Nisar Ahmed (PhD, MRSC) is currently affiliated with the University of Bath (Faculty of Science), United Kingdom. He is also Founding Director of  Centre for Advanced Green Technologies and Innovation (CAGTI), based in Cardiff. Previously, he held academic and research appointments at Cardiff University, including Research Fellow and EPSRC Investigator, and was a Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND Fellow.

Dr. Ahmed obtained his PhD in Organic Chemistry through the Brain Korea 21 (BK21) programme at POSTECH, South Korea, and subsequently undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Zurich as a Novartis NIBR Fellow and at the University of Bristol. His scientific achievements have received international recognition, including endorsement by the Royal Society under the UK Global Talent programme. He also holds an appointment as Adjunct Faculty at ICCBS.

Dr. Ahmed has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications and eight book chapters, and has supervised undergraduate, Master’s and PhD students, as well as postdoctoral researchers. His academic and professional service has included roles on international editorial boards, serving as Editor-in-Chief, elected membership of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) South East Wales Local Section Committee, and reviewing research proposals for major national research councils and funding agencies across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Research interests

1. Synthetic Organic Electrochemistry

Dr. Ahmed’s research is primarily focused on the development of flow electrochemical reactors, integrated with automation and advanced green catalytic systems, to address complex synthetic challenges in organic chemistry. His work contributes to chemical technologies that are scalable, sustainable, and industrially relevant.

A core aspect of his research involves the selective activation and cleavage of inert chemical bonds, including C–H and C–C bonds, using renewable-energy-driven processes. These transformations, enabled by electrocatalysis, photoelectrocatalysis, sonoelectrochemistry, and flow chemistry, aim to reduce energy consumption, waste generation, and synthetic complexity.

His research also applies these approaches to pharmaceutical chemistry, including late-stage functionalisation and electrochemical derivatisation of drug-like scaffolds, supporting greener and more efficient approaches to drug development. His contributions include new synthetic methodologies and reactor technologies with relevance to fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and energy-related materials.

2. Drug Delivery

Dr. Ahmed’s research interests also include the development of sustainable and biocompatible hydrogels for pharmaceutical applications, particularly drug delivery and formulation sciences. His work focuses on the design, synthesis, and characterisation of advanced hydrogel systems for controlled and targeted drug release.

A central aspect of this research is the use of microencapsulation techniques to control release kinetics and improve drug-delivery performance. His approach combines green chemistry principles with pharmaceutical formulation strategies, contributing to the development of sustainable and potentially economically viable drug-delivery systems.

3. Supramolecular Chemistry

Dr. Ahmed’s research in supramolecular chemistry focuses on the design and study of molecular systems capable of recognising biologically and chemically relevant targets through non-covalent interactions. His work encompasses the development of selective receptors and probes for anions, cations, and biomolecules, including pharmaceutical agents, in both aqueous and organic media, with particular attention to physiologically relevant conditions.

He has utilised small organic molecules, nanomaterials, and fluorescent sensors to construct supramolecular systems demonstrating high affinity and selectivity. These systems have applications in drug delivery, chemical sensing, and molecular diagnostics.

The experimental work is supported by computational studies, including theoretical modelling and molecular docking simulations, to elucidate host–guest interactions and support molecular design. This multidisciplinary approach contributes to the understanding of molecular recognition processes while providing practical tools for bioanalytical and pharmaceutical applications.