KMU Associate Professor Elected To National Bioethics Committee For Research

Dr. Maria Ishaq Khattak will help review research involving human participants and support research ethics education after joining the national committee for a three-year term, while continuing on KMU's Academic Council. PESHAWAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Nov, 2026) Dr. Maria Ishaq Khattak, Associate Professor and Head of Dental Public Health at Khyber Medical University (KMU), has been elected as a member of the National Bioethics Committee for Research (NBC-R) for a three-year term. According to a press release issued here on Monday, Dr. Maria's election to the national committee, alongside her re-election to KMU's Academic Council, marks a significant achievement for women academics from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bringing their perspectives into two important forums shaping education and research governance. As a member of NBC-R, Dr. Her continued membership of KMU's Academic Council will also provide an opportunity to contribute to academic policymaking, curriculum development and the maintenance of educational standards. She was elected unopposed to the Academic Council in the Associate Professor category, following her first election as an Assistant Professor representative in 2023. Her appointments also highlight the growing role of women in academic leadership, particularly in the Global South, where greater representation in decision-making bodies can help shape institutional priorities and strengthen research governance. For aspiring women academics from underserved areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, such representation can also provide encouragement and demonstrate the possibilities of leadership and participation in national academic forums. Dr Maria's committee appointments build on her contributions to expanding postgraduate dental education at KMU. She played an instrumental role in establishing the MPhil programme in Community Dentistry in 2020 and contributed to the development of the Higher Education Commission (HEC)-approved PhD programme in Dental Public Health, launched in 2026. These initiatives have expanded opportunities for dental professionals to pursue advanced education and research, particularly in areas addressing population-level oral health needs. Taken together, her academic and professional contributions reflect the importance of leadership in creating opportunities for others, strengthening research practices, expanding postgraduate education and promoting inclusive participation in decisions that shape academic institutions.