Turdikulova Shahlo

Turdikulova is a leading scientist in biotechnology, biochemistry, and human genetics. She holds a PhD in biotechnology (2001) and a Doctor of Sciences degree in biochemistry and cell biology (2008). She conducted postdoctoral research at UCLA (2002–2005) and earned a postgraduate diploma in organizational leadership from the University of Oxford, in 2025. A pioneer of human genetics research in Uzbekistan, she identified 1,450 genetic markers linked to 670 disease-susceptibility genes, and established a national DNA bank with 24,000 samples. She led the development of Uzbekistan’s first PCR test and co-led clinical trials of the ZF-UZVAC-2001 COVID-19 vaccine. She served as deputy minister of innovation and higher education (2021–2024) and currently directs the Center for Advanced Technologies. Since 2024, she has been vice-president of the Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, leading national biotech and innovation programs. She is a recipient of the Order Dustlik for her service to science and society.