Pharmacist honoured at Awards for research into clean drinking water in Pakistan
University of Huddersfield Pharmacist Dr Muhammad Usman Ghori has been honoured at the Science and Technology Premier Awards 2025 for his research to bring clean, affordable drinking water to parts of Pakistan.
Dr Ghori, a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Applied Sciences, was awarded a Science and Technology Research award at the Awards ceremony, which celebrates the contributions of Pakistani scientists and researchers across the UK.
His ongoing research is part of an international partnership spearheaded by the Pakistan government and driven by the University of Huddersfield, for which he has received funding through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) for a sandpit grant administered by UK Research and Innovation.
The initiative, led by Dr Ghori, aims to transform water supplies in the South Punjab region into affordable drinking water for the benefit of the whole population – a much-needed solution due to a sizeable portion of the water supply in the area being not suitable for human consumption.
Dr Ghori, who is a member of the University’s Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery Centre, commented: “I’m grateful to be honoured with the Science and Technology Research Award at the Pakistan Science and Technology Awards 2025, hosted by the Digital TV and Pakistan Consulate, Manchester. It’s humbling that our ongoing work in sustainable materials and water purification has been recognised. My heartfelt thanks to the organisers, jury and the wider community for this acknowledgement.”
His research study has been exploring a new source of montmorillonite – a raw mineral – in the Koh-e-Suleiman mountain range located in South Punjab, Pakistan. The clay is a versatile nanomaterial known for its absorption properties, so it has the potential to be used in water purification, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and animal feed. The team have devised a sustainable process for readying the mineral for industrial use and hopes it could help breathe life into the economy of rural parts of the country too. The research paper received a Top 100 Chemistry Award from the Nature journal, as one of the most downloaded papers in the year it was published.
Dr Ghori, who is originally from Sahiwal, Punjab, completed his PhD and subsequently his postdoctoral study at the University of Huddersfield before taking up his current role as Senior Research Fellow in Pharmaceutics within the Department of Pharmacy. He is also the Advisor for Pharmaceutical and Chemical Sciences to the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), Government of Pakistan, collaborating with diverse teams on sustainable pharmaceutical development and manufacturing.
Professor Barbara Conway, Head of Pharmacy, commented: “I am delighted that Usman’s work has been recognised with this award. His focus on turning scientific research into practical solutions that benefit people reflects the University’s commitment to impactful research.”