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.

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  • IMG-20190528-WA0006
  • IMG-20190528-WA0007
  • IMG-20190528-WA0010
 

 

 

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.

ON-GOING FOREIGN FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS

Sr. No.

Project Title

Cost (Million PKR)

Funding Agency

Principal Investigator

  1.  

Analyzing the spread of Anthrax in Pakistan and Jordan

70

DTRA

Prof. Dr. Tahir Yaqub

2 

Reducing the Economic and Zoonotic Impact of Avian Influenza (REZIAI): delivering novel vaccines and diagnostics from laboratory to the field.

11.2

BBSRC

Prof. Dr. Tahir Yaqub

ON-GOING LOCAL FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS

Sr. No.

Project Title

Cost (Million PKR)

Funding Agency

Principal Investigator

1

 “Purification And Standardization Of Mycotoxins Extracted From Indigenous Toxigenic Fungi Under Optimized Experimental Conditions”

3.932 Million

HEC

PI

2

 “Development Of Inactivated Polyvalent Vaccines For The Control Of Mastitis In Dairy Cattle”

10.905 Million

PARB

(Cooperative Scientist).

3

 “Production Of Foot And Mouth Disease (Fmd) Recombinant Vaccine”

30.91Million

PARB

(Cooperative Scientist).

4

Preparation And Evaluation Of Multivalent Vaccine For Clostridium Perfringens Using Locally Characterized Toxinotypes.

7.902 million

HEC (TDF)

PI

5

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

6.709 million

HEC (TDF)

Co-PI

6

Advanced Molecular Detection Of Toxoplasma Gondii:  Genomics Based Laboratory Surveillance And Reference Diagnosis.

3.014386 million

HEC (NRPU) 

Co-PI

7

Genetic Diversity Among Marek’s Disease Field And Vaccine Virus To Improve Prophylaxis.

6.251913 million

HEC (NRPU)

Co-PI

8

Biocontrol of Salmonellosis in chickens using bacteriophages

Rs.13.083 millions

Punjab Agriculture Research Board

Dr. Ali Ahmad Sheikh

9

Biocontrol of Brucella abortus using Brucellaphages

Rs.3.5 millions

NRPU-HEC

Dr. Ali Ahmad Sheikh

10

Isolation and Characterization of Bovine Herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) Isolates from Pakistan and Their use in Production of Gene Deleted Marker Vaccine

Rs.11.56 millions

HEC

Prof. Dr. Masood Rabbani

11

Characterization, development and evaluation of indigenous probiotics targeting control and mitigation of Salmonella in poultry.

6 Million

HEC (NRPU)

Dr. Muhammad Nawaz

12

Research Project “Development and Evaluation of Probiotics and plant extracts targeting increased phosphorus availability and decreased ammonia emmission in poultry”

3.0 Million

HEC
(NRPU)

Dr. Muhammad Nawaz

13

Molecular characterization of bovine pestivirus isolates from dairy animals of Pakistan and their use in diagnostic, biosecurity and biological development to control disease in Pakistani herds

6.022 Million

HEC

Dr. Arfan Ahmad

14

Development of ELISA KIT for the Detection of FMDV

  6.87 Million

          HEC

Dr. Imran Altaf

15

Prevalence and degradation of pesticide residues in feed and milk

7.28 Million

PARB

Dr. Mateen Abbas

16

Evaluation of anti-Campylobacter activity of indigenous probiotic lactobacilli alone and in combination with different organic acids in poultry

3.4 Million

NRPU-HEC

P.I.

17

 Development of inactivated polyvalent vaccines for the control of mastitis in dairy cattle

10.905 Million

PARB

(Cooperative Scientist).

18

Isolation and Characterization of Bovine Herpesvirus 1 (BOHV-1) Isolates from Pakistan and Their use in production of gene deleted marker Vaccine

11.56 Million

HEC, Pakistan

Prof. Dr. Masood Rabbani

19

Preparation of highly specific ELISA Kit on Recombinant outer membrane protein (OMP) of Pasteurella multocida B2 to detect Post-vaccination immune response

9.544 Million

HEC, Pakistan
Under TDF

Prof. Dr. Aamir Ghafoor Bajwa

20

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

6.714 Million

HEC, Pakistan
Under NRPU

Prof. Dr. Aamir Ghafoor Bajwa

21

Hydrogen peroxide based product CareOx35 effect on the health of dairy cows

0.9 Million

Dexon

Prof. Dr. Aamir Ghafoor Bajwa

NEWLY APPROVED RESEARCH PROJECTS DURING 2019-20

Sr. No.

Project Title

Cost (Million PKR)

Funding Agency

Principal Investigator

1

Mapping an in-depth genetic diversity of Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) in Pakistan and development of serotype-matched recombinant IBV Vaccine

9.04

HEC

Muhammad Zubair Shabbir

2

Production
and Evaluation of Recombinant Foot-and-Mouth disease Virus-like Particles (VLPs) for the Effective
Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Pakistan

9.93

HEC

Dr. Sohail Raza

3

Comparative transcriptome analysis of innate and adaptive immune cells to investigates Cardiovascular complications and BCG vaccination influence over SARS-CoV-2

5.5

Qatar University Emergency Response Grant –QUERG

Dr. Muhammad Suleman

4

Capacity Building & Establishment of Safe and Secure Lab Culture in Pakistan Through the
Development of Hands-On Biorisk Management Training Video

0.5

Health Security Partners (USA)

Muhammad Ilyas Riaz

WORKSHOPS ORGANIZED

S.#

Title

Dates

1

Int. Poultry Nutrition Conference and Expo-15

3-4, November,  2015.

2

Int. Human Nutrition Conference and Expo-15.

3-4, November,  2015.

3

37th All Pakistan Science   Conference

16-17, November,  2015

4

International  training workshop on biosafety and risk assessment 2015

2015

5

Basic Laboratory techniques 2015

2015

6

International workshop on “Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases

September 14-16, 2015

7

Consensus Building Workshop On Biorisk Management Guidelines

2015

8

International Training Workshop on Biosafety and Risk Assessment

2015

9

In Service Short Term Training of University and College Faculty

16th -20th May, 2016

10

 Molecular Diagnostics

23-25 June 2015

11

Basic Laboratory Techniques 

03-07 Aug, 2015

12

Workshop on “Advanced Lab techniques-1 “ for Lab assistants and Lab attendants of UVAS

July, 20-22, 2016

13

Training of young faculty members of SBBUVAS (Sakrand) for two weeks

July, 17-30, 2016

14

In-service training for university and college faculty for Faculty of Bio-Sciences, UVAS, Lahore

August, 1-5, 2016

15

In-service training for university and college faculty for Institute of Microbiology, FVS, UVAS, Lahore

August, 3-5, 2016

16

Teaching methodologies and resource management of Veterinary Anatomy and Histology courses

October, 3-7, 2016

17

Two days training on Skills Enhancement of Teaching Staff of LSTCs/Training Institutes

March, 30-31, 2017

18

International workshop on “Devise strategies to control emerging viral hemorrhagic fever in Pakistan”

14th to 16th November, 2016

19

2nd workshop for Biosafety Officers

13-14 April, 2018

20

1st workshop for Biosafety Officers

12 April, 2018

21

International training course poultry viral diagnostics

05-12 March, 2018

22

Three-day workshop on “Advanced Lab Techniques

10-12 January 2018

23

Awareness Level Biosafety Workshop

18th  June, 2019

24

One Health Approach to Control Rabies

12-07-2018

25

Advanced Level Biosafety Workshop

26th, November,2018

26

Awareness Level Biosafety Workshop

8th August, 2018

27

One Day Workshop on Influence Without Authority

16-02-2019

28

Cell culture techniques for production of biologics

24th Oct 2018

29

Advanced Detection of Food Borne Pathogens

28 November 2019 to
29 November 2019

30

2nd Awareness Seminar on Field Biosafety

7-Dec- 2019

31

Two day Hands on training workshop on Molecular Detection of Food borne Pathogens

26 - 27 December, 2019

32

Writing a competitive grant proposal

21 January 2020 to
23 January 2020

33

One Day Hands on Training on Food Safety 

31-Jan-2020 to
31-Jan-2020

34

One Day Awareness Seminar on Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

04-Feb-2020

35

One Day Awareness Seminar and Hands on Training on The Use of Personal Protective Equipment For Novel Coronavirus (2019-Ncov)

17-Feb-2020

36

Working in BSL-3 Laboratory “AT BSL-3 LABORATORY FOR EMERGING PATHOGENS, Department of Microbiology, UVAS, Lahore

08 – 10 April,2020

37

Diagnosis of COVID-19 using RT-PCR” AT BSL-3 LABORATORY FOR EMERGING PATHOGENS, Department of Microbiology, UVAS, Lahore

13 – 14 April,2020

38

General Aspects Of Biorisk Management

08-May-2020

39

 Laboratory Biosafety, equipment Maintenance and waste disposal for laboratory assistants of L&DD,Punjab at Institute of Microbiology, UVAS, Lahore

13 – 15 October,2020

 

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