RESEARCH DAY 2015
2015 Alumnus of the Year
Sarfaraz K. Niazi, PHD ’74 2015 Alumnus of the Year
Each year, the UIC College of Pharmacy recognizes alumni who have distinguished themselves through their research and service and who embody the highest values of our institution. The college is pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2015 Alumnus of the Year Award is Dr. Sarfaraz Niazi. Dr. Sarfaraz Niazi received his PhD from the college and began his career here as an associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences. In 1988, he joined the international division of Abbott Laboratories and became tenured as Volwiler Fellow before leaving the company to start a consulting business in the then emerging field of biopharmaceutical manufacturing. In 2003, Dr. Niazi established his own biotechnology manufacturing company, Therapeutic Proteins International, LLC (TPI) with the goal of making life-saving biological 20
| PHARMALUMNI.UIC.EDU – SPRING 2015 – CATALYST
drugs more affordable. Located in Chicago, TPI is exclusively focused on developing and manufacturing biosimilar recombinant protein products with nine currently in its development pipeline. With a fully integrated facility, TPI’s aim is to fulfill the vision of providing low-cost versions of off-patent biologics, using disposable bioreactors and other proprietary systems. To learn more about the company, visit www.theraproteins.com. Dr. Niazi has published over 100-refereed research articles and abstracts and authored several “first in the field” books, including the textbooks in biopharmaceutics, clinical pharmacokinetics, recombinant manufacturing, and disposable bioprocessing. He is a prolific inventor with patents relating to new drugs and delivery systems, bioprocessing, biosimilarity demonstration, and varied mechanical and energy designs. Dr. Niazi continues to serve on the faculty of
several academic institutions worldwide and has provided extensive support to several U.S. legislations on biological drugs. Among his many awards is the Star of Distinction from the government of Pakistan for Dr. Niazi’s lifetime contributions to promoting technology in developing countries. His father received an equivalent award from the government of India for his contributions to literature, making them the only father and son team to have received these high accolades in South Asia. His nontechnical literary writings span the vast area of poetry, philosophy, rhetoric, irony, and the modern dilemma. Dr. Niazi also hosts a radio show on Voice of America and is an avid photographer, a guitarist, and a music composer. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.