Hussnain Janjua

Microbiology

Biotechnology

Dean/Professor

With PhD from Imperial College London in microbial molecular biology and 16 years of Post PhD experience I have worked on various projects related to biotechnology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, nano-biotechnology and nano-medicine. My research is focused on the synthesis and characterization of algal/plant derived biogenic materials for their applications as antimicrobial and anticancer agents. Also we are working on algal based nano-sugars for their applications in the confectionery industry. This project is a part of funded project of EU-RISE Grant with total funding of 1.5 Million Euros for nine countries (the project is coordinated by METU Turkey) that are working in a consortium on alternative quality and authenticity methods for the sugar and confectionary industry.  The focus of one of my HEC funded projects (6.1 Million PKR) is on in-silico and wet lab based approaches for the characterization of blood secreted proteins that can be used as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of HCC. My research interests are also focused on isolation, genome sequencing and characterization of bacterial strains for their ability to produce chemical commodities of industrial and pharmaceutical applications. From my lab 4 PhD students and 19 MS students have graduated who managed to publish their data in peer reviewed international journals such as Chemical Engineering, RSC Nanosacle Advances, Applied Surface Sciences, Microchimica Acta, Materials Science and Engineering C, Antiviral Research etc. Another promising research grant on the genomics and virulence of P. aeruginosa (worth 113,000 Euros) was awarded through Provincia-Autonoma-Di-Trento, Italy for my Post -Doctoral research at CIBIO, University of Trento, Italy (2008-2011). 

 At international level I have worked in different institutes across Europe and South Africa. At Centre of Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento Italy I was among pioneer Post- Doctoral researchers and was involved in the administrative and research activities of microbial genomics lab. At the Institute of Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics, University of Western Cape (UWC) South Africa I was a member of a team that was actively involved in the up-gradation of the center into an Institute (IMBM-UWC). In 2011 I worked as a founding member of the Department of Pharmacy QAU Islamabad.  I have also been working as an Assistant Professor at Syed Babar Ali school of Applied Biosciences, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) where I was involved in teaching Pharmaceutical Biochemistry and Microbiology and virology. At LUMS I was working on a research project that was focused on the application of lysozyme coated silver nanoparticles on multiple drug resistant bacterial pathogens.  I also have worked as Principal/Dean of Atta-ur-Rehman School of Applied Biosciences where I was involved in initiating new industrial and international collaborations and starting new BS programs in the Biotechnology, Food Science and Technology and MS programs in Agribusiness and Management, Molecular Medicine and Systems and Synthetic Biology. 

I am collaborating extensively on research projects with international institutes such as John Hopkins USA, CIBIO UNITN Italy, METU Ankara, Ministry of Agriculture Turkey, Kayseri Seker Turkey etc. During the last 10 years I have taught several courses at BS, MS and PhD level. Few of these courses include, Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, Microbiology and virology, Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Contemporary Biology etc.  I also have designed and Introduced Synthetic Biology course at MS and PhD level for the first time in Pakistan. 

With great passion for fundamental and applied research in life sciences I am interested in further strengthening my academic, research and administrative experience at national and international level. 

Currently I am working as a Professor at Atta-Ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences (ASAB) National University of Sciences and Technology. I have lead this School as a Dean/Principal for four years (June 2019-July 2023). This school caters around 550 students at BS, MS and PhD level and my aim is to facilitate these students for their academic and research activities. With a total faculty, officers and staff strength of 70, this school is promoting modern concepts of biotechnology, systems and synthetic biology, nano-biology, immunology, virology, industrial and plant biotechnology. Under my leadership the school has been ranked among top 500 Biological Sciences Schools (Qs Ranking) of the world and number 3 in Pakistan. Recently ASAB has undergone a major expansion plan in which 4 new programs at MS and BS level have already been started and 4 are going to start in near future. At the moment ASAB is running one BS, 5 MS and One PhD programs in Health Sciences, Industrial Biotechnology and Plant Biotechnology. ASAB is playing a vital role in promoting fundamental and translational research in biosciences and is contributing extensively in supporting the food, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan. Diagnostic lab has also been established at ASAB in collaboration with Industry (PMA) focusing on the development of diagnostic kits for malaria, typhoid, dengue, HDV, the total investment on this lab is around 24 Million Pakistani Rupees. Also in collaboration with 2-Insects (Dutch Company) Insectaria has been started at ASAB-Animal House for the growth and investigation of larvae stages of BSF fly for the characterization of BSF proteins as poultry feed. As a Dean/Principal Three DOUs have also been signed with Chinese Institutes under my leadership for faculty and students-exchange with Chinese Institutes and NUST in the agriculture sector for the development of the Chinese Agriculture Centre at ASAB-NUST. In continuation of these DOUs I personally have visited China recently in my capacity as a Principal ASAB to further strengthen our collaborations with Chinese Industries and Academic Institutes in Agriculture sector. In collaboration with the Turkish Agriculture Ministry several visits of ASAB Faculty are planned under my leadership to Turkey for invited talks of our faculty to introduce new strategies in controlling Post Harvest Losses in Agriculture.