SRINAGAR: Dr Zabeer Ahmed, Director of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu, has been assigned the additional charge of Director of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow.
According to an official memorandum issued by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on August 3, the arrangement follows the voluntary retirement of Dr Ajit Kumar Shasany, former Director of CSIR-NBRI.
The memorandum states that Dr Ahmed will hold the additional charge until a regular Director is appointed or until further orders, while continuing to serve as Director of CSIR-IIIM, Jammu.
Dr Ahmed has more than 28 years of research experience in drug discovery and natural product research, with work focused on inflammatory and metabolic disorders. According to the CSIR, he has also been associated with initiatives including the CSIR Phytopharmaceutical Mission, Aroma Mission and Floriculture Mission.
The CSIR said Dr Ahmed has also contributed to promoting lavender cultivation in Jammu and Kashmir under the Purple Revolution initiative and to the establishment of industrial biotech parks at Ghatti in Kathua and Handwara. He has published more than 150 research papers and holds several patents, according to the memorandum.
