A brief history of Neuro Scientist Prof. Fakhrul Islam
Born
Prof. Islam was born in India, on the May 1st, 1950, to a respectable yet humble family of Basahi, a small village in the Azamgarh district located on the bank of the Tamsa River, 268 km east of Lucknow, the state capital of Uttar Pradesh. His father Dr. Mohd Ishaq was a Homeopathic medicine practitioner and his mother was a homemaker. He was the second child among five siblings, with an elder sister and three younger brothers in his family. Prof. Islam started his primary schooling from Basahi and thereafter he was admitted to the Middle School of Deogaon market which is 2 km away from his village. This school was quite famous in Azamgarh district for its education and academic standards. Later he was enrolled at SKGN Inter College Lalganj, Azamgarh from where he passed his high school in the year 1966. Though with modest means, his family had always encouraged him to live his dream of becoming a scientist. His mother ensured that her son would imbibe high moral values alongside modern education.
Early Education
After passing his intermediate in the year 1968 from the renowned Shibli National College, Azamgarh, he went to Aligarh Muslim University to pursue higher education and completed B. Sc (Honours) mains in Chemistry and M. Sc in Chemistry from the Department of Chemistry.
Doctorate
Later he enrolled for his Doctoral research under the able guidance and mentorship of his supervisor Late Prof. Dr. Mahdi Hasan and selected his specialization in Neurosciences, and completed his M.Phil. & Ph.D. from Interdisciplinary Brain Research Center (IBRC), J.N. Medical College, A.M.U. Aligarh.
In the year 1981, Dr. Islam joined Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), an undertaking of the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India and was appointed to work as a Research Officer at IBRC, J.N. Medical College, A.M.U.
In his early days he had understood the importance of self-confidence and perseverance to combat challenges at various stages of life. It became an impetus to all his endeavors for the rest of his life. He had always strived to become an indispensable asset for his team and organization.
Post Doctoral Fellowship (PDF)
Dr. Islam continued to hone his research skills for the next four years until he got acknowledged by the International Brain Research Organization and was subsequently selected for the Post Doctoral Fellowship (PDF) to work at Centre de Neurochiemi Du CNRS, Strasbourg Cedex, France. This Centre has received acclaims in the field of neurosciences in entire Europe.
Scientist
After completing his PDF from France, Dr. Islam accepted an offer by the Japanese Government to work as a PDF and scientist in Kyoto. On the 100th anniversary of Osaka city, the Japanese Government constructed a new research institute in Osaka and he again got an opportunity to join the group of scientists at Osaka Biosciences Institute, where he worked as a PDF and scientist.
In the year 1991, after returning to homeland India, he briefly joined CSIR's Scientists Pool and was appointed at the IBRC, J.N. Medial College, AMU.
Lecturer
In 1994 he was appointed as a Lecturer in Department of Medical Elementology & Neurotoxicology, at Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India, he served at various faculty positions including the head of the research, Department of Toxicology. Many prominent scholars, who are placed globally with renowned institutes, had completed their research work under his excellent supervision and guidance at Jamia Hamdard.
Professor
In the year2010, he was selected as a Professor for the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, King Abdullah University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia, where his tenure had seen many scholars scaling up their research ambitions. He served his department at the university, as a distinguished faculty until his retirement as professor in the year 2019.
Fulfilling Retirement
Prof. Islam is now finally settled at Aligarh to enjoy a purposeful post-retirement life with his family and friends. As a work-oriented man who has always given priority to his research profession, he is now engaged by a Chemical manufacturing company NIS Biotech, established by his elder son Fahad Islam an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Roorkee) and Aligarh Muslim University, Zakir Hussain College of Engineering & Technology (ZHCET). While pursuing his long held hobby of gardening, Prof. Islam invests his time in his son’s company and his vast research experience plays a vital role in the company’s growth. He is also establishing a new field which will be a great future aspect for the company.