Dr Ismail Ibrahim Al-Janabi obtained a B.Sc.(pharmacy) from the university of Baghdad in 1968 and a Ph.D.(pharmaceutics) from Heriot-Watt university in Edinburgh in 1975. He spent time teaching and became head of the department of pharmaceutics at the school of pharmacy, university of Baghdad. In 1981, Dr Al-Janabi moved to the U.K. to work in formulation development research with Beecham pharmaceuticals. His interest in genetics and in its application to treat medical conditions prompted him into joining Imperial College, London to study human molecular genetics and to gain an M.Sc. in this subject in 2006. Dr Al-Janabi is currently working as a locum pharmacist and a freelance writer.