FOREIGN FACULTY APPOINTMENTS BY HEC (2003-2011)

Well-qualified and technically-proficient Research Scientist with more than sixteen years laboratory experience and excellent academic qualifications especially in the field of molecular/cell biology, neuroscience, microbiology, immunology, gene expression/regulation, signal transduction, gene silencing, infectious diseases and cancer biology.
Expertise in sophisticated research techniques and technologies, project management, data collection/analysis, critical thinking, resolving unanticipated challenges and problem solving.
Organized, take-charge professional with exceptional follow through abilities and detail orientation; able to plan and oversee projects from concept to successful conclusion.
Demonstrated ability to efficiently prioritize a broad range of responsibilities in order to achieve maximum level of operating effectiveness.
Extensive experience working with cross-functional scientific research teams and developing scientific collaborations.
Respected graduate-level educator who nurtures students in the intricacies of medical research.
Experience in writing grants, manuscripts, poster presentation, annual reports, developing standard operating procedures (SOP) and preparation of regulatory/compliance documents.
Specialties: Biosafety levels II/III with GLP practices, cGMP compliance, Cloning, Site-directed mutagenesis, DNA Sequencing and computer analysis, Transfection (stable and transient), CAT reporter assay, Immunohistochemistry, ELISA, FACS, Mice brain micro-dissections, Gene silencing using siRNA, PCR, RT-PCR, DNA, RNA and protein isolation, Southern/Northern/Western blots, Genomic mapping, Foot-printing, Nuclear extract isolation, Gel shift assay, Preparation and infection of Hepatitis C virus in cell culture, Hepatitis C virus patient blood, serum and tissue handling, cDNA synthesis, DNA microarray array technology (cDNA, Affymetrix, Agilent and Illumna platforms), Familiarity with DNA methylation, Gene editing and NGS

Dr. Ishrat Waheed has over twenty-five years of experience working as an educator, researcher, consultant, and administrator, in North America, Asia, and the Caribbean.

Dr. Waheed received her doctorate in Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, from the Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, and completed her research fellowships at the National Institutes of Health, USA, and the Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Canada. She also holds medical education and academic management certificates from Penn State, Stanford, and Harvard Universities.

Prior to joining Saba, Dr. Waheed had held senior academic and administrative positions at several institutions and taught Biochemistry, Molecular Cell Biology, Genetics, Pharmacology, Immunology, and Virology, at undergraduate and post-graduate levels. Additionally, she has served as a consultant and advisor for various international organizations.

Dr. Waheed’s research interests include cancer vaccines, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, allergic asthma, and infectious inflammatory disorders.  She has mentored over 20 numerous MS/PhD scholars. She has published several articles in high-ranking journals and presented her research findings at prestigious medical conferences and workshops. She has also served as an editorial board member of numerous medical research journals.

In her free time, Dr. Waheed likes to travel and explore nature, for medicinal plants.

Prof. Fridoon Jawad Ahmad received his Bachelor’s degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison in Human Genetics. He continued his education at the same university and earned a PhD. in cellular and molecular biology. He later joined Northwestern University and then Drexel University. His research interests include stem cell based therapy to repair damaged organs, cell architecture and force generation. He has published several research papers in prominent research journals and authored Encyclopedia of Life Science (Macmillan Publishers, London). He is currently serving University of Health Sciences as Professor of Physiology & Cell Biology.

Dr. Ishtiaq Qadri is a Professor at the King Abdul-Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where his research is focused on the broad areas of viral hepatitis and associated hepatocarcinoma. He has also been enthusiastically involved in the study of cellular adaptive responses, hepatic gene expression and regulation during insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, type -2 diabetes in the context of viral infection. He is heading a group of energetic and vibrant scientists from multidisciplinary background under Medical
Biotechnology group to cover various areas of investigation for the eventual control of viral induced diseases, antiviral and vaccine research. The cell, cell resources, gene and gene promoters are utilized to conduct academic research and to produce pharmaceutical products for the prevention of human diseases. Dr. Qadri is the recipient of over 28 international R & D grants covering numerous areas of investigations which were funded from the National Institute of Health USA, American Liver Foundation, Colorado League of Cancer, US-State Dept, Bio-Safety Engagement Program of US, Pasteur Institute of France, Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, Ministry of Science and Technology of Pakistan and Pakistan Science Foundation. All these grants were funded to carry out pivotal work on DNA re-arrangements, Transposable Elements, mapping of genetic architecture hepatic gene expression, molecular mechanisms of liver path physiologic status and viral gene regulation, virus interaction replication, translational control of human viruses such as herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) , human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), Dengue virus (DEN), Epstein Barr virus (EBV), Hepatitis E Virus (HEV),
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Dr. Gulzar Ahmed Niazi (Late)
23-05-2006 to 30-06-2011

Dr. Muhammad Sarwar
10-07-2006 to 09-07-2007