MUNEEB ISLAM

Lecturer

Microbiology , Garden Campus

Contact Information:

muneeb@awkum.edu.pk

Dr. Muneeb Islam is lecturer in the department of Microbiology at Abdul Wali Khan University, Garden campus. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from University of Peshawar in 2012, where he tinkered with bacteria and later on he shifted his focus to highly pathogenic animal viruses. He did his post-graduation in Medical Biotechnology from university of Abertay, Dundee (UK) in 2014, he carried out his research in the laboratory of Dr. George Russell at Moredun research institute (UK) where he worked on Ovine herpesvirus-2. After joining the AWKUM in 2016, he was awarded the overseas PhD scholarship by AWKUM. He joined the laboratory of Dr. Linda Dixon- the Pirbright Institute (Head of ASFV group) in 2016. His research was focused on determining the molecular mechanism involved in ASFV persistence in blood and to determine the molecular targets involved in virulence. During his doctoral research, he developed 2 vaccine candidates which provided a higher degree of protection to the animals. Currently, Muneeb is interested in surveillance of avian influenza virus strains circulating in Pakistan with a long term objective of developing tailored vaccine for strains circulating in Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa province of Pakistan.