Firdausi Qadri

Firdausi Qadri
Born	(1951-03-31) March 31, 1951 Bangladesh
Occupation(s)	Immunologist, researcher
Known for	Vaccine development for cholera and other enteric diseases
Notable work	Development and validation of oral cholera vaccines; leadership at ICDDR,B Centre for Vaccine Sciences

Firdausi Qadri (born 31 March 1951) is a prominent Bangladeshi researcher specializing in immunology and infectious diseases. She has dedicated more than 25 years to developing vaccines against cholera and possesses significant expertise in combating illnesses such as ETEC, typhoid, Helicobacter pylori, and rotavirus. Presently, she leads the Centre for Vaccine Sciences at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) and holds the position of chairperson at the Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives. Her research primarily focuses on enteric infections, particularly vaccines targeting Vibrio cholerae and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, major contributors to severe diarrhea. Additionally, she has investigated immune mechanisms in populations affected by Helicobacter pylori, typhoid fever, as well as responses in vaccine recipients. In recognition of her exceptional work, the Government of Bangladesh honored her with the Independence Award in 2023.

Education and professional qualification

Qadri completed her BSc and MSc in biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Dhaka in 1975 and 1977 respectively. She earned her PhD in biochemistry/immunology from the University of Liverpool in 1980. Following postdoctoral immunology training at ICDDR,B, she joined the institute as an associate scientist in 1988. Currently, she is a senior scientist and directs the Centre for Vaccine Science at ICDDR,B.

Research contributions

Her investigations concentrate on enteric diseases with an emphasis on immunology, genomics, proteomics, diagnostics, and vaccine innovation. Qadri pioneered the introduction of a cost-effective oral cholera vaccine in Bangladesh to replace the expensive and less affordable Dukoral. She validated the effectiveness of the Shanchol vaccine through large-scale trials within Dhaka’s slum populations, leading to its broader implementation as a public health strategy across Bangladesh, including among Rohingya refugee communities.

Honours and awards

In 2012, Qadri was awarded the annual Christophe Mérieux Prize by Fondation Christophe et Rodolphe Mérieux for her outstanding work on infectious enteric diseases. This accolade supported the founding of the Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives (ideSHi) in 2014. That same year, she was appointed to a high-level United Nations advisory panel focusing on the Technology Bank and Science, Technology and Innovation Supporting Mechanism for least developed countries. Qadri is also recognized among the Asian Scientist 100 by Asian Scientist magazine.

In August 2021, she received the distinguished Ramon Magsaysay Award.

Memberships

Qadri co-founded and serves on the advisory board of the Bangladesh Society of Microbiologists. She acts as the International Ambassador for the Bangladesh chapter of the American Society for Microbiology and has been an elected fellow of the Bangladesh Academy of Sciences since 2008.

Awards

• Received the Gold Medal from the Bangladesh Academy of Sciences in 2005
• Honored with the Christophe Mérieux Prize in 2012
• Included among the Anannya Top Ten Awards recipients in 2013
• Awarded the C. N. R. Rao Prize by TWAS, the global academy promoting science in developing nations, in 2013
• Recognized with the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards in 2020
• Recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2021
• Conferred the Independence Day Award in 2023
• Named Developing Country Innovator by the VinFuture Prize in 2024