Muhammad Nasir AfzalDirector, Graduate Programs,
Professor of Physiology:
College of Medicine, Alfaisal University
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Biography
Dr. Afzal is a medical graduate (MBBS) with a Ph.D. in Physiology from the University of Manitoba in Canada. During his Ph.D. at the University of Manitoba, he received a fellowship from Medical Research Council of Canada for his studies in cardiovascular Physiology.He also completed his residency in Pathology at the same University with subspecializing in Cardiovascular Pathophysiology. He is a winner of "Leica Canada Scientific Award" for 1995, given once a year to a young scientist under 40 years of age for his outstanding scientific contributions in Canada.
Dr. Afzal has published more than 70 scientific papers with particular research interest in cardiovascular sciences, diabetes and obesity in national and international journal including two papers in American Journal of Physiology as first author. Dr. Afzal has served as Dean, Vice-Dean, Chairman basic health sciences, Head of Physiology and Professor of Physiology at various medical schools and offers more than 25 years of teaching experience to medical, dentistry, physiotherapy and nursing students.
Research Interest
Obesity is a serious public health problem of 21st century not only in adults but also among children and adolescents and is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Obesity in early years of life increases the risk of obesity in later life with a higher risk of developing type-2 diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, arthritis and cardiovascular diseases.
Obesity is a multifactorial and heterogeneous disease due to complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Studies involving genetic and molecular analysis of obesity have identified major genes involved in the regulation of energy expenditure and energy intake. Interaction of many genetic variants with one another and with environment predisposes to weight gain and obesity.
Obesity represents a major epidemic throughout the world as its prevalence is increasing both in developed and developing countries of the world. The rising prevalence of obesity is an issue of great concern in children due to adverse health problems associated with it and need to be addressed at molecular and cellular level.