ISLAMABAD: A young Pakistani student who was not given admission to any university for a year has been awarded the Young Scientist Award by the American organisation Lab Root.
Umair Masood, aged 21, has been given this award by Lab Root for two separate scientific investigations. He presented two papers at the International Conference on Molecular Biology and Biochemistry in Australia and the International Conference on Tissue and Regenerative Medicine in the United States.
Umair Masood is a fourth-semester biotechnology student at Comcast University, Abbottabad. His research stated that the disease in people suffering from hereditary diseases can be detected quickly, while the genes of any living thing can be obtained and transmitted to another. His research paper has been published in the European Journal of Experimental Biology.
In January, he took part in the 7th annual conference held in Australia in which students, professors, Ph.D. doctors, and scientists from 121 countries from around the world participated. His research paper has also been published in the Royal Society of Science Journal.
The young scientist said the annual conference of biotechnology of SB12 under Lab Root organisation was about genetics and molecules. Masood, who belongs to Havelian in Abbottabad district, said that the young scientists from as many as 121 countries participated in the conference and he stood first with a total of 336 voters.
In an interview with BBC Urdu, Umair Masood said many professors and scientists immediately conducted practical experiments on my dissertation and preferred his research dissertation and asked him various questions for more than two hours and successfully defended his research.
Umair Masood said that he did not like to read books in his childhood but he asked questions and when he didn’t get answers ad find a solution. His uncle Mohammad Riaz said that Umair suffered from various problems and hereditary diseases from his birth. Her younger brother still looks older and he was raised by his mother and grandmother. He could not play many sports and was not good at his studies.
Mohammad Riaz said Umair passed Matriculation and FSC examinations and his marks in both the examinations were not good. He talked to him often and found out that Umair was interested in biology. However, despite his efforts, he could not secure admission in his favourite subject biotechnology in any university as his marks were low. Many universities were demanding fees on self-finance which could not be paid by his father his family. “That’s why he lost a year,” his uncle said.
Umair was very disappointed at that time but his family convinced him a degree is not always necessary and he could achieve a lot with his intelligence. The year without admission a blessing in disguise as he turned to the internet and he completed free short courses for two or three months.
Umair Masood said he was introduced to biotechnology through these short courses. A year later, he was admitted to Comcast University but had to pay heavy fees. He is now in his marks are not as low as in school and college but now at the top. He said that students are not allowed to use the laboratory at the university and therefore, he has set up his own laboratory at home to conduct his own research.
Umair Masood said that various articles have been published in international forums. “I searched hundreds of books, was guided by dozens of professors and scientists from around the world. I succeeded after dozens of failed experiments. “
Umair said he want to publish articles in Pakistan but has not received a response from any institution. He wants to do a Ph.D. and conduct research work. He said that two international companies invited him to work together and some universities gave him admission which he declined.
