Women's History Month: Dr. Mala Khan

 

Dr. Mala Khan is the Director-General of Bangladesh Reference Institute for Chemical Measurements (BRiCM). She successfully developed the concept of BRiCM and she contributed the most to the establishment of the lone Reference Institute for Chemical Measurement in Bangladesh. Mala completed her graduation in Computer Science and Engineering from The University of Asia Pacific and took 'Laboratory Information Management System' as the thesis of her subject. Not only this, together with her academic study, she joined Plasma Plus, an honorable and government-approved private research laboratory to execute this practically. In 1998 during her undergraduate research, she started her journey in Analytical Instrumentation & Laboratory Information System Management (LIMS) in Bangladesh and she was awarded Chancellors' Gold Medal by the honorable President of the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh for her academic excellence in 2000 from the University of Asia Pacific, As she was involved in her work intensely, she found a new aspect of Science, Chemical Metrology (The Science of Chemical Measurements) particularly to her strong affection. And this strong affection for Chemical Metrology led to the establishment of BRiCM.

During the global pandemic, scientists in BRiCM under the leadership of Dr. Khan has worked day and night to de-escalate the spread of the deadly virus. Besides distributing sanitizers and disinfectants to local hospitals they have collaborated with health care professionals, ENT specialists, physicians, and technologists to develop the Bangasafe Oro-Nasal Spray. The nasal spray can destroy the virus or reduce the viral load that increases the chances of a patient being saved. According to BRiCM, clinical trials for this potentially life-saving drug were conducted on a total of 200 Covid-19 patients undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) from May 1 and till October last year. Dr. Mala Khan says, "I am indeed lucky to get the chance to give something back to my country and the people. As scientists, we have promised to make life better for everybody and not many get that opportunity to do so. I can not sit back at home in fear of my safety while millions are at risk of exposure every day."

Mala is a passionate professional scientist. It's her passion, which developed BRiCM through motherly affection. BRiCM is a reference laboratory and a fully-operational center for chemical metrological research previously under the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), which has pioneered and is currently carrying out research and providing services in the field of chemical measurement, a science defined as 'Chemical Metrology'. It is the first and most decorated reference institute for chemical measurement in Bangladesh. She has successfully deployed the system of BRiCM to meet acceptable international standards defined by Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (International Bureau of Weights and Measures) BIPM and to achieve recognition from Asia Pacific Metrology Programme(APMP) and BIPM. In 2012, BRiCM earned membership of BIPM and APMP. BRiCM also became the scientific partner of the Netherlands-based UN Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and Portuguese National Standards and Metrology body IPQ and COMSATS. That was all done under her daunting leadership and unmatchable courage. Dr. Khan received the prestigious APMP DEN Development Economy Award in 2015 for her important role and achievement in building the infrastructure of chemical metrology in Bangladesh. She is serving as the Founder General Secretary and Empanelled Assessor in Bangladesh Accreditation Board Assessors’ Forum and a member of many international working committees on chemical metrology like AOAC, APMP, BIPM, etc.