Dr. Shabana Parvez, MD, FACEP, US Bureau Chief of The Desi Buzz and founder of Arlington Integrative Medical Associates (AIMA) and Babies4.us, sat down for an exclusive and inspiring conversation with sat down for an exclusive and inspiring conversation with Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan, PhD, an award-winning project manager, scientist, inclusion advocate and community builder. With a career spanning more than 15 years across higher education, scientific research and the NHS, Dr. Khan brings together research, healthcare, strategic project management, equality, diversity and inclusion, and community leadership. In this candid interview, she opens up about her journey from Chennai to Manchester, her PhD with three maternity breaks, founding the South Asian Women in Higher Education (SAWHE) Network, and her mission to create more equitable and inclusive spaces in research and academia.
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Dr. Shabana Parvez: Dr. Sayema, welcome to The Desi Buzz Show. Before we talk about your professional achievements, tell us about the person behind the CV. Where did your journey begin?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Thank you for having me, Dr. Parvez. My journey began in Chennai, India, before bringing me to Manchester, which has now been home to much of my academic and professional journey. I originally trained as a biomedical scientist and came to Manchester to pursue postgraduate study, completing both my MSc and PhD at the University of Manchester. Behind the CV, I am also a mother of three, and much of my career has been built alongside raising a family. My journey has definitely not been linear. It has evolved from science and academic research into research project management, clinical research, inclusive research, leadership and community building.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: How did your family, upbringing and early experiences shape your ambitions and approach to education and career?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Moving from India to the UK for higher education taught me independence, adaptability and the importance of creating opportunities rather than waiting for them. Family has always been central to my journey. As my career developed, I was simultaneously building a family and learning how to navigate different stages of life and career together. Those experiences have made me particularly conscious that talent is everywhere, but opportunity, confidence, networks and access are not always distributed equally. That has strongly influenced the kind of leader I want to be and my commitment to opening doors for others.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: You have built a 15-year career across higher education and the NHS. What was the turning point that shaped the direction of your career?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: One important turning point was recognising that, although I loved science, my strengths extended beyond conducting research myself. I also wanted flexibility in my role—my kids are a priority, which means I wanted to switch off when I can and also have work from home options. I really enjoyed connecting people, coordinating complex work, solving problems and creating the conditions that allow excellent research to happen. Moving into research project management allowed me to bring together my scientific background, organisation, leadership and people skills. That eventually led me into increasingly strategic roles spanning universities, the NHS, research culture, EDI and community engagement.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: What connects science, research, project management, healthcare, leadership and community work?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: For me, the common thread is impact through people. Science can generate extraordinary discoveries, but discoveries only create impact when people collaborate effectively, communities are involved, and systems are equitable for progression. Whether I am managing a project, leading an EDI initiative or building a community such as SAWHE, I am essentially asking the same question: how can we bring the right people together to create meaningful change?
ACADEMIC JOURNEY
Dr. Shabana Parvez: You earned both your MSc and PhD from the University of Manchester. What attracted you to research and to Manchester?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: My original background was in biotechnology, and I was fascinated by how science could help us understand disease and improve human health. I came to the University of Manchester to undertake my MSc in Immunology and Immunogenetics and subsequently continued into doctoral research. Manchester has an extraordinary research ecosystem, particularly across biomedical research, universities and the NHS. What began as a decision to pursue postgraduate education ultimately became a much longer relationship with Manchester and its research community.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: What was your PhD journey really like behind the scenes, and what was the biggest lesson it taught you?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: My PhD was anything but a perfectly straight journey. It took around six years and included three maternity breaks. There were periods when my personal and academic lives had to coexist in ways that were challenging, and my timeline looked very different from those of many of my peers. The biggest lesson was that a different timeline does not mean a lesser journey. It taught me resilience, persistence and not to measure my progress against somebody else’s timetable. Those lessons have stayed with me far beyond the PhD.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: How has your scientific background helped you become a better Research Project Manager and research leader?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: It means I understand the research rather than only the project plan around it. I can communicate with scientists, clinicians, statisticians and operational teams and understand why particular decisions or dependencies matter. Scientific training also teaches you to question assumptions, analyse evidence and be comfortable when the answer is not immediately obvious. I now combine that scientific thinking with project management and leadership skills to move complex programmes forward.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: What advice would you give students considering a PhD or a career in academic research?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Understand why you want to do a PhD rather than viewing it simply as the next academic step. Choose your research environment and supervisor as carefully as your research topic. Develop transferable skills alongside your technical expertise—communication, project management, leadership, stakeholder engagement and collaboration. Build relationships and networks early; find sponsors and mentors. Most importantly, don’t compare your timeline with somebody else’s. Careers can pause, change direction and restart.
NHS, CLINICAL RESEARCH & LEADERSHIP
Dr. Shabana Parvez: You currently work as a Research Project Manager on the DETERMINE Trial at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. Can you explain the trial and its importance to our audience?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: I currently work as Research Project Manager for DETERMINE at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. DETERMINE is a precision medicine clinical trial looking at whether targeted cancer medicines can benefit patients with rare cancers where their tumour has a particular molecular alteration. Rather than looking only at where a cancer started in the body, precision medicine increasingly asks what is happening biologically or genetically within that tumour. This is particularly important for people with rare cancers, because traditional clinical trials may be difficult to run when individual patient populations are very small. It is an exciting example of how genomics, clinical research and collaboration can potentially create new treatment opportunities.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Clinical research involves patients, scientists, doctors, universities, funders and regulators. How do you manage so many stakeholders and competing priorities?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Managing research depends on relationships as much as it depends on plans and spreadsheets. I start by making sure everyone understands the shared objective, their responsibilities, key dependencies and deadlines. I use clear action tracking and regular communication so that issues are visible early. I also adapt how I communicate depending on whether I am speaking with a clinician, statistician, funder or researcher. Ultimately, project management done effectively is often about creating clarity.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: You also serve as ECMC PPIE Lead in Manchester. Why is patient and public involvement so important in medical research?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Research is ultimately intended to benefit patients and communities, so those voices should not only appear at the end of the process. Patients and the public can help shape the questions we ask, how we communicate research, whether participation is practical and what outcomes genuinely matter. One area I am particularly passionate about is reaching communities that have historically been less represented in clinical research. Through PPIE work, we have taken clinical research engagement directly into communities rather than expecting communities always to come to research institutions. Meaningful PPIE means building relationships and working with people, rather than doing research to or for them.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Having worked across both the NHS and higher education, what have these two environments taught you about leadership and collaboration?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Higher education taught me about academic research, collaboration and the importance of creating environments where ideas can develop. The NHS has strengthened my understanding of pace, accountability, operational delivery and the responsibility involving patients.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Research rarely goes exactly according to plan. How do you manage uncertainty, setbacks and pressure?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: It is definitely challenging. I try to separate what we can control from what we cannot. Life is about looking positively and understanding that you can do your best and then leave the rest for fate to come into play. I have also learned throughout my career that setbacks are information. They can redirect you rather than define you.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: You are trained in PRINCE2 and Agile project management. How do these approaches help you manage complex research projects?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: PRINCE2 provides structure, governance, roles, decision points, risks, dependencies and accountability. Agile thinking brings flexibility and encourages teams to adapt as information changes. You need enough structure to maintain quality and accountability, while recognising that research rarely follows a completely predictable pathway.
RESEARCH CULTURE, EDI & ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP
Dr. Shabana Parvez: What does an inclusive research culture actually look like?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: It is a culture where people feel a sense of belonging, where you have equitable opportunities to progress and where you do not have to prove your worth. People should have equitable access to development, recognition, networks, leadership opportunities and decision-making. Inclusion also means recognising that different people may need different forms of support to achieve equitable outcomes. Some traits such as kindness, respect and empathy are critical to inclusive research culture.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Why does diversity matter in research and clinical trials, and what happens when certain communities are underrepresented?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Research should reflect the populations it intends to serve. If certain communities are absent from research, we are creating evidence that does not represent them. Underrepresentation can also reinforce mistrust because communities may feel that research happens around them rather than with them. Diversity matters scientifically, ethically and socially. That is why community engagement is essential and relationships need to be developed over time.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: How can universities and organizations move from simply talking about EDI to creating real and measurable change?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Give EDI the same seriousness as other strategic priorities for organizations: clear objectives, resources, ownership, data and accountability. Understand the problem through both quantitative data and people’s lived experiences. Co-design interventions with the people affected rather than designing solutions on their behalf. Measure outcomes rather than simply activities—not just “how many events did we run?” but “what changed afterwards?” And importantly, senior leaders must own the responsibility for systemic change rather than leaving it entirely to underrepresented staff. It should not be burdensome to ensure equity for oneself.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: With AI transforming research, healthcare and education, what opportunities and challenges do you see for the next generation of researchers?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: AI could transform how quickly we analyse information, identify patterns, design research and potentially personalise healthcare. It can also remove some administrative burden and create new ways of learning and collaborating. But AI also has challenges to EDI: bias, transparency, privacy, research integrity and unequal access to technology are significant issues. The next generation therefore needs to understand not only how to use AI correctly, but how to challenge it.
SAWHE & COMMUNITY
Dr. Shabana Parvez: You are the Founder and Chair of the South Asian Women in Higher Education (SAWHE) Network. What inspired you to create it?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: I created SAWHE in May 2025 from recognising a gap in the UK higher-education landscape. I could see many incredibly talented South Asian women across universities, but we were often dispersed across institutions, disciplines and career stages. I wanted to create a space where we could find one another, increase our visibility, share opportunities and support each other’s progression. What began as an idea has grown into a national community spanning over 350 staff and students and close to a hundred UK universities.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: What are some of the unique challenges South Asian women face in higher education, research and leadership that may not be immediately visible?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: There is no single South Asian woman’s experience, and our community itself is incredibly diverse. However, some women may experience the intersection of gender, ethnicity, culture, migration, traditional and societal expectations and organisational inequalities simultaneously. There can also be invisible expectations around family or caring roles alongside professional expectations. Lack of representation at senior levels can make it harder to imagine yourself occupying those positions.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: SAWHE is about more than networking. What kind of community and opportunities do you want women to find through the network?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: I want women to find community, opportunity and visibility. We want women to find mentors, collaborators, speakers, research opportunities, leadership development and people who will advocate for them. Just as importantly, I want there to be a genuine sense of sisterhood and belonging. Women have said the network has allowed them to both receive support and have something valuable to offer others.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: How important are mentorship, sponsorship and role models in helping South Asian women reach leadership positions?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: All three are important, but they perform different roles. A mentor may advise you; a sponsor advocates for you when you are not in the room; a role model allows you to see that something is possible. Underrepresented women can sometimes become over-mentored but under-sponsored. We therefore need senior people who are prepared not simply to give advice but to open doors, recommend people and share opportunities.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: What would you say to a young South Asian woman who is talented and qualified but feels that senior leadership is not a space where she belongs?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Do not think of the absence of people who look like you as evidence that you don’t belong there. Sometimes representation has to begin with somebody being among the first. Build your networks, seek mentors and sponsors, develop your skills and make your contribution visible. You do not need to become a different person to become a leader. Leadership spaces also need you and the perspective that you bring is valuable.
FAMILY, HEALTH & WELLNESS
Dr. Shabana Parvez: You’ve built an ambitious career while taking on major community and leadership responsibilities. How do you manage family, career, community and personal life?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: I am a mother of three alongside having several professional and community leadership responsibilities, so I would never pretend that I achieve a perfect balance. I think of it more as constantly managing priorities. There are periods when work needs more attention and periods when family absolutely comes first. Organisation helps enormously, but so does accepting that not everything can receive 100% of you at the same time. Over time, I have also become much more intentional about choosing work that has purpose and impact.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: What role has your family and support system played in enabling you to pursue your professional ambitions?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Family has been part of every stage of my journey—my parents, my spouse, my kids—through postgraduate study, my PhD, motherhood and my subsequent career. I think no significant professional journey happens completely independently. It has also made me conscious of the importance of building supportive environments for other women.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Do you think women are often expected to succeed professionally while also managing a large share of family responsibilities? How can we change that?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Yes, for many women there remains an expectation that professional success should somehow be achieved without reducing responsibilities elsewhere. We need to stop treating caring responsibilities as an individual woman’s problem to solve. Flexible working, equitable parental responsibilities, supportive organisational cultures and recognition of career breaks all matter. We also need to challenge the idea that there is only one acceptable timeline for success. My own career included three maternity breaks during my doctoral journey, and those experiences strengthened my journey.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: When you’re managing demanding projects and multiple responsibilities, how do you protect your own physical and mental well-being?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: This is something I continue to work on. I am carrying too many competing priorities and consciously have to reset. Time with my family helps me reconnect with life, my weekly yoga and also meeting my two close friends over a chat. I am also saying “no”—I am selective about the work I do and the people I give my energy to.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: What does health and wellness mean to you beyond diet and exercise, and what wellness habit has made the biggest difference in your life?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: For me, wellness includes emotional wellbeing, purpose and having thinking space. Becoming more intentional about where I invest my time and energy, protecting boundaries and giving time where I choose to contribute.
AWARDS, WOMEN & LEADERSHIP
Dr. Shabana Parvez: You were the Silver Award Winner for Inclusive Leadership in 2025. What does inclusive leadership mean to you personally?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Inclusive leadership means actively creating conditions in which other people can succeed and find a sense of support to progress. It requires listening to people, putting others’ opinions into vision, being intentional about representation and being willing to change systems rather than expecting individuals simply to adapt. For me, leadership is ultimately what you make possible for other people because you are in a position to influence change.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: You have been named a Northern Power Women Awards 2026 finalist in the One to Watch category. What did that recognition mean to you?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: It was incredibly meaningful because it recognised an intentional step I had taken with the courage to enable positive change. Much of the work I care most about has developed by seeing a gap and deciding to do something about it, rather than because it sat neatly within a job description. Being recognised alongside inspiring women from across the North was therefore very special. It also reminded me that leadership is not defined only by your job title.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Do awards change the way you see your own journey?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Awards do not change why I do the work, but they make me stop and reflect and feel proud of myself and my hard work and also grateful for the people who nominated me. I feel valued and recognised. I often move immediately from one project or challenge to another without recognising how far we have travelled. External recognition can also give visibility to the communities and issues behind an individual’s name. I see awards as encouragement to keep going rather than as an endpoint.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: What is one thing you would change about academia and research to create better opportunities for women and underrepresented communities?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: I would make access to opportunity much more equitable. Talent is widely available; access to influential networks, sponsorship, funding and leadership opportunities is not. We need systems where progression is determined less by who knows how to navigate an invisible set of rules or who happens to be connected to the right person. I would like academia to become a place where people’s potential is recognised earlier and developed more intentionally.
FUN & PERSONAL
Dr. Shabana Parvez: We’ve talked about your PhD, research and leadership. What is Sayema like when she is not working?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: I am a mum of three. Away from meetings, research and projects, family life keeps me grounded. My professional life can be extremely busy, so I really value the moments when I can simply be present with my family. At home I remain simply “Mum!” Outside of work, I am spontaneous, I like to do crazy things, keep looking for an adventure, I love travelling and having new experiences.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Chai or coffee? And how many cups does it take to get through a busy day?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Definitely chai—although on some of my heavy days, the more appropriate answer is coffee.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Are you someone who plans everything, or do you secretly enjoy a little chaos?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: I am a project manager, so naturally there will be a plan, a timeline. But research, leadership and raising three children have taught me that even the best plan will change. So I would say: I plan everything, and I have become good at managing the chaos when we have detours. Even when having holidays, I like a detailed itinerary, but if anything great comes up, I don’t mind having a change of plan.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: What is something people who know you professionally would be surprised to learn about you?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Perhaps how much of my professional journey has happened alongside raising three children. So I have had a lot of juggling to do. They would be surprised to know that I can cook a full course Indian party menu in under an hour, with no fuss. I can cook at record speed and enjoy making a multitude of dishes for parties.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: If you weren’t working in research and academia, what career would you have chosen?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: I suspect I would still have ended up doing something involving people and social impact. I also really like holding stalls and selling food items. My run away from my current career would be to open a ‘Pancake buffet’ breakfast restaurant.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Who would be your dream dinner guest, living or historical, and what would you ask them?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan:I would say Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo. I would love to learn an inside trick or two in navigating institutions that were never designed with women like us in mind whilst managing a family.
THE FUTURE
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Looking ahead, what is the next big challenge or opportunity you would like to take on in research, healthcare, academia or community leadership?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan:I want the next stage of my career to involve broader strategic leadership across research and higher education. I would like to use what I have learned from science, clinical research, programme leadership, research culture and EDI to influence systems at a larger scale. Alongside that, I want SAWHE to continue developing into a sustainable national platform creating opportunities for South Asian women across UK higher education. I am interested not simply in delivering successful projects but in shaping the environments in which people can thrive.
Dr. Shabana Parvez: Finally, Dr. Sayema, if a young South Asian woman is watching The Desi Buzz Show today and wondering whether she can build a career in research, healthcare, academia and leadership, what is the one message you want her to take away from your journey?
Dr. Sayema Rahman Khan: Do not assume that your journey has to look like somebody else’s in order to be successful. You do not need to have the entire journey mapped out before you begin. Mine has included moving countries, completing postgraduate education, a PhD with three maternity breaks, changing career direction, raising three children and moving into leadership in spaces I could not necessarily have predicted when I started. Build your skills, find your people, ask for opportunities and create opportunities when they don’t exist. And when you eventually enter rooms of power, remember to hold the door open for others too.
