PROF SHAHIDUL ISLAM

Academic Qualifications

PhD (Biochemistry)
MSc (Biochemistry)
BScHons

Biography

Prof Islam is one of the top 30 researchers (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024) at UKZN and holds a C1 NRF rating since 2022. His major area of research is type 2 diabetes and obesity while he has published more than 250 papers in the international peer reviewed journals including 14 reviews but excluding 19 book chapters and many editorials. Recently he published his first edited book entitled “Organic Acids in Diabetes: Applications and Mechanisms” from an international publisher, Taylor & Francis. He is also serving as a member of the editorial board, review editor, and guest editor of a number of international peer-reviewed journals in the area of his research. Since 2021, he has been serving as a Co-Editor-in-Chief of the World Journal of Diabetes. Apart from above, Prof Islam is also serving as an Academic Leader for the Biotechnology cluster (Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology) in Westville Campus and previously served as a Chair of the University Animal Research Ethics Committee (AREC). He has also been awarded the 2015 College Distinguished Teacher Award for his teaching excellence. Prof Islam is one of the leading researchers at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and was listed many times in the top 2% of global researchers by Mandeley.com and the top 0.1% of global researchers in

Experimental Diabetes Research by ExpertScape.com. Due to his excellent contribution to the University of KwaZulu-Natal over the years, recently he has been awarded the highest honour of UKZN, the “Fellow of the University of KwaZulu-Natal 2025”.

Research Interests

Endocrinology and Metabolism, particularly type 2 diabetes and obesity;
Development of animal models for type 2 diabetes and obesity;
Medicinal and functional foods and food supplements
Natural and artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes
African medicinal plants including seaweeds
Drug discovery.

Prof Islam’s research focuses on type 2 diabetes and obesity; animal model development; antidiabetic, antiobesogenic, and toxicological interventional trials; mechanisms behind the antidiabetic effects of various medicinal plants and seaweeds extracts, fractions, isolated pure compounds, medicinal and functional foods, food supplements, and artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols and sugar substitutes with an ultimate goal for better understanding the rapidly changing pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and obesity and to develop better alternative medicines and supplements for the better management of these non-communicable chronic diseases.

Prof Michael Horowitz, University of Adelaide, Australia
Prof Lu Cai, University of Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Prof Miguel Prieto Lage, University of Vigo, Spain
Prof Balaji Meriga, Sri Venkateswara University, India
Prof Bernard Portha, University of Paris Dideroc, Paris, France
Prof Christoph Beglinger & Dr Bettina Wolnerhansen, University of Basel, Switzerland
Prof Daisuke Koya, Kanazawa University, Japan
Dr Graham Lyons, University of Adelaide, Australia
Prof Jaqueline Silva, Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil
Prof Jianbo Xiao, University of Vigo, Spain
Prof Osama Mohammed, Beni-Suef University, Egypt
Drs Auwal Ibrahim & Aminu Mohammed, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria
Dr Chika Chukwuma, University of Free State, South Africa
Drs Veronica Salau & Kolawole Olofinsan, University of Free State, South Africa

Biomedical Research Group
Department of Biochemistry
INTI International University, Putra Nilai, Malaysia

Co-Editor-in-Chief – World Journal of Diabetes
Guest Editor – Frontiers in Chemistry & Marine Drugs
Associate & Review Editor – Frontiers in Pharmacology & Drug Discovery
Member of the Editorial Board – Food & Nutrition Report
Recent Patent in Food, Nutrition and Agriculture, Bioresearch Communication

Research Profiles

Discipline

Biological Sciences

Email

islamd@ukzn.ac.za

Contact

031 260 8717

Campus

Westville

Office Address

–

Agriculture and Science