UK (Commonwealth Union)_ Professor Miratul Muqit, a leading neurologist of Bangladeshi origin, has been appointed as the first director of the United Kingdom’s newly established National Parkinson’s Research Centre. The center is part of the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) and aims to become a major hub for Parkinson’s research and innovation. The announcement was made jointly by the UK DRI and Parkinson’s UK. In their statement, they described Professor Muqit as a global leader in Parkinson’s research, highlighting his groundbreaking work on the genetic causes of the disease.
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Professor Muqit is now the Professor of Experimental Neurology and Consultant Neurologist at the University of Dundee in Scotland. His study has contributed greatly to the knowledge of how genetic abnormalities in two important genes, PINK1 and Parkin, impact brain cells by allowing damaged mitochondria to accumulate. These results have cleared the door for novel medicines that address mitochondrial dysfunction. Notably, treatments based on his study underwent human clinical trials last year. Additionally, his scientific accomplishments have gained him various awards, including election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Academy of Medical Sciences, a distinction reserved for only a few members of the Bangladeshi community in the United Kingdom.
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Speaking about his new role, Professor Muqit said, “My goal is to create a center that works closely with people affected by Parkinson’s and that becomes a global leader in discovery science and medical innovation. We aim to develop better ways to diagnose and treat the disease. Collaboration will be at the heart of everything we do—working with researchers across the UK and worldwide to improve outcomes for people living with Parkinson’s.”
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Professor Muqit studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated with honors. He later received a prestigious Kennedy Scholarship to study at Harvard University before completing his PhD at University College London. He also holds the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP) from London. Originally from Baniachong in Habiganj, Sylhet, Professor Muqit’s journey is deeply rooted in a family tradition of medical service. His parents, Dr. Muhammed Abdul Muqit and Dr. Mamtaz Begum, moved from Bangladesh to the UK in the 1960s and dedicated their careers to the National Health Service. His father worked as a general practitioner, and his mother as a psychiatrist.
The National Parkinson’s Research Centre was launched earlier this year with a £10 million investment. Its mission is to identify new methods for predicting and preventing Parkinson’s disease and to accelerate the development of treatments that could slow or even reverse the progression of the condition. Professor Muqit’s appointment is considered a significant step in the center’s development and a promising sign of a new chapter for Parkinson’s research in the UK and beyond.
