Dr. Irfan Rahman, scientist from Nagpur and alumni of RTMNU, has been ranked 29th in the world among 100,000 people and respiratory and allergy researchers. The list was published in an article “A standardized citation metrics author database annotated for scientific field” by John P. A. Ioannidis et al from Departments of Medicine, Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford (METRICS), Stanford University, California, United States of America.
The team created a publicly available database of 100,000 top scientists that provides standardized information on citations, h-index, coauthorship-adjusted hm-index, citations to papers in different authorship positions, and a composite indicator. Scientistswere classified into 22 scientific fields and 176 subfields. Dr. Rahman made into the coveted list of top 30 respiratory & allergy researchers in the world.
Dr Rahman is Dean’s Professor of Environmental, Pulmonary Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, NY and Director, Center for Inhalation and Flavoring Toxicology. He has 290 publications was awarded Senior Toxicologist Award, ASIO-SOT, USA 2017. He is currently the Vice President: Inhalation and Respiratory Specialty Section of the SOT 2019-2020. His major emphasis and focus has been on understanding the pathophysiology of chronic inflammatory lung diseases with a focus on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)/emphysema, lung cancer and pulmonary fibrosis which is imposed by cigarette smoke/e-cigarettes/hookah or waterpipe tobacco smoke. Dr Rahman is working in collaboration with city pulmonologist Dr. Sameer Arbat on effects of indoor and outdoor air pollution among non-smokers. Their research has revealed the impact of chulha smoke on lungs of females in urban and rural areas. The study on “Non-Smoking COPD” generated a lot of interest in international media and has been presented in multiple international conferences.
Dr Rahman is currently leading the research on harmful effects of artificial flavourings used in e-cigarettes. Multiple cases of death have been reported in the USA in the past one year due to EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Associated Lung Injury). Dr Rahman has many visiting Indian trainees working under him at the much acclaimed “Rahman Lab” at University of Rochester, New York. He gives the credit of his success to his late mother and family and teachers.
