Maliha Tanjum Chowdhury on winning the Wellcome Sanger Institute Prize

Photo: Shams Asif Chowdhury

Maliha Tanjum Chowdhury, a third-year Biochemistry student from IUB, is the first Bangladeshi ever to win the Wellcome Sanger Institute Prize. The Wellcome Sanger Institute is one of the biggest genetics research institutes in the world. 480 students from across 135 countries participated in this year's competition.   One of Maliha's faculty members informed her about the opportunity and inspired her to participate in the programme.  Despite her nervousness, her hard work in the competition truly paid off.

Currently, Maliha is looking forward to her three-month internship at the institute in the UK.  All of her expenses during the three months, including travel and accommodation, will be covered. "Winning the prize has opened many doors for me," says Maliha. "My main goal throughout the internship will be to learn as much and as well as I can from the experts there and to prove myself as an aspiring scientist."

Maliha is interested in immunology, enzymology, genetics, evolution, neurobiology and studies related to atmospheric and subterranean bacteria.  She is also intrigued by the field of  general and criminal psychology and hopes to explore how these fields play a role in biochemistry.

She believes that the world is compelled to respond to our favours when we work hard and do not quit. Through thick and thin, her mother, grandmother and sister have been her greatest sources of support and motivation.