Although a clinician by training,  Dr. Awan has been passionate about basic science research behind our clinical tools. He is heading Sharif Medical Research Center and has been involved in multiple indigenous science research projects, collaborating with other institutions. He has taught Neuroscience at School of Science and Engineering at Lahore University of Management Sciences. Dr. Awan runs a series of scientific symposia for doctors called SATE Symposia (for Science at the Edge) at his institution where he invites speakers from outside research organizations to introduce their work and inculcate the fascination of discovery in doctors who have gradually drifted away from science and research because of their overwhelming clinical work.