By By Shahid Husain
Pakistani scientist, Dr Huzoor Akbar, who bagged the first position in biochemistry from the University of Karachi (KU) in 1971, is conducting research on blood cells called platelets that will help in combating several diseases, including hypertension or high blood pressure, diabetes, dengue and in containing high cholesterol levels.
ìI work on blood cells called platelets. Platelets are very important in maintaining normal blood flow. If you have a cut or injury to your blood vessel, these platelets will aggregate at the site of injury to help stop bleeding,î Akbar told The News. ìIf platelets did not perform this function, one can even bleed to death. In other words, if you have not enough platelets or defective platelets, then you will have bleeding tendency,î he said.
During his student life at the KU, Dr Akbar was not only a brilliant student but also took part in extra curricular activities. He was also an active member of the left-wing National Students Federation (NSF). After completing his MSc in biochemistry from the KU in 1971, Akbar was awarded a scholarship from the Australian National University, and subsequently completed his doctoral degree in clinical science. Thereafter, he went to Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA. He is currently an associate professor at the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ohio University, USA.
ìIf platelets become very sensitive, as happens during hypertension or high blood pressure, diabetes or in persons suffering from high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, there is a tendency to form platelet aggregating where clotting takes place. This condition can lead to a heart attack or stroke,î he said.
ìI am doing research to understand the biochemical and molecular reactions or mechanisms involved in regulation of platelet activation,î he said. ìThe reason is that if we understand the biochemical and molecular activation of platelets, then we can develop near-therapeutic agents for down regulating platelet hyper activity in platelet susceptible to thrombosis for prevention or management of patients with cardiovascular or cerebrum vascular (stroke),î he explained.
In infections caused by the dengue virus, which is very common in Karachi and this part of the world, platelet count is very low and it results in major tendencies, he said.
Asked about his current research, Akbar said: ìWe have different projects in this field. One of them involves studying chemicals extracted from plants that inhabit platelet aggregation. We have a compound, a small molecule that may mix the action of insulin. This compound has dual function: it can lower blood sugar levels, and also regulate or inhabit platelet inhibition,î he said.
Dr Akbar is in the city to conduct a workshop. ìThe idea is to investigate local plants and herbs to discover anti-platelet (anti-thrombosis) activity for developing new drugs based on natural products,î he pointed out. ìWe are conducting a 10-day long workshop to train researchers at Dr AQ Khan Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (KIBGE) and other institutes in conducting platelet function studies,î he said.
ìWe are also designing, synthesising and testing specific small molecules that interact with specific signalling molecules in platelets,î Akbar said. ìIn this project, we are using a dual approach of gene targeting in mice to remove a specific signalling molecule and specifically-designed molecules that inhibit the same signalling molecule. This research has shown that signalling molecules called Rho GTPaoes are therapeutic targets for developing safer anti-throb tic agents,î he said.
Asked if he was satisfied with the pace of the progress in science in Pakistan, he said: ìI was here eight years ago. There has been a tremendous improvement in the infrastructure and resources for conducting research, for example at KIBGE and other institutions. The resources here are at par with institutions in the United States.î He added that he was ìtotally impressedî by the motivation of young researchers at the KU, which was a good sign for the future of science in Pakistan.