PSIMRA 2025 Research Awards
KARACHI: The 6th edition of the Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine Research Awards (PSIMRA) 2025, supported by the PharmEvo Research Forum, was successfully held during PSIM conference marking another important milestone in fostering a vibrant research culture within Pakistan’s medical community. As a flagship initiative encouraging academic inquiry and clinical innovation, the PSIMRA Research Awards continue to inspire researchers nationwide. This year’s event received over 45 poster submissions from across the country, out of which 19 were shortlisted for display. These included 13 entries in the Emerging Buds category for young researchers and six from practicing consultants, representing a diverse cross-section of Pakistan’s healthcare landscape.
An esteemed panel of judges evaluated the submissions. They included Prof. Aamir Ghafoor Khan, Mr. Shaukat Ali Jawaid, and Prof. Shabnam Naveed for the post-fellowship category, and Dr. Jameel Ahmad, Dr. Umar Farooq, and Dr. Rizwan Iqbal for the pre-fellowship category—ensuring rigorous scientific standards.
In the post-fellowship category, Dr. Nabiya Sandeelo from Dow University of Health Sciences earned first place for her study titled “Beyond the Wound: Exploring Knowledge and Self-Management in Recurrent Diabetic Foot Ulcers in Pakistan.” Second place was awarded to Dr. Nadia Shams of RIHS Islamabad for her research on drug adherence in geriatric type 2 diabetics, while Dr. Muhammad Ayub Khan from Saidu Teaching Hospital, Swat, secured third place for a meta-analysis comparing Blinatumomab and chemotherapy in relapsed B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
In the Pre-Fellowship category, the first position was awarded to Dr. Danyal Ahmad from Bacha Khan University for his research titled “Unraveling the Nexus: Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes, Tumor Stage and PD-L1 Expression in Colorectal Carcinoma.” The second position was secured by Dr. Zaeem Ahmed from King Edward Medical University, Lahore, for his study “Long Dengue: A Chronic Sequelae of Dengue Infection – A Prospective Study in Pakistani Population.” The third position went to Dr. Aisha Fareed from the Section of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Her research focused on “Thrombotic complications among hospitalized COVID-19 patients in a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.” These outstanding contributions highlight the diverse and impactful research being conducted by early-career medical professionals in Pakistan.
Bringing together both emerging and experienced researchers, the PSIMRA 2025 event served as a powerful platform for scholarly exchange and recognition. With the steadfast support of the PharmEvo Research Forum, this initiative continues to elevate medical research standards, nurturing a generation of clinicians committed to evidence-based practice and innovation in healthcare.
The presenters had to wait for quite some time as some of the evaluators were not available in time. This is something which needs to be avoided. One hopes the organizers will take care of such aspects in future. (PR)
