The Royal Society of Chemistry has awarded its Chemistry Biology Interface Horizon Prize 2026 to the Global Neglected Tropical Diseases Network, a multi-country consortium that includes a strong Pakistani contingent. The prize recognizes the network’s development of new tools for the identification and chemical and genetic validation of multiple new drug targets for leishmaniasis and Chagas disease.
Leading the Pakistani effort is Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General of OIC-COMSTECH and a Mustafa Prize laureate, who heads the national team within this collaboration. Scientists from the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences at the University of Karachi, notably Prof. Dr. Sammer Yousuf and Dr. Saba Farooq, represent the HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry and the Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research in this project.
The Horizon Prize-winning programme, led by Durham University and supported by the Global Challenges Research Fund through the Medical Research Council, brings together researchers from the UK, Uruguay, India, Brazil, Argentina and Pakistan. Their combined work targets protozoan neglected tropical diseases that continue to affect millions in vulnerable communities worldwide.
The recognition for the Horizon Prize highlights Pakistan’s growing role in international drug discovery efforts and scientific partnerships. By contributing new screening tools and validation strategies, the Pakistani team enhances prospects for effective therapies against leishmaniasis and Chagas disease and strengthens the country’s scientific reputation on the global stage.
This accolade underscores collaborative research as a pathway to tangible impact on global health and positions Pakistan as a key partner in addressing neglected tropical diseases through innovation and shared expertise.
