Our Team

Mubashir Iqbal

Mphil Microbiology from Institute of Microbiology, UVAS

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Mubashir Iqbal is a highly motivated and dedicated Microbiologist with an MPhil in Microbiology from the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences. He is currently conducting research on the efficacy of commercially available SARS Cov-2 Vaccines to neutralize the omicron variant in Pakistan.

Mubashir has a strong educational background in Applied Microbiology, having completed his B.S. (Hons.) from the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences with a CGPA of 3.50/4. He has taken courses in Medical Microbiology, Clinical Pathology, Food Microbiology, Industrial Microbiology, Systematic Virology, Vaccinology, Probiotics, Microbial Genetics, Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, and Environmental Microbiology. He is also certified in Food Safety and Quality Control from QSI Canada.

He has experience in performing chemical and microbiological analysis of water samples and managing SOPs and documents according to standard ISO 17025 as a Microbiologist. He also has experience as an internee in BSL 3, Institute of Microbiology, UVAS, where he worked on RNA extraction, sample processing, and microscopy, and in Anthrax Lab, Institute of Microbiology, UVAS.

Some of the publications include

• Renessans Helps in Early Clearance of SARS-CoV-2: In-Vivo Activity of the Iodine Complex in Rhesus macaque http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/life12091424

Prof. Dr. Tahir Yaqub

HOD at Institute of Microbiology, UVAS Post Doctorate from Institute for Animal Health, Compton, UK

Prof. Dr. Tahir Yaqub is a renowned scientist in the field of microbiology, currently serving as the Director of the Institute of Microbiology at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan

Dr. Yaqub has a diverse background in microbiology, having conducted research on topics such as cultural evidence of organisms and specific antibody levels of Pastuerella multocida carriers in buffaloes, isolation and characterization of avian influenza virus, and molecular characterization and phylogenesis of H9 from Pakistan. He has also contributed significantly to the field of microbiology through his involvement in numerous research projects. As a principal investigator (PI) or co-PI, he has submitted and completed several projects, including the development of a vaccine for the control of buffalo and cattle calf diarrhea, combating avian influenza through systematic analysis of antigenic drift, genetic variation, and development of novel diagnostic tools and vaccines, and biosafety and biosecurity capacity-building measures in Pakistan, among others.

Some of the publications include

• Treatment and control strategies for COVID-19: Prospects and possibilities.
• Sentinel surveillance of selected veterinary and public health pathogens in camel population originating from Southern Punjab province, Pakistan.
• Effect of lactic acid spray on microbial and quality parameters of buffalo meat.
• Sero-Epidemiological Survey of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever among the Human Population of the Punjab Province in Pakistan.
• Tickborne Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in humans and livestock, Pakistan.
• Seroprevalence of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever among three selected risk human groups in Disease-endemic Region of Pakistan.
• Prevalence, Molecular Epidemiology and Drug Resistance Pattern of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 among Injecting Drugs Users in Lahore, Pakistan.
• A Value Chain Approach to Characterize the Chicken Sub-sector in Pakistan.
• Molecular Phylogenetics of Saw-scaled Viper (Echis carinatus) from Pakistan.
• Genomic analysis of tyrosine hydroxylase gene sequence variations and its association with D-9-tetrahydrocannabinol dependence in addicts.
• Antibiotic Resistance Pattern of Mastitis Causing Escherichia Coli Toxinotypes.
• Molecular Detection and Pathological Investigation of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia in Selected Districts of Punjab, Pakistan.

For more publications visit https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Tahir-Yaqub

Nadia Mukhtar

Assistant Professor at Institute of Microbiology, UVAS

Dr. Nadia Mukhtar, an accomplished microbiologist and infectious disease specialist, has dedicated his career to improving public health through disease diagnosis, research, and treatment. With extensive experience in communicable disease monitoring and surveillance, She has focused on emerging and zoonotic infections, including tuberculosis, CCHF, Zika virus, Chikungunya, West Nile virus, MERS-Corona virus, Dengue, HCV, and HIV.

Dr. Nadia Mukhtar’s impressive research impact factor of 59.60 speaks to his contributions to the field of microbiology. He received his B.Sc. (Hons.) in Zoology from the 1st University of Punjab in 2008, followed by an M.Phil in Microbiology from the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in 2011. In 2016, he completed his Ph.D. in Microbiology, with a focus on the isolation and molecular characterization of rotavirus from calf diarrhea and preparation of the vaccine.

Throughout his career, Dr. Nadia Mukhtar has held various positions in academia and public health institutions. He is currently an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Microbiology at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Lahore, where he continues to teach and conduct research. Prior to this, he was an Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Parasitology and Medical Immunology at the Institute of Public Health in Lahore. From 2018 to 2019, Dr. Nadia Mukhtar served as the Senior Scientific Officer and Focal Person at the Provincial TB Reference Lab, Punjab TB Control Program, Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department, Govt. of Punjab. He was also a Molecular Biologist at the Punjab AIDS Control Program, and Incharge of the Dog Bite Centre from 2016 to 2018. She has consulted for the Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department, Govt. of Punjab and served as a tutor/instructor at the Department of Microbiology at the Virtual University of Pakistan.

Dr. Nadia Mukhtar’s research and clinical experience has led to numerous honors and recognitions throughout his career. His expertise in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases has been instrumental in advancing public health in Pakistan and beyond.

Some of the publications include

• Nawaz, M., Ashraf, M.A., Ali, M.A., Shabbir, M.Z., Shabbir, M.A.B., Altaf, I., Raza, S., Rafique, S., Hassan, S., Sardar, N. and Mehmood, A., 2022. Renessans Helps in Early Clearance of SARS-CoV2: In-Vivo Activity of the Iodine Complex in Rhesus macaque. Life, 12(9), p.1424.
• 2. Amin, F., Mukhtar, N., Aslam, A., Sheikh, A.A., Sultan, B., Hussain, M., Shehzad, R., Ali, M., Shahid, M.F., Aziz, M.W. and Azeem, S., 2022. Rate of Multiple Viral and Bacterial CoInfection (s) in Influenza A/H9N2–Infected Broiler Flocks. Avian Diseases.
• Ali, M., Yaqub, T., Shahid, M.F., Wong, F.Y., Mukhtar, N., Naeem, M., Lam, P., Jayakumar, J., Smith, G.J. and Su, Y.C., 2021. Genetic characterization of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N8) virus in Pakistani live bird markets reveals rapid diversification of clade 2.3. 4.4 b viruses. Viruses, 13(8), p.1633.
• Altaf, I., Nadeem, M.F., Hussain, N., Nawaz, M., Raza, S., Ashraf, M.A., Ali, M.A., Hassan, S., Aziz, M.W., Matti, N. and Ashraf, M., 2021. An in vitro antiviral activity of iodine complexes against SARS-CoV-2. Archives of Microbiology, 203(7), pp.4743-4749.
• Kabir, S., Tahir, Z., Mukhtar, N., Sohail, M., Saqalein, M., & Rehman, A. (2020). Fluoroquinolone resistance and mutational profile of gyrA in pulmonary MDR tuberculosis patients. BMC PulmonaryMedicine, 20, 1-6.