From Oxford to Outreach: The Remarkable Journey of Dr. Mushtaq Ibn Ayub
Teacher, researcher, scientist, cancer specialist, technologist, organizer, author, and television presenter—such a diverse combination of roles is rarely embodied by a single individual. Dr. Mushtaq Ibn Ayub has recently drawn renewed public attention following his marriage to television presenter Dipti Chowdhury. Yet his identity extends far beyond being the spouse of a media personality. Through his longstanding contributions to education, research, science, and social service, he has established a distinguished reputation of his own.
Dr. Mushtaq demonstrated exceptional academic brilliance from an early age. His journey of achievement began when he secured first place in Madaripur district in the eighth-grade scholarship examination. He later completed his secondary and higher secondary education from Motijheel Ideal School and College and Notre Dame College respectively, achieving an average score of more than 81 percent in both examinations.
For higher education, he enrolled at University of Dhaka, where he secured First Class First position in both his Honors and Master’s examinations. In recognition of his academic excellence, he received two gold medals from the university. One was awarded for achieving the highest marks in his Master’s degree, while the other was the Dean’s Award for his research on thalassemia among children.
Shortly after completing his Master’s degree, he joined the University of Dhaka as a faculty member. He subsequently moved to the University of Oxford to pursue advanced research under the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship program. There, he completed his PhD focusing on colorectal cancer cell heterogeneity and the epigenetic regulation of CD24. His doctoral research was supervised by renowned scientist Sir Walter Bodmer, a distinguished professor at Oxford University.
During his time at Oxford, Dr. Mushtaq achieved several notable milestones. He became the first Bangladeshi to be elected President of the Researchers’ Association at Hertford College through an online vote. He later served as an assistant to the Dean of the college. He also founded the first-ever Bangladesh Society at Oxford, creating an effective platform for Bangladeshi students and researchers living abroad.
His list of international accomplishments is equally impressive. In addition to receiving specialized training in Translational Medicine in Italy, he completed a fellowship in Cancer Genetic Services at the National Cancer Centre Singapore. He was recognized as the best researcher in South Asia in the global category of the Alumni UK Awards presented by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. He was also selected as a fellow of the Howard Brain Sciences Foundation.
Dr. Mushtaq has made significant contributions to research and innovation as well. He holds two United States patents for original scientific discoveries. His work in cancer research, genetics, and biotechnology has received international recognition and acclaim.
To build a strong platform for young scientists in Bangladesh, he founded Young Biotechnologists of Bangladesh, where he currently serves as Executive Director. He also established the Cancer Care and Research Trust to promote cancer awareness and support patients, playing an important role in the country's public health sector.
Dr. Mushtaq has remained equally active in the media. Since 2021, he has been the regular host of the popular health-focused television program Surakshay Protidin on Channel 24. To date, he has presented more than 600 episodes, contributing significantly to public awareness of health-related issues.
Alongside his scientific endeavors, he is also an accomplished author. He has written several books on genetic engineering and biotechnology. Notable titles include Genetic Engineering and Human Cloning, Genetic Engineering and GM Crops, Gene, Mind and Love, The Cloning Controversy and Your Story, and Oxford of Dreams and Memories. He has also published a collection of poetry.
His recent marriage to Dipti Chowdhury has generated widespread discussion across social media and mainstream media outlets. However, beyond the headlines stands a scholar whose decades of research, international achievements, educational leadership, and social initiatives have made him one of the prominent representatives of Bangladesh’s growing knowledge-based and science-driven society.
//DBTech/IH/EK/OR//
