Biography:

I am Professor at the Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Islamabad. I started my professional carrier as Research Fellow in Crop Diseases Research Program, Institute of Plant & Environment Protection, National Agriculture Research Center (NARC), Islamabad during my M.Sc. (Biochemistry) studies. I completed my M. Sc. with distinction of Gold Medal. After, my M.Sc. I got exposure of medical diagnostic industry, while working as Product Specialist at Med Lab Services; a company providing medical health care and clinical diagnostics kits and instruments throughout the Pakistan. Later, I joined Ph.D program in the Department of Biochemistry, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi. After completing my Ph.D working on a Banana bunchy top virus genetic characterization, I joined Biosciences at CIIT. During my job at CIIT, I have done my first Post-Doc in the University of Paduva, Italy in the area of rice salt and drought stress, while later I joined Department of Plant Pathology and Plant Microbe Biology in Cornell University, USA as Post-Doctroal Fellow and worked in the area of Plant Molecular Virology. My scientific expertise lies in the field of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, especially in the field of Molecular Virology. I also have great interest in Bioinformatics and Biotechnology. Currently, my research focus is at understanding the expression patterns of various genes of Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV), methylation status of BBTV genome and host proteomic response towards infection by this virus in banana. I am also focusing on evolutionary dynamics and role of recombination in genetic diversity of BBTV population in our fields and worldwide, using various bioinformatics programs. In addition to working on BBTV, I am also working on development of PCR assays of diagnostic value for human pathogens including Human papillomavirus, Hepatitis C and B viruses, Dengue virus and Plasmodium spp. These efforts will contribute towards diagnosing, understanding evolution and exploring the genomes of plant, human and animal viruses in our country to develop strategies for their management and control. Ultimately, it will lead towards promotion of health and strengthening the economy of nation and thereby serving humanity. In addition to my primary career of academician and scientist, I am also an entrepreneur and CEO of BTSol Enterprises, a recently opened company at Cubator1ne. BTSol Enterprises provides products developed through our rigorous R&D and biotechnology services to the scientific community in Pakistan. . BTSol Enterprises is a platform for translating my research into commercial applications, thereby generating a socio-economic impact of my research.