Yousuf Sammer

Dr. Sammer Yousuf is a Professor of Organic Chemistry at the H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi. She is among the most promising young female scientists of Pakistan, recognized for her original contributions in the field of structural chemistry. She has solved structures of many novel and interesting natural products by using single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies and demonstrated her in-depth understanding of the X-ray technique as well as organic chemistry. She is also the pioneer of crystal engineering in Pakistan, where structural, physio-chemical and biological properties of co-crystals are extensively studies. Her discovery of anti-leishmanial constituents from a local medicinal plant Physlais minima is an excellent example of basic to translational research. This discovery has been patented in USA. Based on her contributions in the field of structural and medicinal chemistry, she has received prestigious TWAS Regional Prize for Young Scientist from Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) in 2011 and has also been elected as TWAS Young affiliate in 2013.