Pakistan’s Hassan Atif Cheema has won a silver medal at the 37th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) 2026, held in Vilnius, Lithuania, marking another achievement for the country’s young scientists on the global stage.
Hassan, a student of the International School Lahore (Legacy Campus), secured the silver medal, while Muhammad Mutahir of Karachi Grammar School received a merit certificate at the competition, which was held from July 12 to 19 and featured more than 350 participants from over 90 countries.
The Pakistani team was selected through the 22nd National Science Talent Contest under the STEM Careers Programme, a joint initiative of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS).
The students underwent extensive training at the National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), a constituent college of PIEAS, under the guidance of local and international experts.
The team was led by Prof Dr Asma Imran and Dr Aamir Ali of NIBGE-C (PIEAS).
Pakistan has participated in the International Biology Olympiad since 2006. Since the launch of its international science olympiad program, Pakistani students have won 144 medals across various international competitions, with more than 5,000 students trained through the initiative.
