biotechnology Guidelines. She is a member of the Board of Governors, of the National Institute of Biotechnology and member of the National Technical Committee on Biotechnology (2016 – till date). She is a Fellow and now the Secretary of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences (BAS), and Fellow of The World Academy of Science. She was a Visiting Professor at the South Asian (SAARC) University at New Delhi, India.