Farooq Azam
{{Short description|Pakistani professor, researcher, marine biologist}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Farooq Azam
| image =
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| birth_date =
| birth_place = Lahore, Pakistan
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| nationality = Pakistani-American
| field = Marine Biology and Microbiology
| work_institution = University of California San Diego, United States
| alma_mater = University of Punjab
Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences
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| prizes =
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Farooq Azam (born in Lahore, Pakistan ) is a researcher in the field of marine microbiology. He is a distinguished professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography of the University of California, San Diego.{{Cite web |url=http://sio.ucsd.edu/Profile/index.php?who=fazam |title=Bio, Farooq Azam |access-date=2009-02-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714080031/http://www.sio.ucsd.edu/Profile/index.php?who=fazam |archive-date=2007-07-14 |url-status=dead }} Farooq Azam grew up in Lahore and received his early education in Lahore. He attended University of Punjab, where he received his B.Sc. in chemistry. He later he received his M.Sc. from the same institution. He then went to Czechoslovakia for higher studies. He received his PhD in microbiology from the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. After he received his PhD, Farooq Azam moved to California. Azam was the lead author on the paper which coined the term microbial loop.Azam F, Fenchel T, Field JG, Gray JS, Meyer-Reil LA, Thingstad F. (1983). “The ecological role of water-column microbes in the sea”. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 10: 257-263 This 1983 paper involved a synthesis between a number of leaders in the (then) young field of microbial ecology, specifically, Azam, Tom Fenchel, J Field, J Gray, L Meyer-Reil and Tron Frede Thingstad.
In addition to introducing the concept of the microbial loop Azam is responsible for bringing conceptual advances in several areas of marine microbiology. He is a leader in identifying the importance of microscale patchiness in the marine environment, and that bacteria can respond to patchiness in nutrient fields and particulate organic matter. This area of research is now pursued more actively in the field at large with the introduction of advanced digital and single cell imaging. He and then graduate student Kay Bidle also showed that the dissolution of diatom frustules was accelerated by bacteria, as opposed to being a strictly abiotic process as previously thought.Regulation of oceanic silicon and carbon preservation by temperature control on bacteria. Bidle KD1, Manganelli M, Azam F. Science. 2002 Dec 6;298(5600):1980-4. He and former post-doctoral researcher Alexandra Worden introduced the concept of Eco-systems Biology in 2004.Oceanography. Microbes, molecules, and marine ecosystems. Azam F, Worden AZ. Science. 2004 Mar 12;303(5664):1622-4. Eco-systems Biology (or Ecosystems Biology) has since been adopted by the field, empowered by the advent of high-throughput sequencing platforms.
Honors and awards
- Elected to the Academia Europaea (European Academy of Science and Letters) 2019
- Elected to the American Academy of the Arts and Sciences, 2016
- [http://www.asm.org/index.php/awards2/21-awards-a-grants/current-laureates/80-current-dc-white-award-laureate D. C. White Research and Mentoring Award, 2013] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213202319/http://www.asm.org/index.php/awards2/21-awards-a-grants/current-laureates/80-current-dc-white-award-laureate |date=2013-12-13 }}
- John Martin Award, ASLO, 2006[http://www.aslo.org/victoria2006/awards.html ASLO Award Recipient Talks], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720115154/http://www.aslo.org/victoria2006/awards.html |date=2011-07-20 }} American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Accessed September 1, 2010.
- G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award (ASLO), 1995[http://www.aslo.org/information/awards.html#HUTC G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828113115/http://www.aslo.org/information/awards.html#HUTC |date=2009-08-28 }} American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Accessed September 1, 2010.
- Nan-Qiang Forum for Distinguished Scientists Lecture, Xiamen University, PRC, 2006
- Elected Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology, 2004[http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/science/Azam_AAM.asp Scripps Oceanography Microbiologist Receives Honors], University of California at San Diego news release, June 2, 2004. Accessed September 1, 2004
- Doctor of Philosophy, honoris causa, U. Kalmar, Sweden, 2004
- Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award, Scripps, UCSD, 2004
- Tiedje Award, International Society for Microbial Ecology, 2004[http://www.isme-microbes.org/awards Awards.] International Society for Microbial Ecology. Accessed September 1, 2010
- ISI Highly Cited Researcher, 2002
- C. B. Van Niel Memorial Lecture, Stanford University, 1997[http://www-marine.stanford.edu/memoriallectures.htm Memorial lectures] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705041109/http://www-marine.stanford.edu/memoriallectures.htm |date=2010-07-05 }}, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University. Accessed September 1, 2010
- Plymouth Marine Sciences Lecture & Medal, 1996
- Excellence in Research Award, UCSD, 1996
- Eminent Scholars Series Lecturer, U. South Florida, 1995
- G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award (ASLO), 1995[http://www.aslo.org/information/awards.html#HUTC G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award], {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828113115/http://www.aslo.org/information/awards.html#HUTC |date=2009-08-28 }} American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Accessed September 1, 2010. Award citation: "in recognition of his seminal contributions to our knowledge of fundamental processes in the sea, and particularly for his central role in the development of the concept of the 'microbial loop'".
- Honorary Staff Member, Ecology Institute, Germany, 1985
- Rosenstiel Medal in Oceanographic Sciences, 1984
- Steinbach Visiting Scholar, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, 1984
- Distinguished Visiting Scholar, SUNY, Stony Brook, 1983
- Antarctic Service Medal of the USA
- Faculty of 1000, Present
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.sio.ucsd.edu/Profile/fazam Farooq Azam's webpage at Scripps] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927154800/http://www.sio.ucsd.edu/Profile/fazam |date=2011-09-27 }}
- [http://azamlab.eng.ucsd.edu/home Webpage of Farooq Azam's Lab]
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Category:Scientists from Lahore
Category:Academics from Lahore
Category:University of California, San Diego faculty
Category:University of the Punjab alumni
Category:Pakistani emigrants to the United States
Category:Pakistani microbiologists
Category:Pakistani marine biologists
Category:Pakistani expatriate academics
Category:American academics of Pakistani descent