Mitford to Oxford: Bangladeshi researcher Zakiul works to tackle Nipah virus

In the midst of preparing for medical school entrance exams, Zakiul Hassan forged a deep friendship with a companion who shared not only academic discussions but dreams and life itself. Their paths diverged as Zakiul secured admission to Sir Salimullah Medical College (Mitford), Dhaka and his friend enrolled in Faridpur Medical College. Their academic paths led them to different cities, and the mounting academic pressures eventually led to a loss of contact.

In 2012, Zakiul unexpectedly rediscovered his friend's whereabouts. After completing his internship, he joined the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), undertaking a two-year fellowship on infectious diseases funded by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Joining the team led by professor Steve Luby and Emily Gurley, Zakiul became involved in emerging infections research, including the study of the Nipah virus.

The team was investigating a patient who succumbed to Nipah virus at Faridpur Medical College hospital. The intern physician had contracted the virus in 2010 while caring for three infected children and sadly succumbed to the disease. At that time, Zakiul was unaware of the virus's ability for person-to-person transmission. While studying about the deceased physician, he shockingly discovered that he was none other than his friend previously mentioned.

The unexpected death of his friend deeply affected Zakiul, intensifying his commitment to infectious disease research. He expressed, "The news of my friend's untimely death has intensified my commitment to this cause."

In 2012, he embarked on Nipah virus research, aiming to understand its spread among patients and healthcare workers. The findings were presented at CDC’ Emerging Infection conference at Atlanta, where Zakiul shared the poignant story of losing his friend to Nipah, evoking a strong emotional response from the audience.

The research project spanned three years, and the results were published in the Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal, a leading infectious disease journal published by the US CDC.

Until 2019, Zakiul continued his research at the Emerging Infection Programme at icddr,b.

Reflecting on his journey, he shared, “The dream I had of becoming a researcher has come to life here, with icddr,b playing a critical role in my development as a young scientist. Working alongside some of the world's leading scientists in infectious disease research has been a privilege. During this period, I have had the opportunity to undergo international infectious disease training at prestigious institutions such as Harvard Medical School, USA; Imperial College London, UK, and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Sweden. Along this journey, I have been honoured with both national and international awards, including a gold medal."

In 2020, amid the pandemic, Zakiul received the UK government's prestigious Chevening award for a master's in International Health and Tropical Medicine at the University of Oxford. The award and subsequent studies were transformative, providing opportunities for global collaboration.

In his MSc class, he interacted with scholars in infectious disease research, including professor Dame Sara Gilbert- co-leading the Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine project and professor Sir Peter Horby-co-leading the Recovery trial, the world's largest clinical trial of Covid-19 treatments. Their work and dedication inspired him to work for pandemic preparedness.

Zakiul took his MSc dissertation placement at the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC), now hosted by the Pandemic Sciences Institute. During this placement, he worked on a clinical dataset comprising more than half a million hospitalised COVID-19 patients. The invaluable experience he gained played a crucial role in shaping his subsequent research endeavours.

Zakiul completed his MSc in 2021, receiving the prestigious Nuffield Department Medicine (NDM) prize. He returned to icddr,b, initiating collaboration with Oxford's Pandemic Science Institute (PSI) to fight the Nipah virus.

In 2022, Zakiul received a full scholarship for a PhD at PSI under the supervision of professor Sir Peter Horby and professor Piero Olliaro. His research involves developing a clinical development plan for potential Nipah virus treatments to reduce mortality among those infected. Successful research promises not only to save lives during ongoing outbreaks but also to prepare for future larger outbreaks.

Earlier this month, Zakiul published his first PhD paper in the prestigious Lancet Infectious Disease journal, proposing a comprehensive framework for therapeutic research, development, manufacturing, and access for tackling Nipah virus.

Recognised by the World Health Organization as a priority disease and a recognised pandemic threat, the Nipah virus requires urgent development of medicines and vaccines. The PSI, led by professor Sarah Gilbert, has developed a new vaccine for the Nipah virus, with human trials underway at Oxford. If proven safe and effective, this could be a significant step in combating deadly Nipah virus disease.

Research for developing vaccines and treatments often occurs in developed and rich countries, posing challenges for economically disadvantaged nations to access these interventions. Zakiul wants to bridge this gap, ensuring that medical advancements are accessible and equitably distributed worldwide.

The young researcher states, "My dream is to build clinical research capacity for infectious disease research in economically disadvantaged countries. This extends beyond combating Nipah to a career dedicated to fortifying our defenses against known and future infectious disease threats, ensuring equitable access to interventions, and addressing the inequalities witnessed in past epidemics."