University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

UVAS Institutes

Prof. Dr. Tahir Yaqub

Institute of Microbiology

Introduction

Microbes are driving many aspects of life on the planet. The solution to many of the pressing challenges at global level, such as antimicrobial resistance; emergence of new infectious diseases; and the health of our planet’s ecosystems, rely upon broadening the horizon of discoveries coming from basic microbiology research and exploration. We at Institute of Microbiology are committed to provide our undergraduate students with excellent quality of Education in our degree programs of BS “Applied Microbiology” and “Medical Lab Technologists”
Our research faculty are highly productive and impactful, consisting of 5 Professors, 3 Associate and 9 Assistant Professors, housed at Institute of Microbiology, UDL and WTO-Quality Operations Labs. All the faculty members are outstanding microbiologists who are making exciting discoveries in the field of microbiology while training students in cutting edge research. The department has also made significant contributions in the field of conventional diagnostics and vaccines as is evident from the fact that many students both at Ph.D. and Master level had been trained and are serving in various capacities at different private and public establishments of the country. The Department is actively engaged in teaching under- and postgraduate, deficiency and diploma courses. Training workshops for field veterinarians are also being arranged. The Department has produced quite a number of M. Phil. and Ph.D. students in the University. The Department is equipped with modern tools of Miocrobiology, Molecular biology, Cell culture and the lab-animal facilities.

Staff Position

Director

Prof. Dr. Tahir Yaqub

Professors

Associate Professor

Assistant Professors

Lecturers

Teaching Assistant

Ms. Ateeqa Aslam

HEC Approved Supervisors

Prof. Dr. Masood Rabbani
Prof. Dr. Tahir Yaqub
Prof. Dr. Aftab Ahmad Anjum
Dr. M. Nawaz
Dr. Sohail Raza
Dr. Noreen Sarwar

Facilities

Principal Equipment

Salient Features/Services

Fluorescent Spectroscope
Spectrophotometer
Refrigerated Centrifuge
Fluorescent Microscope
Inverted Microscope
Class I and II Safety cabinet
Autoclave
Hot air oven
-70 C Freezer
-20 C Freezer
Water distillation plant
Vertical Electrophoresis
Horizontal Electrophoresis

Sterilization
Sterilization
High speed centrifugation at low temperature
Fluorescent antibody technique
Analysis of live cells/ cell culture
Biochemical analysis of samples
To provide sterile area for lab work
Storage of samples & long preservation of cultures
Storage of samples and short preservation of cultures
To provide triple distilled water for cell culture & routine lab work
To run protein samples
To run DNA samples
Laboratory animals: Balb C/J mice colony is reared for monoclonal antibody production

Independent Labs

Virology
Bacteriology
Molecular Biology
Genome Extraction
Mycology
Cell culture
Influenza

Research Projects

Institute of Microbiology holds long term history in research and academic activities. Its conviction for high level of research and academics is evident from the No. of PhD students and the publications in the juornals of international standards. Researchers/teachers conduct research to solve problems of the industries such as poultry, livestock, bioceutics, pharmaceutic, fish, equine and ordinary dairy farmers, milk processing, exporters and importers and government issues related to livestock. In universities every postgraduate research scholar is supposed to solve one problem of the industry/farmers. To minimize the financial consternation of the students, every Ph.D. faculty every year won at least one research grant on competitive basis from funding agencies of the country. On similar basis, following grants were obtained and postgraduate scholars conducted research on the projects and completed their research as required for their postgraduate degree program.

Research projects in progress

Title	Principal Investigator	Funding Agency	Worth (Million)
Isolation and characterization of bovine herpes virus 1 (BoHV-1) isolates from Pakistan and their use in production of gene deleted marker vaccine	Prof. Dr. Masood Rabbani	HEC, Pakistan	11.56
Analyzing the spread of anthrax in Pakistan and Jordan	Prof. Dr. Tahir Yaqub	DTRA, USA	70.701
Reducing the Economic and Zoonotic Impact of Avian Influenza (REZIAI): delivering novel vaccines and diagnostics from laboratory to the field	Prof. Dr. Tahir Yaqub	BBSRC, UK	11.324
Preparation of effective vaccine against Newcastle disease using Recombinant DNA technology and study their efficacy in chickens	Prof. Dr. Tahir Yaqub	PARB	15.120
Systematic Avian Influenza Virus Surveillance in Live Bird Markets in Pakistan	Prof. Dr. Tahir Yaqub	PSF & NSFC	10.88
Purification and standardization of mycotoxins extracted from indigenous toxigenic fungi under optimized experimental conditions	Prof. Dr. Aftab Ahmad Anjum	HEC, Pakistan	3.932
Preparation and evaluation of multivalent vaccine for Clostridium perfringens using locally characterized toxinotypes	Prof. Dr. Aftab Ahmad Anjum	HEC, Pakistan	7.902
Preparation of highly specific ELISA Kit on Recombinant outer membrane protein (OMP) of Pasteurella multocida B2 to detect Post-vaccination immune response	Prof. Dr. Aamir Ghafoor Bajwa	HEC, Pakistan	9.544
Preparation of live genetically engineered avirulent vaccinal strains derived from local highly pathogenic isolates of P. multocida B:2, using gene deletion method and evaluation of the vaccine by inoculating in mice and calves	Prof. Dr. Aamir Ghafoor Bajwa	HEC, Pakistan	6.714
Vaccine Efficacy Testing	Prof. Dr. Aamir Ghafoor Bajwa	ICI Pakistan	1.3
Hydrogen peroxide based product CareOx35 effect on the health of dairy cows	Prof. Dr. Aamir Ghafoor Bajwa	Dexon (Pvt), Pakistan	0.9
Biocontrol of Brucella abortus using brucellaphages	Dr. Ali Ahmad Sheikh	HEC, Pakistan	3.54
Development of bacteriophage based remedy for controlling Salmonella infection in chickens	Dr. Ali Ahmad Sheikh	PARB, Pakistan	13.083
Development and Evaluation of Probiotics and plant extracts targeting increased phosphorus availability and decreased ammonia emission in poultry	Dr. Muhammad Nawaz	HEC, Pakistan	3.0
Characterization, development and evaluation of indigenous probiotics targeting control and mitigation of salmonella in poultry	Dr. Muhammad Nawaz	HEC, Pakistan	6.0
Molecular characterization of bovine pestivirus isolated from dairy animals of Pakistan and their use in diagnostic, biosecurity and biological development for disease control in Pakistani herds	Dr. Arfan Ahmad	HEC, Pakistan	6.229
The development of highly sensitive novel ELISA kit for quantitative detection of 146s fraction of FMD virus for the quality production and evaluation of FMD vaccine in Pakistan	Dr. Imran Altaf	HEC, Pakistan	6.709
Evaluation of anti-Campylobacter activity of indigenous probiotic lactobacilli alone and in combination with different organic acids in poultry	Dr. Muhammad Asad Ali	HEC, Pakistan	3.429

Research projects completed

S.#	TITLE OF THE PROJECT	COST Rs. (million)	STATUS
1	Isolation and molecular characterization of Shiga Toxin producing E. Coli O157	2.316	2011
2	Augmentation of production potential of FMD+HS vaccine and immunoprophylaxis of the diseases in cattle and buffaloes	23.55	2011
3	Production and evaluation of trivalent inactivated avian influenza vaccine	2.600	2010
4	Quality testing of poultry meat and eggs	1.700	2010
5	Identification of foot and mouth disease virus from clinically infected animals and genotyping of VP 1 gene of FMD type “O” viruses	1.400	2009
6	Monitoring of chemical adulterants and hygienic status of market milk	0.700	2009
7	Sustainability of Quality Operations Laboratory, UVAS, Lahore	51.55	2009
8	Strengthening of University Diagnostic Laboratory at University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore and animal house at Bhoneiki Campus, of UVAS, Lahore (Proposal Submitted to HEC)	39.6	2008
9	Development of protocols for production and evaluation of hydropericardium syndrome vaccine and immunised yolk/serum	0.0705	2008
10	Quality Control Laboratory for Testing Livestock and Food of Animal Origin with Reference to World Trade Organization (WTO)	99.998	2007
11	Immunoprophylaxis of Foot and Mouth Disease in bovines (ALP/PARC funded)	5.980	2006
12	Development of Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbant Assay (ELISA) Kit for diagnosis of bovine infectious diseases. PCST approved	2.094	2006
13	Immunoprophylaxis of Haemorrhagic Septicaemia in bovine (University research promotion fund)	0.078	2005
14	Passive immunization of hydropericardium syndrome infected broilers (University research promotion fund)	0.028	2004
15	Prevalence of egg drop syndrome virus in commercial poultry (University research promotion fund)	0.055	2002
16	Immunobiology of Newcastle disease virus in poultry (University research promotion fund)	0.042	2000
17	Preparation and evaluation of Mycoplasma capri vaccines (University research promotion fund)	0.087	2000
18	Characterization of avian influenza in poultry (funded by Olympia Poultry Breeders-PVT-Ltd, Big Birds- PVT-Ltd, Avicenna Labs -PVT-Ltd)	0.087	1997
	Partial Ecology and Epidemiology of Soil borne Human and Animal Bacterial Pathogens and its Public Health Significance in Pakistan	72.90	2018

Human Resource Development (Workshops):

S.#	Title	Duration (Days)	Dates
1	Primer designing for microbial identification using PCR	2	09-10 November-09
2	Advanced Laboratory Techniques	12	04-16 May 2009
3	Advanced Diagnostic Techniques and Control of Poultry Diseases	6	15-20 March 2010
4	Basic diseases diagnostic techniques in Livestock and poultry	6	05-10 April 2010
5	Applied Research on advanced laboratory techniques	4	17-21 may 2010
6	Molecular techniques (PCR/RT-PCR) for diagnosis of animal microbial diseases	4	16-19 November 2009
7	Monitoring of raw milk for sorbitol non-fermenting E. coli	5	17-21 May 2010
8	Propagation of Newcastle disease virus in chicken embryos and detection of its immunogenic protein using SDS-PAGE	5	31-May-10 07-June-10 12-July-10
9	Hygienic Monitoring of Food and Food Products	5	05-09 July 2010
10	Isolation, Screening and Preliminary Characterization of Antimicrobial Metabolites from Food Microbes	5	19-23 July 2010
11	Preparation and Evaluation of Oil based Multivalent Foot and Mouth Disease and Hemorrhagic Septicemia Vaccine	5	02-11 August 2010
12	Bio-fermentation for Biomass Production of Pasteurella multocida	5	23-27 August 2010
13	Diagnostic approaches towards avian Mycoplasmosis with collaboration of USA aid project Prof. Dr. Muzaher Hussain Khan	2	06-07 November 2011
14	Int. Poultry Nutrition Conference and Expo-15	2	3-4, November, 2015.
15	Int. Human Nutrition Conference and Expo-15.	2	3-4, November, 2015.
16	37th All Pakistan Science Conference	2	16-17, November, 2015
17	International training workshop on biosafety and risk assessment 2015		2015
18	Basic Laboratory techniques 2015		2015
19	International workshop on “Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases	2	September 14-16, 2015
20	Consensus Building Workshop On Biorisk Management Guidelines		2015
21	International Training Workshop on Biosafety and Risk Assessment		2015
22	In Service Short Term Training of University and College Faculty	5	16th -20th May, 2016
23	Molecular Diagnostics	3	23-25 June 2015
24	Basic Laboratory Techniques (as Resource Person)	5	03-07 Aug, 2015
25	Basic Laboratory Techniques (as Resource Person)	5	03-07 Aug, 2015
26	Workshop on “Advanced Lab techniques-1 “ for Lab assistants and Lab attendants of UVAS	3	July, 20-22, 2016
27	Training of young faculty members of SBBUVAS (Sakrand) for two weeks	14	July, 17-30, 2016
28	In-service training for university and college faculty for Faculty of Bio-Sciences, UVAS, Lahore	5	August, 1-5, 2016
29	In-service training for university and college faculty for Institute of Microbiology, FVS, UVAS, Lahore	3	August, 3-5, 2016
30	Teaching methodologies and resource management of Veterinary Anatomy and Histology courses	5	October, 3-7, 2016
31	Two days training on Skills Enhancement of Teaching Staff of LSTCs/Training Institutes	2	March, 30-31, 2017
32	International workshop on “Devise strategies to control emerging viral hemorrhagic fever in Pakistan”	3	14th to 16th November, 2016

Research Priorities

Isolation and identification of the causative agents of the newly emerging microbial diseases
Preparation and evaluation of biologics (vaccines, probiotics, antimicrobials, diagnostic reagents, etc.)
Qualitative and quantitative detection of mycotoxins and measures to overcome mycotoxicosis in animals
Physico-chemical factors affecting the survival of microbial pathogens (Biosecurity)
Immunogenetics, Immunotherapy, Immunomodulation, Immunoprophylaxis Immunoregulations and Immunodiagnosis of various diseases
Studies of the Zoonotic Diseases