https://oceanexpert.org/expert/96659

ORCID : 0000-0001-5571-6186
ResearcherID : I-1473-2014

Ph.D.

Teaching/Education
Research
Data Management

Biological Oceanography, Marine Ecology
Climatology, Meteorology
Molecular Biology
Pollution
Sargassum

My research focuses on plant pathology, microbial ecology, aerobiology, and environmental biosurveillance, with particular emphasis on understanding the diversity, distribution, and ecological functions of airborne and soil-associated microorganisms. As an Associate Professor in the Department of Botany at Ghazi University, Pakistan, I lead multidisciplinary research integrating microbiology, molecular biology, environmental monitoring, and bioinformatics to address emerging challenges in ecosystem health, agriculture, and climate resilience.

My research activities include large-scale field sampling of environmental matrices, including air, soil, water, and plant materials, followed by isolation, identification, and characterization of microbial communities using both conventional microbiological techniques and molecular approaches. I have extensive experience in fungal taxonomy, plant pathogenic fungi, bacterial ecology, biological control agents, and microbial biodiversity assessments. My work also involves DNA extraction, PCR-based diagnostics, metagenomic sequencing, microbial community analysis, and statistical modelling of environmental and biological datasets.

A major component of my research investigates long-distance aerial transport of microorganisms and their relationship with climatic variables, land-use patterns, and ecosystem health. I have conducted extensive aerobiological monitoring to understand the seasonal dynamics of airborne fungal spores and their implications for disease forecasting, biodiversity conservation, and environmental risk assessment. These studies have strengthened my expertise in environmental sampling strategies, geospatial analysis, predictive modelling, and interpretation of complex ecological datasets.

More recently, my research has expanded towards AI-assisted environmental biosurveillance by integrating metagenomics, machine learning, and predictive analytics for the early detection of airborne biological hazards. This interdisciplinary work aims to develop decision-support systems capable of providing timely information for environmental monitoring, ecosystem management, agricultural biosecurity, and public health preparedness.

I have published numerous peer-reviewed research articles and academic books, supervised undergraduate and postgraduate research projects, and actively collaborate with national and international researchers. My previous postdoctoral research at Kanazawa University, Japan, further strengthened my expertise in microbial ecology, environmental microbiology, and international collaborative research.

Through the IOC Ocean Traineeship, I seek to extend my expertise to marine and coastal environmental monitoring by acquiring advanced knowledge in ocean observation systems, environmental DNA (eDNA), marine microbial ecology, oceanographic data management, and AI-enabled environmental monitoring. The knowledge and technical skills gained during the traineeship will be directly transferred to research and teaching activities at Ghazi University, contributing to the development of integrated environmental biosurveillance programmes and strengthening Pakistan's capacity in ecosystem monitoring, climate resilience, and sustainable environmental management.

Arabian Sea

Technical Skills

• Environmental microbiology and microbial ecology
• Plant pathology and mycology
• Aerobiology and airborne microbial monitoring
• Environmental DNA (eDNA) and metagenomic approaches
• DNA extraction, PCR, qPCR, and molecular diagnostics
• Isolation, identification, and preservation of microorganisms
• Microbial biodiversity assessment
• Biological control of plant pathogens
• Soil and environmental sampling
• Water and environmental quality assessment
• Climate resilience and ecosystem monitoring
• GIS-based environmental data interpretation
• Statistical analysis using R, SPSS, and Microsoft Excel
• Bioinformatics and microbial community analysis
• AI-assisted environmental biosurveillance and predictive analytics
• Scientific data visualization and reporting

Research Skills

• Experimental design and field investigations
• Environmental and ecological monitoring
• Sampling protocol development
• Laboratory management and quality assurance
• Research project planning and implementation
• Grant proposal development
• Scientific writing and peer-reviewed publication
• Literature review and systematic data synthesis
• Supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate research
• International research collaboration

Professional Skills

• Scientific communication and presentation
• Teaching and curriculum development
• Academic leadership and administration
• Teamwork in multidisciplinary research
• Project coordination and management
• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Capacity building and mentoring
• Time management and organization
• Stakeholder engagement
• Excellent written and spoken English

English
Sindhi
Urdu

Google Scholar
ResearchGate

https://gudgk.edu.pk