Dr. Fatima Ahsan

Assistant Professor
PhD, Biological Sciences, (University of the Punjab (PU), Lahore, Pakistan & University College London, UK).
BS (Hons.) Microbiology and Molecular Genetics (PU, Lahore, Pakistan ).

Tel: +92-3224566359
+92-4299212864
Email: fatima.ahsan@uvas.edu.pk

Biography

Dr. Fatima Ahsan is Assistant Professor in the Institute of Microbiology, UVAS, Lahore.  She earned her PhD degree in 2014 under the Supervison of  Prof. M. Akhtar, (Fellow Royal Society), Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan;  Professor Emeritus, University of Southampton, U. K . She has been actively involved in the research afterwards. Her PhD work comprises of recombinant production of human interferon alpha 2b and its various derivatives in highly active forms where one of the derivative made by her being of more active several fold than any of the reported derivative so far.  She has also worked University College London, UK where she worked with pseudotyped HIV-1 and Influenza viruses. Before joining UVAS  she has worked as PostDoc Fellow in School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore She has been involved in training several PhD and M.Phil Students as PostDoc fellow. She is expert in recombinant production of enzymes of common use as well. She produced recombinant Taq polymerase enzyme and used it for all of her PhD research.  Her other expertise lie in a wide range of multidisciplinary techniques such as Molecular Biology, Cell Culture, Biochemistry related research including the techniques like Western blot analysis, Real-time PCR, FACs/sorting, Lentiviral and retroviral transductions, psedouvirus propagation and bioassays, Bioluminescence (luciferase assay for interferon related assays), shRNA for knockdown assays, Mammalian cell culture, Cloning and Recombinant DNA Techniques, . PCR, SDS-PAGE (1-D and 2-D), ELISA, Protein Expression, purification and characterization, Liquid Chromatography (FPLC,HPLC),Photospectrometery, Fluorescent spectrometry, Refolding of inactive protein from inclusion bodies to make them biologically active, etc.. She has two impact factor publications as first author in well reputed international journals. 

Research Interests

  • Study of host/virus interactions and role of interferon at different levels of disease control.

TRAINIGS AND COURSES (RESOURCE PERSON)

  • 6 days Training Workshop “National Workshop on Recombinant DNA Technology (April, 2017), School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore.
  •  6 days Training Workshop “National Workshop On Recombinant Protein Production And Purification (Nov, 2017)
  • International Training Course On Poultry Viral Diagnostic” To Be Held From 05-02-2018 To 12-03-2018 Institute of Microbiology, At City Campus, UVAS, Lahore.

DISTINCTIONS

  • Passed  Graduate Record Examination (GRE, International) (2008) Subject GRE: Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology. Score: 680. (93% percentile)
  • Won HEC PhD Fellowship under “Indigenous 5000 PhD Fellowship Program”.
  •  Won HEC International Fellowship under “International Research Support Initiative Program for PhD research at University College London, UK
  • Won President Talent Farming Award (Higher Secondary School Exam)

Publications

  • Petrillo, C., Thorne, L.G., Unali, G., Schiroli, G., Giordano, A.M.S., Piras, F., Cuccovillo, I., Petit, S.J., Ahsan, F., Noursadeghi, M., Clare, S., Genovese, P., Gentner, B., Naldini, L., Towers, G.J., Kajaste-Rudnitski, A. (2018). Cyclosporine H Overcomes Innate Immune Restrictions to Improve Lentiviral Transduction and Gene Editing In Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells. Cell Stem Cell 23, 820-832.e829.             (Impact Factor: 23.29)
  • Ahsan, F., Gardner, Q. A., Rashid, N., Towers, G. J., & Akhtar, M. (2018). Preventing the N-terminal processing of human interferon α-2b and its chimeric derivatives expressed in Escherichia coli. Bioorganic chemistry, 76, 294-302.   (Impact Factor: 3.23)
  • Ahsan, F., Arif, A., Mahmood, N., Rashid, N., & Akhtar, M. (2014). Characterization and bioassay of post-translationally modified interferon α-2b expressed in Escherichia coli. Journal of biotechnology, 184, 11-16.      Journal of biotechnology, 184, 11-16. (Impact Factor: 3.18)

Research Interests

Recombinant proteins of biological importance, Interferon and their immunology, anti-microbial resistance

Experience in the Techniques

My research work has focused on the production of recombinant derivatives of interferon- alpha 2b with higher antiviral- activities compared to the reported products, so far. I have developed an effective strategy for the purification of this recombinant protein from inclusion bodies and used this to examine IFITM3 restriction of HIV in Human THP-1 cells. The techniques I got the experience to work with in the due course of my work include but are not limited to the following: Protein Expression, purification and characterization, Liquid Chromatography (FPLC/HPLC), Mammalian cell culture Techniques, Western blot analysis, Real-time PCR, FACs/sorting, Lentiviral and retroviral transductions, psedouvirus propagation and bioassays and shRNA design for knockdown assays.

Past Jobs & Experiences

  • Post Doc Fellow (April, 2015- Nov, 2017) School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Supervisor: Prof. M. Akhtar, (Fellow Royal Society) Professor Emeritus, University of Southampton, U. K
  • Research Officer at School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab Lahore. (June 2014- March 2015). Supervisor: Prof. M. Akhtar, (Fellow Royal Society) Professor Emeritus, University of Southampton, U. K
  • Visiting Researcher in the lab of Prof. Greg Towers at Department of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London. (January, 2013 to June, 2013).

Conferences arranged/ attended

As Resource Person/ Secretary

  • Two Days Workshop on “Advanced detection of food borne Pathogens” from December 26 to 27, 2109.

As Participant

  • Poster Presentation in International Conference “Recent Innovations in Molecular Sciences” 6-8 Nov, 2019
  • Oral presentation: Production of Recombinant Taq Polymerase in laboratory; the experience holds promise for local industry indigenous market. Presented in 1st National Conference on Entrepreneurship Avenues in Biological Sciences, 8-9 January, 2020.

Publications

  • Batool S.A., Ahsan, F., Nawaz, M., Anjum, A. A., Khan, A U; et al. (2020)  Study Of In-Vitro Probiotic Properties And Antibiotic Resistance In Lactobacilli Isolated From Commercial Probiotic Products In Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Science; Lahore Vol. 72, Iss. 1, : 1.
  • Liaqat, I., Ali, N. M., Mirza, S. A., Ahsan, F., Sardar, A. A., Tahir, H. M., Ali S., Qureshi, A. W., Haneef, U.  and Ulfat, M. (2020) Study Of Biofilm Response Of Olea Europaea To UV Radiations: An In Vitro Approach. The Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences, 30(5): 2020, Page: 1273-1282 https://doi.org/10.36899/JAPS.2020.5.0145  (Impact Factor: 0.481)
  • Saeed, A.; Ahsan, F.; Nawaz, M.; Iqbal, K.; Rehman, K.U.; Ijaz, T. (2019). Incidence of Vancomycin Resistant Phenotype of the Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from a Tertiary Care Hospital in Lahore. Antibiotics, 9, 3. (Impact Factor: 2.92)
  • Petrillo, C., Thorne, L.G., Unali, G., Schiroli, G., Giordano, A.M.S., Piras, F., Cuccovillo, I., Petit, S.J., Ahsan, F., Noursadeghi, M., Clare, S., Genovese, P., Gentner, B., Naldini, L., Towers, G.J., Kajaste-Rudnitski, A. (2018). Cyclosporine H Overcomes Innate Immune Restrictions to Improve Lentiviral Transduction and Gene Editing In Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells. Cell Stem Cell 23, 820-832.e829. (Impact Factor: 23.29)
  • Ahsan, F., Gardner, Q. A., Rashid, N., Towers, G. J., & Akhtar, M. (2018). Preventing the N-terminal processing of human interferon α-2b and its chimeric derivatives expressed in Escherichia coli. Bioorganic chemistry, 76, 294-302. (Impact Factor: 3.23)
  • Ahsan, F., Arif, A., Mahmood, N., Rashid, N., & Akhtar, M. (2014). Characterization and bioassay of post-translationally modified interferon α-2b expressed in Escherichia coli. Journal of biotechnology, 184, 11-16.  Journal of biotechnology, 184, 11-16.  (Impact Factor: 3.18)