Adjunct Faculty

ADJUNCT FACULTY

Dr. Kauser Abdulla Malik
(TI, SI, HI)
Senior Advisor CEMB
Adjunct Distinguished Professor

President,
Pakistan Academy of Sciences

Dr. Kauser Abdulla Malik is an eminent biotechnology expert, currently serving at CEMB as a Senior Advisor and Distinguished Adjunct Professor. He also leads the Biotechnology Program at Forman Christian College University (FCCU), Lahore. A Distinguished National Professor of Biotechnology, Dr. Kauser earned his PhD in Microbiology from Aston University, UK, and began his research career at the Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB). He is the founding Director General of the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), where he played a pivotal role in developing research programs and training scientific manpower in Pakistan.

Dr. Kauser has held several high-profile national roles, including Chairman of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Member (Biosciences & Administration) of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), and Member of the Planning Commission of Pakistan. He also served as Secretary of the National Commission on Biotechnology and Vice President of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences.

In recognition of his lifelong contributions to science and national development, Dr. Kauser Abdulla Malik has been honored with numerous prestigious awards. These include the Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) in 2004, Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) in 1998, and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) in 1988, all conferred by the Government of Pakistan. He also received the Gold Medal from the Pakistan Academy of Sciences in 1993, the Distinguished National Professor Award from the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan in 2005, and the ISESCO Prize in Biology in 1997.

He is also a Fellow of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences and one of the leading scientists appointed to the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology. He is currently serving as the President of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences.

Prof. Dr Shahid Mahmood Baig
HI, SI, FPAS

Professor / Head of Life Sciences Department
Health Services Academy (HSA)

Dr. Baig is a distinguished scientist from Rawalpindi, Pakistan, with a robust educational background in biology. He earned his BSc from Gordon College and pursued further studies, obtaining an MSc and MPhil from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. His career began as a Research Scholar at the Nuclear Medicine Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute (NORI-PAEC) in 1986. In 1996, Dr. Baig completed his PhD on “prenatal diagnosis of β-thalassemia” through a joint program between Bosphorus University in Istanbul and Quaid-i-Azam University. He joined the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE) in Faisalabad in 1995, where he rose to become a professor and head of Human Molecular Genetics, serving until 2020. In December 2020, he was appointed Chairman of the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), a role he held until late 2023, choosing public service over a vice-chancellorship to further the nation’s scientific development. He also took on the role of Director General at the National Institute of Electronics from March to December 2023. Currently, Dr. Baig serves as the Dean of Life Sciences at the Health Services Academy in Islamabad. His postdoctoral research experience includes positions at Duke University Medical Center in the USA and King Saud University in Saudi Arabia. His research focuses on discovering disease genes and understanding their functions in inherited diseases prevalent in the Pakistani population. He is dedicated to preventing genetic diseases through genetic analysis, prenatal diagnosis, and genetic counseling.

Dr. Saima Riazuddin

School of Medicine
University of Maryland, USA

Dr. Saima Riazuddin is investigating the molecular and genetic basis of hearing loss and deaf-blindness (Usher syndrome), utilizing human and mouse genetics. The studies under investigation are designed to answer the following broad questions: What are the precise mechanisms of various forms of hearing dysfunction? What are the genetic factors that determine hearing sensitivity? How do the pathogenic mutations in disease-causing genes affect the ear and eye structure and function? And which molecules or genetic factors can exacerbate and/or mitigate the effects of disease-causing genes? For these studies, large families segregating inherited deafness are collected. The pedigrees are analyzed by linkage analysis and through various genetic approaches genes essential for hearing process are identified. Mutant mouse models of are developed and evaluated for understanding the function of these genes. Functional analysis of the newly identified genes associated with deafness and deaf-blindness promises new insights into the molecular mechanisms of auditory and vision functions and will facilitate the rational design of therapies for hearing loss and blindness.

Zubair M. Ahmed, PhD

School of Medicine
University of Maryland, USA

Dr. Ahmed long-term goal is to understand how the retinal and inner ear sensory epithelia develop and function. His lab study inherited human disorders of retina and inner ear, like Usher syndrome (USH) and Oculocutaneous Albinism (OCA) to improve our understanding of these organs at the molecular level, to study the pathophysiology of these disorders in animal models for the purpose of developing new strategies to prevent and treat these neurosensory disorders. The studies under investigation are designed to answer the following broad questions: What are the precise mechanisms of various forms of hearing and vision dysfunction? What are the genetic factors that determine light sensitivity? How do the pathogenic mutations in disease-causing genes affect the ear, eye and skin structure and function? And which molecules or genetic factors can exacerbate and/or mitigate the effects of disease-causing genes? For these studies, families segregating inherited USH and OCA are being collected. Mutant mouse and zebrafish models have been developed and his lab evaluates them to understand the function of new proteins. Functional analysis of the newly identified genes associated with deaf-blindness and OCA promises new insights into the molecular mechanisms of vision and auditory development and functions and will facilitate the rational design of potential therapies.

Dr. Afsar Ali Mian

Centre for Regenerative Medicine The Aga Khan University, Karachi

Dr Afsar Mian has expertise in developing novel drugs and peptide therapies as targeted therapies against Leukaemia. ​His research is focused on understanding the mechanisms of treatment-resistant or refractory Leukaemia. ​​Dr Mian’s research has resulted in the development of the PF-114 drug for treating resistant Leukaemia which is currently in phase III clinical trial. ​​His current research at AKU-CRM is focusing on developing a cell and peptide-based approach for treating Ph+ Leukaemia and developing a druggable gene editing therapy for beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia.

Dr Khurrum Shahzad

Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Leipzig, Germany

Dr. Khurrum Shahzad’s research interests lie in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) that affect the heart and blood vessels and are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. They encompass a wide range of conditions including atherosclerosis, peripheral arterial disease, myocardial infarction (heart attack), and heart failure. Diabetic patients have a greater risk of developing CVD. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing CVDs. Loss of coagulation regulators (thrombomodulin and activated protein C) have repeatedly demonstrated CVDs and CKD. Thromboinflammation (interplay between the blood coagulation, and inflammatory responses) plays a significant role in the development and progression of various CVDs. His work focuses on understanding the role of coagulation regulator and thromboinflammation in CVDs and CKD induced CVDs. Understanding the underlying mechanisms in CVDs will provide insights into potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of CVDs.