1. Faculty of Biology
Date
24-7-19%
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FKdG/HI3
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Mailing address: De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam. The Netherlands
TO WHOM IT MA Y CONCERN
vrije Universiteit amsterdam
re: Letter of Appreciation
Drs. Najmul Hasnain Shah
I would like to express my utmost appreciation to Dr. Najmul Hasnain Shah for the
research and other work which he has conducted as part of his PhD. study on
'Haemorrhagic septicaemia: virulence mechanisms and vaccine development'. This part
of the study was carried out during a period of 12 months (1995/96) at the Department of
Molecular Microbiology, the Department of Medical Microbiology and the Department of
Cell Biology and Immunology, or the Free University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
I especially admire Or. Najmul Hasnain Shah's impressive organisational skills which
were constantly put to test during the course of his research. The fact that he had to
conduct his research which involved a high degree of expertise in many different
techniques and disciplines, at three separate departments, is proof of his enormous skills
in coordination. Furthermore, Or. Shah went about his work with tremendous diligence
and motivation. He is also an amiable individual who is well-liked by his peers.
:.
More in particular, I would also like to draw attention to Dr. Shah's excellent discovery
regarding the virulence or H.S.-causing bacteria. This discovery describes the production
of vacuolating cytotoxic activity by Pasteurella multocida serotype Band E, affecting
macrophages. It explains why these bacteria are not removed from the blood and tissues
of animals suffering from haemorrhagic septicaemia.
The production of extracellular toxin by P. multocida will greatly increase the probability
of developing a subunit vaccine, since Or. Shah demonstrated that the toxic activity could
be neutralised hy circulating antibodies obtained from infected buffalo.
The results or his study have already been approved for publicati n in various refereed
international scientific journals.
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Prof.dr. F.K. de Graar
Supervisor or Or. Najmul Hasnain Shah
Dean or the Faculty of Biology