First Death Anniversary of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslam khan (1932-2023)

Death Anniversary of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslam khan (1932-2023)

Authors

  • Muhammad Shoaib Akhtar Department of Cell Biology & Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, United States

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37978/tijfs.v7i1.420

Keywords:

Prof. Aslam Khan, Loss in Medical Genetics, Mosquitoes, Consanguinity

Abstract

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslamkhan died peacefully on February 20, 2023, in Lahore, Pakistan. Prof. Aslamkhan was the founding head of the Human Genetics and Molecular Biology Department of the University of Health Sciences Lahore (UHS). He was also a Director of Sports and cocurricular activities at the UHS. His services to UHS were brought by the Higher Education Commission’s project entitled “strengthening of basic medical sciences at UHS, ” commonly known as SBMS as a project director. This project not only brought a lot of funding for the establishment of research facilities at the UHS but also employment opportunities for young people.

Prof. Aslamkhan received his Doctorate of Science (D.Sc.) in Genetics and Anthropology from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, in 1963, after his master's degree from Punjab University (1953). He was among the founding fellows of the Biological Society of Pakistan (1956) and the Zoological Society of Pakistan (1968). In 1968, he was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, London. Later, the Pakistan Academy of Medical Sciences awarded him a fellowship in 1985. His professional services include academic and research affiliations with the provincial bodies of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

He served as Deputy Chief for the Division of Medical Entomology of the International Center for Medical Research and Training (ICMRT) at the Pakistan Medical Research Center, Lahore. Later, he became the Chief of Malaria Vector Research at ICMRT. This was the time when he studied the bionomics of mosquito species in Pakistan, which serves as a reference (1). While affiliated with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, he extended his research towards vector-borne diseases of public health importance (2-10). After retirement from the University of Maryland, he worked as an independent consultant for several national and international bodies. Later, he joined the Higher Education Commission’s project SBMS as Project Director. During this affiliation, he also launched the first department of Human Genetics in the country at UHS Lahore. This department is still operational and produces many PhDs in human genetics, working at various reputable organizations in and outside the country. The department’s objective was to study the basics of genetic diseases in the country, and it has been doing very well until today. Prof. Aslamkhan’s research on genetic diseases has mainly focused on the role of consanguinity in gene pooling in the Pakistani population (11-13). Over the past several years, he has also voluntarily offered genetic counselling to patients with hemoglobinopathies at Sundas Foundation Lahore. He also studied the public health dynamics of blood donors at the Sundas Foundation in addition to genetic counselling (14, 15). He was also recognized as an Eminent Professor of Genetics by Higher Education Commission.

In 2017, he founded The International Journal of Frontier Sciences and became its first editor-in-chief until he died last year. I am publishing this obituary at his first death anniversary on February 20, 2024, praying for his eternal peace.

I wish him to rest in peace in his life in hereafter. Ameen!

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References

Aslam khan M, Salman C. The bionomics of the mosquitoes of the Changa Manga National Forest, West Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of zoology. 1969;1(2):183-205.

Reisen W, Aslam khan M. Biting rhythms of some Pakistan mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). Bulletin of Entomological Research. 1978;68(2):313-30.

Reisen WK, Aslam khan M. A release—recapture experiment with the malaria vector, Anopheles stephensi Liston, with observations on dispersal, survivorship, population size, gonotrophic rhythm and mating behaviour. Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology. 1979;73(3):251-69.

Reisen WK, Siddiqui TF, Aslam khan M, Malik GM. Larval interspecific associations and physico-chemical relationships of the ground-water breeding mosquitoes of Lahore [Includes Ficalbia chamberlaini clavipalpus]. Pakistan Journal of Scientific Research. 1981.

The effects of climatic patterns and agricultural practices on the population dynamics of Culex tritaeniorhynchus in Asia. The Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health. 1976(1):61-71.

Aslam khan M. The mosquitoes of Pakistan I. A checklist. Mosquito Systematics Newsletter. 1971;3(4).

Aslam khan M. Karyotypes of some Anopheles, Ficalbia and Culex mosquitoes of Asia.

Baker RH, Aslam khan M. Karyotypes Of Some Asian Mosquitoes Of The Subfamily Culicinae (Diptera: Culicidae)1. Journal of Medical Entomology. 1969;6(1):44-52.

Bancroftian filariasis in two villages in Dinajpur District, East Pakistan. I. Infections in man. American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene. 1972;21(1):22-9.

Wolfe MS, Aslam khan M. Filariasis in East Pakistan. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 1971;65(1):63-9.

Akhtar MS, Aslam khan M, Zar MS, Hanif A, Haris AR. Dichromacy: Color Vision Impairment and Consanguinity in Heterogenous Population of Pakistan. The International Journal of Frontier Sciences. 2019;3(1):41-56.

Zar MS, Akhtar MS, Haris AR, Aslam khan M. Colour Vision Deficiency and Consanguinity in Pakistani Pukhtoon Population. Advancements in Life Sciences. 2020;7(4):237-9.

Kanwal S, Akhtar MS, Hanif A, Aslam khan M, editors. Genetic Epidemiology Survey in Pakistan-A Case Report. GENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY; 2015: WILEY-BLACKWELL 111 RIVER ST, HOBOKEN 07030-5774, NJ USA.

Qadeer M, Aslam khan M, Akhtar M, Ellahi F. Pre-blood-donation screening of volunteer prisoners for hepatitis B and C in prisons of the Punjab, Pakistan. Acta Medica International. 2016;3(2):31-5.

Qadeer MI, Aslam khan M, Akhtar MS, Ellahi F. High Seropositivity of HIV, Hepatitis and Syphilis in Prisoner Blood Donors than the General Population Volunteers from the Punjab, Pakistan–A Longitudinal 13 Years Study. The International Journal of Frontier Sciences. 2017

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Published

2024-02-20

How to Cite

Akhtar, M. S. (2024). First Death Anniversary of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslam khan (1932-2023): Death Anniversary of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Aslam khan (1932-2023). The International Journal of Frontier Sciences, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.37978/tijfs.v7i1.420