Dr. Bushra Hafeez Kiani

Ass

Assistant Professor

Women University of Azad Kashmir,

Bagh, AJK, Pakistan.

Tel: +92-3335061766

EDUCATION:

  • PhDBiochemistry / Molecular Biology.Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad. Pakistan. 2013
  • M Phil in Biochemistry / Molecular Biology. Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad Pakistan (Gold medal). 2009.
  • MSC Botany. Azad Jammu and Kashmir University, Muzaffarabad. Pakistan. 2006.

RESEARCH:

  • Transfer of rol genes and evaluation of artemisinin synthesis in transgenic Artemisia annua L. and Artemisia dubia WALL. (PhD)
  • Genetic transformation of Artemisia dubia with rol genes.(Mphil)
  • Study of bacterial diversity from the soils of Salmanabad and Hajj complex. Islamabad.(MSC)

EXPERIENCES / CURRENT POSITION:

  • Assistant Professor (TTS) in Biotechnology Department,Women University of Azad Kashmir, Bagh AJ&K, Pakistan from January, 2016–to present.
  • Assistant Professor in Environmental Sciences Department, International Islamic University (IIUI), Islamabad, Pakistan from November, 2013 – to February, 2015.
  • Visiting Teacher in Biochemistry Department, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan from August, 2013-February, 2014.
  • Visiting Teacher in Biology Department, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Pakistan from February, 2015- To November, 2015.
  • Research Associate in department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan from February, 2015- June, 2016.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

Research Expertise:

  • Genetic transformation with different transformation procedures
  • Plasmid, DNA, RNA Extraction
  • Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
  • Gel Electrophoresis
  • Southern Blotting
  • Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry
  • HPLC.
  • Thin layer chromatography (TLC)
  • cDNA Synthesis
  • Real Time PCR
  • Electron Microscopy
  • DNA Sequencing of Plants
  • Antitumor activities of Cancer Cell Lines
  • Analysis of different metabolic pathways in Plants
  • Brine shrimp and Antitumor activities.
  • Antibacterial, Antifungal, Anti-oxidant assay, Antitumor Assay and other bioassays, to determine the activities of natural plant compounds isolated from plants.
  • In-vivo assays on mouse models (Anti-inflammatory assay, Anti-diabetic assay, anti-depressant assay, anticoagulant assay, analgesic assay) to determine the activity of natural plant compounds
  • Phytochemical analysis of plants
  • Scanning electron Microscopy
  • Confocal Microscopy
  • Bioinformatics tools for analysis and sequencing

Research Trainings:

  • 1 week training on Plant and pathogen Bioinformatics at European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome trust genome campus, University of Cambridge, Hinxton, Cambridge. UK.
  • Six months research training at department of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, UK.
  • Four years research experience in Plant Molecular Biology Lab, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad Pakistan.
  • Three years Research assistant experience in Plant Molecular Biology Lab at the department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan.

Supervision

  • 13(11BS, 2MS) research students have completed their thesis under my supervision.
  • 3 MS (MS Biotechnology) students are currently working under my supervision

Scientific Meetings:

PUBLICATIONS:

  • Bushra Hafeez Kiani, John Suberu, Bushra Mirza (2016). Cellular engineering of Artemisia annua and Artemisia dubia with the rol ABCgenes for enhanced production of potent anti-malarial drug artemisinin.The Malaria Journal. DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1312-8.
  • Bushra Hafeez Kiani, Nazif Ullah, Ihsan Ul Haq and Bushra Mirza(2015). Transgenic Artemisia dubia WALL; Showed Altered Phytochemistry and Pharmacology. Arabian Journal of Chemistry. DOI:10.1016/j.arabjc.2015.04.020.
  • Bushra Hafeez Kiani, John Suberu, Guy Cameron Barker and Bushra Mirza(2014). Development of efficient miniprep transformation methods for Artemisiaannua using Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Agrobacterium rhizogenes.In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology - Plant. DOI: 10.1007/s11627-014-9607-3.
  • Bushra Hafeez Kiani, Naila Safdar, Abdul Mannan and Bushra Mirza(2012). Comparative Artemisinin analysis in Artemisia dubia transformed with two different Agrobacteria harbouring rol ABC genes. POJ. 5(4):386-391.
  • Ali M, Kiani BH, Mannan A, Ismail T and Mirza B (2012).Enhanced production of artemisinin by hairy root cultures of Artemisia dubia. Journal of Plants Medicinal Research. 6(9): 1619-1622.
  • Bushra Hafeez Kiani, Muhammad Tahir Waheed, John Suberu, Guy Cameron Barker and Bushra Mirza (2015). Anticancer activities of transformed and untransformed Artemisia annua and determination of functional compounds. Phytomedicine. (Submitted)
  • Bushra Hafeez Kiani and Bushra Mirza (2016). A review article on rol ABC genes and Artemisia. (In process)

Bushra Hafeez Kiani, Bushra Mirza, Guy Cameron Barker (2015). Submission of novel genome sequences in gene bank. (In process)

Conferences/workshops:

  • Oral Presentation on “Artemisinin production in Artemisia annuafollowing transformation with the rol ABC genes and elucidation of the sites of its synthesis“ in International conference on Latest trends in Biotechnology and Biodiversity Scientific Future Group and ICBB-2015, 24-26, August 2015, at Crowne Plaza Deira, Dubai, UAE.
  • Oral presentation in ISESCO Women in Science Conference of Biological Sciences, organized by ISESCO Women in Science Chair and Department of Biochemistry Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, March 8, 2016.
  • Oral Presentation on “Development of efficient miniprep transformation methodsfor Artemisia annuausing Agrobacterium tumefaciensand Agrobacterium rhizogenes“ in 3rd National Computational Science conference organized by Institute of space technology, Pakistan society of computational Biology and Government college University, Faisalabad Advances in 10th Biennial International Conference of Pakistan Society of Microbiology, 13-15, May 2015, Institute of space technology, Islamabad. Pakistan.
  • Oral Presentation on “Artemisinin production in Artemisia annua and Artemisia dubia following transformation with the rol ABC genes and elucidation of the sites of its synthesis“in International conference on Life Sciences,04-06, September 2015, at Isra Medical College, Islamabad. Pakistan.
  • Oral Presentation on “Effect of rol genes transformation on chemistry and pharmacology of Artemisia dubia WALL. “Advances in 10th Biennial International Conference of Pakistan Society of Microbiology, 25-28, March 2015, Department of Microbiology and Molecular genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
  • Oral presentation in 12th National and 3rd International Conference of Botany, Department of Biochemistry Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, September 1-3, 2012.
  • Poster Presentation in “Advances in 12th National and 3rd International Conference of Botany, 2013, Department of Biochemistry Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Poster presentation in 9th Biennial PSBMB Conference “Advances in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology”, Department of Biochemistry PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi December 17-20, 2008.
  • An international Workshop on FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY held at COMSTECH institute Islamabad, Pakistan conducted during March 28-30.2011.
  • A national Workshop on Real Time PCR held at PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan conducted during September 04-07.2012.
  • A workshop of Biosecurity / Food Safety Enhancement Program held at department of Biological Sciences Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan conducted during Feb-March, 2008 by Dr. Aftab Iqbal visiting scholar under HEC short term visiting program.

AWARDS, HONORS AND FELLOWSHIPS

  • First position in Mphil in the department of biochemistry and in faculty of biological sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan and awarded by two medals, President Gold Medal and Chancellor Gold medal.
  • Second Position in M.SC in the department of Botany in University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir.
  • Indigenous Ph.D. Fellowship. Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan for PhD Program.
  • International Research Support Initiative Program (IRSIP). Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan to carry out research in University of Warwick, UK for 6 months.
  • First position in class from Class one to Matric.
  • Member of American Society of Microbiology (ASM).
  • Member of National academy of young scientists (NAYS) Pakistan.
  • Member of American Association for the advancement of the Sciences (AAAS).

References:

Dr. Bushra Mirza
Professor / Chairperson
Plant Molecular Biology Lab
Dept. of Biochemistry
Quaid-i-Azam University,
Islamabad, Pakistan.
Email: / Dr. Ihtisham Bukhari
Chairman
Dept. ofBiotechnology,
Women University of Azad Kashmir,
Bag, AJ&K Pakistan.
Email: