ATG Group sponsors young researcher’s PhD at Cambridge

Sri Lanka’s leading glove manufacturer, ATG Group of Companies recently signed an agreement to completely fund the doctoral studies of M.I. Haseemdeen, a young scientist involved in cancer research, at the prestigious University of Cambridge, England. 

Haseemdeen was awarded the opportunity to study at Cambridge following his successful efforts in the preliminary stages of developing a novel protein to prevent hTERT gene expression in the cancer cells: An approach to develop advanced target cancer therapy. 

Accordingly, the ATG Group will offer a full scholarship of £84, 000 (approximately Rs. 18 m) to Haseemdeen to complete his two years at University of Cambridge which will earn him a PhD in Chemistry. 

“At the University of Cambridge I will be working under the supervision of respected scientist and scholar Prof. Wales to develop a mutation based advanced target cancer treatment by designing a novel protein to interrupt the activity of DNA transcription factor, GABPA,” Haseemdeen said.

He added: “I am grateful to the ATG Group of Companies for aiding my further education which I am confident will not only be beneficial for me personally but the society at large.” 

Commenting on the contribution made by the company, ATG Group Managing Director Fazal Abdeen said: “We’re humbled to be aiding further education of a talented young scholar and innovator with an impressive portfolio of innovations under his name. We believe in investing in persons of this calibre because they’re truly capable of changing the world for the better with their talents and abilities.”

“The ATG Group wishes him all the very best. We want to see his innovations making a positive impact in the lives of people – that is all we expect in return,” he added. 

The PhD hopeful holds a B.Sc. Special Degree in Nursing from the Faculty of Healthcare Sciences of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka and a M.Sc. in Nano science and Nanotechnology from the University of Peradeniya. 

Haseemdeen hails from Oddamavadi, a rural village in the Eastern Province.