Dr. G. N. Qazi is the Chief Executive Officer of Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences & Research (HIMSR) and a scientist of international repute in the fields of biotechnology and pharmaceutical research. He obtained his M.Sc. in Biochemistry and Ph.D. in Microbiology from the M.S. University of Baroda, India, followed by postdoctoral research in biochemical engineering at the Technical University of Dortmund, Germany, and advanced training in molecular biology at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Munich. These academic foundations laid the groundwork for a career spanning more than four decades in biomedical research and higher education.
In his early career with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Dr. Qazi led pioneering research in microbial biotechnology, developing fermentation processes for high-value bio-products including gluconates, novel enzymes, and plant growth promoters—several of which were successfully transferred to industry.
He also established a Regional Centre for Bioinformatics to strengthen computational biology research. Over the years, he has published more than 250 peer-reviewed research papers, authored book chapters, and secured more than 37 patents. His acclaimed work in natural product research, especially in identifying bioactive compounds from medicinal plants such as Withania (ashwagandha) and Boswellia, has had a lasting impact on herbal medicine and drug development.
For his contributions, Dr. Qazi received the Norman R. Farnsworth Excellence in Botanical Research Award (2025), a prestigious international honor in pharmacognosy and ethnomedicine.
Dr. Qazi’s leadership extends beyond research into academia and governance. From 2000 to 2008, he served as Senior Director of the CSIR–Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, advancing natural product-based drug research. Later, as Vice Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard (2008–2016), he pioneered the integration of Unani medicine with contemporary education, supervised numerous Ph.D. scholars, and helped establish the university as a leader in pharmaceutical and health sciences. He has also chaired national committees, including the Government of India’s Drugs and Pharmaceutical Research Programme and the Unani Pharmacopoeia Committee, while serving on the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission.
Since 2016, Dr. Qazi has been guiding HIMSR as its CEO, shaping its academic programs, clinical services, and research agenda. Under his leadership, HIMSR and its associated HAHC Hospital have grown into prominent centers of medical education and healthcare delivery in Delhi, known for their quality, compassion, and innovation.
With his unique blend of expertise in modern biomedical sciences and traditional systems of medicine, Dr. Qazi continues to foster excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and global recognition for HIMSR, while upholding the institution’s mission of providing holistic and patient-centered healthcare education.
