July 20, 2006

Dr Ahmed’s main interest is not matching DNA samples. It is using the natural resources to decrease environmental pollution. “We have bacteria in natural resources, the microbes, to work on for this specific purpose,” she says giving the example of the Tasman Spirit oil spill disaster on Karachi’s coast and how her genetic labs used microbes, developed in the lab, to clean up the oil

On a warm Karachi morning, a usual one without electricity, I’m greeted at the door of the Centre for Molecular Genetics of the University of Karachi by a kindly looking lady. Possessing a humble demeanour, Dr Nuzhat Ahmed, the director of the centre, does not look like a scientist.

A geneticist, housewife, mother and grandmother, Dr Ahmed had specially asked this scribe to visit the lab, which she started from a single room way back in 1990.

But first there were other more pressing issues at hand, like power outages at such an important laboratory. Noticing my concern over all the refrigeration equipment surviving with the power off and on regularly, she assures with a smile, “They’ll hold for now, I have been told getting a generator is complicated as we have three different connections. The wiring is confusing.” One can see that she has been conditioned by all kinds of hindrances and delays in her line of work.

“There was just one room from which I started, yes, this one right here,” she says pointing towards a visibly well equipped laboratory on the far right, “It was completely empty when I got it. There was nothing here but termites.” The promised round of the genetic lab, or labs, to put it correctly, was up next.

It is quite clear that she is proud of what she has built over these years –– slowly but surely –– as she got the money in the form of various local and foreign grants. “We get our money for construction, purchase of equipment and research by getting grants from various national and international organisations. That is what has had us going so far.”

Her first lab is now a place where work on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples and DNA isolation. “We now have the technology to catch criminals but we don’t really want to get into the field of forensics.” She shrugs with a smile, “Who wants to get involved in that kind of mess? Besides, it’s the police’s job to catch them.” But if she has the equipment and the expertise then why not lend a helping hand, I ask. She replies, “Well, yes, we do help sometimes, but only when we are asked to do so.”

The equipment in Dr Ahmed’s lab can do wonders even if there is a very minute quantity of DNA available. “If you find a spot of blood or a strand of hair, you extract its DNA and then use the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to multiply it. Then we see how much in percentage it resembles, in nature, a suspect’s sample. The more it resembles, the better the match,” she explains.

Dr Ahmed’s main interest is not matching DNA samples. It is using our natural resources to decrease environmental pollution. “We have bacteria in natural resources, the microbes, to work on for this specific purpose,” she says giving the example of the Tasman Spirit oil spill disaster on Karachi’s coast and how her genetic labs used microbes, developed in the lab, to clean up the oil.

“We are almost finished there,” she reports. “We are using bacteria for treating this area. The bacteria are environmentally friendly and had been developed in these labs,” she says proudly pointing towards her new labs.

There are all kinds of sophisticated equipments in her laboratories, and just about everywhere. Alongside on the walls where there is space are posters of the many projects undertaken by the centre. They are working on fascinating things like plants which would glow in the dark or those that would grow without sunlight. Also for promoting agriculture, they are working on producing bacteria that breaks down the soil structure to release phosphate and promote plant growth in the absence of fertilisers.

To lessen environmental pollution, the lab is producing bacteria that accumulates heavy metals and purifies industrial toxic waste. There is a poster about biodegradable plastics, marine bacteria and bacteria found in extreme conditions like the Thar Desert and even one or two on human genetics!

The doctor points out that, “Thanks to so much work being done on DNA now, we have the technology to isolate those factors that cause hereditary diseases and conditions such as, deafness, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc., that run in families for generations. That is the direction to take in the field of human genetics,” she explains.

So how far is she and the indigenous scientists from cloning humans? “Very far. And human cloning is also something to stay away from. Organ cloning is something to look forward to but replicating a whole human being will be against the dignity of humans. Besides, I am sure that we can never produce an exact replica. The cloned sheep, Dolly, was just an animal. Humans are much more complicated emotionally.

“Think about it, even if a scientist clones a baby, who would be that child’s parents? What relationship is that child going to have with the society? Will that child be the slave of his master, the scientist? We are not even talking about religion here; there are so many other psychological issues involved. Our religion is very flexible. Islam wants us to gain knowledge but we are also encouraged to use common sense, and cloning humans would be immoral and unethical,” she says putting one of the most controversial subjects to rest.

When asked how she became involved in the field of genetics, Dr Ahmed clarifies, “I am basically a microbiologist. I did my Masters in microbiology from the University of Karachi in 1967. I topped in my class. I had always wanted to do a PhD from abroad; my most preferred choice being some American university. However, in 1970 I got the British Council Overseas Award and proceeded to England for further studies.

“Those were the days when very few parents were willing to send their daughters abroad. My parents were happy that I was going to England rather than my first place of choice as my older brother was already in England. Later, in 1973, I was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship at the Science Research Council in England.”

The fellowship was for three years but when Dr Ahmed visited home after one and a half years, her parents had different plans for her. “They had made preparations and I was married within 10 days,” says the scientist. “Thankfully my husband was very supportive. He asked me to go back and complete the course. He realised that if I had not returned and left everything incomplete, it would have given a bad name not just to me but to all Pakistanis. So I went back, completed my postdoctorate and returned home to start a life with my engineer husband. I had gone abroad to study only, I never really wanted to live there anyway,” she says.

On her return, Dr Ahmed tried to get a job in the microbiology department of the University of Karachi. “But for some reason, they didn’t want me,” she says and that is when she went to see the then vice chancellor, Dr Ehsan Rasheed. There were various things on her mind when she went to see the VC, for instance she was surprised to notice that in the genetics department at the university, there was nobody to teach the basics of genetics. “It wouldn’t be wrong to say that they were teaching the students to run before they could walk!” says Dr Ahmed explaining the state of affairs prevalent in the department at that time.

After going through her CV, Dr Rasheed asked what he could do for her; she pointed out the drawback in the department and offered her services. “That is how I joined the department as an assistant professor. It was a difficult step for me but being an optimistic person by nature I like taking on new challenges. I had never studied genetics but I taught myself first and then taught the others. Later, when there was an opening in the microbiology department, the administration offered me a position but I turned it down,” she says.

Dr Ahmed ventured into the field of research after attending a two-week conference on genetic engineering and biotechnology in Faisalabad, in 1981. During the intensive course she felt inspired to do research on microbes. It was a major turning point in her career. “Today my work takes me all over the world, attending conferences, etc.” Dr Ahmed says with excitement.

A mother of four children, Dr Nuzhat Ahmed can count her supportive husband, only son and three daughters as the people behind her success. She says, “When my children were young, I did not do any research and I did not travel for about 12 years. I had even stopped domestic travel for about six to seven years.” Now all are grown up and busy in their own lives. She also has a four-year-old grandson.

Born on August 14, 1946, Dr Nuzhat Ahmed retires next month. What happens to this centre that she has built brick by brick after she leaves is something that needs to be looked into by the people in authority. There are 10 students working with her for their PhDs and she is concerned for them.

“Even if I leave, I know I’ll be asked to join some other university on a higher salary but what about my students? I have given my life to this centre and I would like to see someone who is capable enough to carry on my work forward, take over, but I don’t know what will happen right now.” Still as always, she remains optimistic.

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