Iranian scientist Fatemeh Farjadian has made a groundbreaking discovery in the form of a definitive antidote to poisoning by aluminium phosphide, colloquially known as rice pills.
With a Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry, Farjadian is celebrated as one of the top 2% scientists worldwide, owing to her exceptional contributions to the field.
Her academic journey began with a Bachelor's degree in Pure Chemistry from Yasouj University, followed by a Master's degree in Organic Chemistry at Zanjan University. She later pursued her Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry at the prestigious University of Shiraz.
She was granted a research opportunity at Duisburg-Essen University in Germany and conducted a scientific visit to the Nano Research Centre at the University of Cambridge, England.
Currently, she serves as an associate professor at the Drug Sciences Research Center at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.
During her doctoral studies, Farjadian's research focused on nanocomposites, and she successfully completed her thesis on the synthesis of nano polymer catalysts.
Since 2007, she has been actively engaged in synthesizing nanocomposites, with a primary focus on their medical applications. Her work involves two critical categories: Nanohydrogels and mesoporous silica nanoparticles, which have versatile applications such as catalysis, drug carriers, and even antidotes for poisonings.
Notably, in 2016, Farjadian unveiled a novel approach to treating poisonings using mesoporous silica nanoparticles, a breakthrough research published in the renowned journal Microporous and Mesoporous Materials.
The groundbreaking innovation of the antidote to the rice pills represents a definitive treatment, which is currently in the clinical trial stage.
Aluminum phosphide (AlP) is widely used as a potent pesticide and releases toxic phosphine gas (PH3) when exposed to humidity. Poisoning with these tablets is dangerous and can cause death or serious injuries. Up to now, no definite antidote has been introduced for specific treatment of this type of poisoning.
Farjadia’s global recognition as one of the top scientists can also be attributed to her extensive research in the field of nanocomposites, which has garnered significant attention and citations on an international scale.
Her name is now among the top 2% most cited scientists globally, as per the list published by Stanford University, based on the Scopus scientific index.