As a passionate biotechnologist, my research has been focused on exploration of biological organisms at molecular level through OMICs technologies. My work involved characterizing microbial communities in diverse environmental conditions, identifying key metabolic pathways, and optimizing microbial processes for enhanced resource recovery. Since 2013, I aimed at leveraging microbial processes for resource recovery and valorization, with a focus on producing pharmaceuticals/nutraceuticals, bioenergy compounds, food & feed products, and industrial bioproducts. I have profound interest in studying how microbes modulate their molecular plasticity upon exposure to varying environmental conditions for addressing different challenges associated with the Environment-Water-Energy nexus. During my early career at BioEcoTech Research Cluster, GCUF as “Indigenous PhD Fellow” the work was focused on studying intricate interactions between microalgae/cyanobacteria and their environments, particularly in wastewater treatment systems and CO2 mitigation strategies along with development of zero-waste value chains under biorefinery paradigm. Moreover, as “Research Associate” in a HEC-funded project I got experience of molecular biology and bioinformatics related tools for the construction of genetically modified organisms, primer designing, phylogenetic analysis, cloning, omics etc. Currently, I am working in the PSDP-funded project (NCGE) on the development of CRISPR-based diagnostic techniques for the robust and effective detection of infectious pathogens. I have also been involved with the product commercialization of “Antibiotic alternative poultry feed additive” through the platform of NICF. Recently, I have been selected as “Executive member” of Asian-Federation of Biotechnology-Pakistan Chapter.

Professional experience:

1. Research Associate, US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
2. Visiting Lecturer, Department of Zoology, University of Education Lahore, Faisalabad Campus, Pakistan
3. Visiting Lecturer, Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, GC University Faisalabad, Pakistan
4. Research Associate, at Bioenergy Research Center, Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, GC University Faisalabad, Pakistan

Skills:

> Algal cultivation, biorefinery, wastewater treatment, waste management/valorisation, stress acclimatization, bioprocess engineering for industrially compounds and biofuels, fermentation, genetic engineering, molecular biology, biochemical analysis, microbiology techniques, spectroscopic technique, circular bioeconomy
> User-end analysis, database searching, primer designing, phylogenetic analysis, omics analysis (specially metabolomics)
> Research, problem solving, process improvement, workflow streamlining, technical communication, writing & presentation skills, statistical analysis, analytical skills, graphical skills, Microsoft office suite, laboratory management/supervision

Publications

(1). Shahid, A, AJ Siddiqui, SG Musharraf, CG Liu, S Malik, A Syafiuddin, ... & MA Mehmood*. Untargeted metabolomics of the alkaliphilic cyanobacterium Plectonema terebrans elucidated novel stress-responsive metabolic modulations. Journal of Proteomics. 2022, 252, 104447. (IF= 3.85)
(2). Shahid A, AZ Khan, S Malik, CG Liu, MA Mehmood*, A Syafiuddin, N Wang, H Zhu, R Boopathy. Advances in green technologies for the removal of effluent organic matter from the urban wastewater. Current Pollution Reports. 2021, 10.1007/s40726-021-00203-6 (IF = 8.097)
(3). Shahid A, M Usman, Z Atta, SG Musharraf, S Malik, A Elkamel, M Shahid, NA Alkhattabi, M Gull, MA Mehmood*. Impact of wastewater cultivation on pollutant removal, biomass production, metabolite biosynthesis, and carbon dioxide fixation of newly isolated cyanobacteria in a multiproduct biorefinery paradigm. Bioresource Technology. 2021, 333: 125194. (IF = 11.89)
(4). Shahid, A., S Malik, CG Liu, SG Musharraf, AJ Siddiqui, F Khan, NI Tarbiah, M Gull, U Rashid, MA Mehmood*. Characterization of a newly isolated cyanobacterium Plectonema terebrans for biotransformation of the wastewater-derived nutrients to biofuel and high-value bioproducts. Journal of Water Process Engineering. 2021: 39; 101702 (IF = 7.34)
(5). Shahid A, S Malik, H Zhu, J Xu, MZ Nawaz, S Nawaz, MA Alam, MA Mehmood*. Cultivating microalgae in wastewater for biomass production, pollutant removal, and atmospheric carbon mitigation; a review. Science of the Total Environment. 2020. 704; 135303 (IF = 10.75)
(6). Shahid A, A Rehman, M Usman, MUF Ashraf, MR Javed, AZ Khan, SS Gill, MA Mehmood*. Engineering the metabolic pathways of lipid biosynthesis to develop robust microalgal strains for biodiesel production. Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry, 2020, 67(1): 41-51. (IF = 2.72)
(7). Shahid, A, M Ishfaq, MS Ahmad, S Malik, M Farooq, Z Hui, AH Batawi, ME Shafi, AA Aloqbi, M Gull, MA Mehmood*. Bioenergy potential of the residual microalgal biomass produced in city wastewater assessed through pyrolysis, kinetics and thermodynamics study to design algal biorefinery. Bioresource Technology. 2019, 289:121701 (IF = 11.89)

Research/review articles as corresponding author:

(8). Amin M., F Tahir, H Ashfaq, …. & A Shahid*. Decontamination of industrial wastewater using microalgae integrated with biotransformation of the biomass to green products. Energy Nexus, 2022.

Research/review articles as co-author

Year 2024
(9). Ishfaq M, A Asghar, I Ali, AZ Khan, A Shahid, N Wang, H Zhu, HR El-Seedi, MA Mehmood*, CG Liu*. Appraisal of wastewater-grown biomass of Leptochloa fusca to produce bioenergy and biochemicals through pyrolysis, TG-FTIR-GCMS, and machine learning tools. Energy Conversion and Management. 304, 2024. (IF = 10.4)
(10). Year 2023
Usman M, M Amin, I Kamal, A Shahid, J Xu, MA Alam, MA Mehmood*, GA Ashraf*, R Boopathy*. Algae-mediated resource recovery in urban wastewater. Current Pollution Reports, 2023. (IF = 8.097)
(11). Alhumade, H., OS Alayed, MW Iqbal, A Shahid, …., MA Mehmood*, & GA Ashraf*. Exploration of the bioenergy potential of Dactyloctenium aegyptium through pyrolysis, kinetics, and thermodynamic parameters to produce clean fuels and biochemicals. Fuel, 341, 2023. (IF=8.03)
(12). Year 2022
Zahra, A., A Shahid, A Shamim, SH Khan, & MI Arshad*. The SHERLOCK platform: an insight into advances in viral disease diagnosis. Molecular Biotechnology, 699-714, 2022 (IF= 2.86)
(13). Khan, A. Z., S Malik., MA Mehmood*, A Shahid, T Shahzad., XQ Zhao., ... & CG Liu. Two-stage algal cultivation for the biotransformation of urban wastewater’s pollutants into multiple bioproducts in a circular bioeconomy paradigm. Energy Conversion and Management, 2022. (IF= 11.53)
(14). Malik S., MU Ashraf, A Shahid, ……, Mehmood MA*, & Ashraf GA*. Characterization of a newly isolated self-flocculating microalga Bracteacoccus pseudominor BERC09 and its evaluation as a candidate of a multiproduct algal biorefinery. Chemosphere, 2022. (IF= 8.94)
(15). Muhammad, I., A Shahid, MR Javed, M Afzal, MA Mehmood*. Soil-free cultivation of Leptochloa fusca in the urban and industrial wastewaters produced a low-lignin biomass for bioethanol production. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 2022. (IF= 7.63)
(16). Malik S., A Shahid, M J Betenbaugh, CG Liu, M A Mehmood*. A novel wastewater-derived cascading algal biorefinery route for complete valorization of the biomass to biodiesel and value-added bioproducts. Energy Conversion and Management, 2022. (IF= 11.53)
(17). Malik, S., A Shahid, MN Haider, M Amin, M J Betenbaugh, M A Mehmood, M A Haq, A Syafiuddin, & R Boopathy*. Prospects of Multiproduct Algal Biorefineries Involving Cascading Processing of the Biomass Employing a Zero-Waste Approach. Current Pollution Reports, 2022. (IF= 8.097)
(18). Khan, F., A Shahid, H Zhu, N Wang, MR Javed, N Ahmad, ... & MA Mehmood*. Prospects of algae-based green synthesis of nanoparticles for environmental applications. Chemosphere. 2022 133571. (IF= 8.94)
(19). Year 2021
Khan F, S Malik, A Shahid, AJ Siddiqui, SG Musharraf, H Zhu, NA Alkhattabi, M Gull, MA Mehmood*. Characterization of a newly isolated cyanobacterium Trichocoleus desertorum BERC08 as a potential feedstock for the algal biorefinery. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery. 2021, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-021-01537-3 (IF = 4.05)
(20). Mehmood MA, A Shahid, S Malik, N Wang, MR Javed, MN Haider, P Verma, MUA Ashraf, N Habib, A Syafiuddin, R Boopathy. Advances in developing metabolically engineered microbial platforms to produce fourth-generation biofuels and high-value biochemicals. Bioresource Technology. 2021, 337:125510 (IF = 11.89)
(21). Malik S, A Shahid, CG Liu, AZ Khan, MZ Nawaz, Z Hui, MA Mehmood*. Developing fourth-generation biofuel secreting microbial cell factories for enhanced productivity and efficient product recovery; a review. Fuel. 2021. 298: 120858 (IF = 8.03)
(22). Year 2020
Rehman, O, A Shahid, CG Liu, JR Xu, MR Javed, NH Eid, M Gull, M Nawaz, MA Mehmood*. Optimization of low-temperature energy-efficient pretreatment for enhanced saccharification and fermentation of Conocarpus erectus leaves to produce ethanol using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 2020. 10:1269-1278 (IF = 4.05)
(23). Year 2018
Khan, AZ, A Shahid, H Cheng, S Mahboob, KA Al-Ghanim, M Bilal, F Liang, MZ Nawaz. Omics technologies for microalgae-based fuels and chemicals: Challenges and opportunities. Protein and peptide letters. 2018, 25(2): 99-107 (IF: 1.93)

Book chapters published as first author

(1). Shahid, A*., F Khan, M Farooq. 2024. Innovations in the cyanobacteria-based biorefineries for biopharmaceutical industries. In; MA Mehmood (eds) Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Potential of Cyanobacteria. Springer, Switzerland. (In Press)
(2). Shahid, A., I Kamal, MN Haider, MI Arshad, SH Khan, N Wang, H Zhu. 2024. Cyanobacterial cell factories; insight into their pharmaceutical and nutraceutical properties. In; MA Mehmood (eds) Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Potential of Cyanobacteria. Springer, Switzerland. (In Press)
(3). Shahid, A., AZ Khan, F Jabeen, CG Liu, M Asif, MA Mehmood*. 2023. Cyanobacteria-based biorefineries for a sustainable future of bioindustry. In; Oncel, S.S. (eds) A Sustainable Green Future. Pp. 525–539 Springer, Switzerland.
(4). Shahid, A., S Malik, AZ Khan, CG Liu, MA Mehmood*. 2021. Multiproduct algal biorefineries; challenges and opportunities, In; Verma, Pradeep (Ed.), Biorefineries: a step towards renewable and clean energy. eISBN 978-981-15-9593-6. pp: 513-537. Springer Singapore.
(5). Shahid A, F Khan, N Ahmad, M Farooq, MA Mehmood*. 2020. Microalgal carbohydrates and proteins: synthesis, extraction, applications, and challenges, In; Alam MA, Jing-Liang X, Wang Z. (Ed), Microalgae Biotechnology for Food, Health and High Value Products. ISBN 978-981-15-0169-2 Springer Singapore.
(6). Shahid, A, S Malik, Md. A Alam, N Nahid, MA Mehmood*. 2019. The Culture Technology for Freshwater and Marine Microalgae. In; M. A. Alam, Z. Wang (eds.), Microalgae Biotechnology for Development of Biofuel and Wastewater Treatment, pp-21-44. Springer Nature, Singapore
(7). Shahid A, AZ Khan, S Malik, I Afzal, L Tianzhong, MA Mehmood*. 2017. Production and processing of algal biomass, In: Algae Based Polymers, Blends, and Composites. pp: 273-299. Elsevier, New York, USA.

Book chapters published as a co-author

(8). Afzal, I, A Shahid, M Ibrahim, M Nawaz, L Tianzhong, MA Mehmood*. 2017. Microalgae; a promising feedstock for energy and high-value products, In: Algae Based Polymers, Blends, and Composites. pp-55-75. Elsevier, New York, USA.
(9). Mehmood MA, A Shahid, X Liang, N Ahmad, C Liu, F Bai, X Zhao. 2017. Development of synthetic microbial platforms to convert lignocellulosic biomass to biofuels. In; Advances in Bioenergy (Vol-II), pp: 233-278. Elsevier, New York, USA.

Other publications

(10). Arshad MI, A Shahid, A Zahra, A Ahmad, Z Afzal, NA Khan, SH Khan. 2023. Principles and practices in biosafety, biorisk management, and bioethics (In press). Sunder Publishers Faisalabad and University of Agriculture Faisalabad (ISBN: 978-627-7502-07-2)

Participation in scientific events as Organizer and Resource Person

(1). Three-Day “National training course on algae biotechnology: Innovation for the sustainable future of food, feed, and bioproducts” March 04-06, 2024, organized by BioEcoTech Research Cluster at GCUF. (Role: Resource Person)
(2). Two-Day “International conference on food security challenges and opportunities in D-8 countries” & “Launching ceremony of D-8 designated research center” March 6-7, 2023, organized by CAS-AFS at UAF. (Role: Member organizing committee)
(3). Two-Day “5th National symposium on advances in biotechnology-towards circular bioeconomy” & “Launching ceremony of Asian Federation of Biotechnology (Pakistan Chapter)” February 27-28, 2023, co-hosted by UAF, GCUF, and NIBGE. (Role: Organizer)
(4). Two-Day National Workshop on “R-Language for bioinformaticians” November 17-18, 2020 organized by Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Pakistan. (Role: Organizer)
(5). One-Day Training Workshop on “infrared spectroscopy: principle & applications” Februabt 25, 2016, at the Department of Bioinformatics & Biotechnology, GCUF (Role: Organizer)
(6). Two-Day National Workshop on “government-industry-academia linkage” in collaboration with Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and HEC, Pakistan, 25-26 Jan 2016. (Role: Member organizing team)
(7). One-Day activity on “Spoken and Written Novelty” organized by cultural and character-building society, Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, GC University Faisalabad (Role: Member organizing committee)

Conferences, symposia, seminars, and trainings

2024
(1). Two-Day “International symposium on nanobiology: integrating nanotechnology and microbiology ” held on 28-29 Feb 2024, organized by GC University Faisalabad.
(2). Two-Day “4th BRI Sino-Pak Agriculture Forum ” held on 09-10 Nov 2023, organized by UAF, Faisalabad.
(3). 2023
One-Day workshp on “Research and publication ethics ” held on 20 February 2023, organized by Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Science.
(4). 2022
Three-Day “International conference on climate change : Impacts & solutions ” held on 07-09 Nov 2022, organized by UAF, Faisalabad.
(5). 2022
Five-Day workshop on “Ensuring the sustainablity of Energy-Water-Environment Nexus” held on 23-27 May 2022, organized by British Council at GC University Faisalabad.
(6). 2022
Two-Day symposium on “Advacnes in Biotechnology, trends, challenges, and opportunities” held on 01-04 March 2022, Pakistan, organized by GC University Faisalabad. (Poster presentation, 3rd Prize winner)
(7). 2021
Two-Day conference “Surabaya International Health Conference” held on 21-22 August 2021, Indonesia (online), organized by Nahdlatul Ulama University Surabaya, Indonesia (Oral presentation)
(8). 2021
One-Day conference “ International Conference on Energy, Water, & Environment-ICEWE” held on 31 March 2021, Pakistan (online), organized by University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore
(9). Three-Day training workshop on “ The Role of Youth in Promoting Democracy and Democratic Values” held on 20-22 February 2021, organized by Peace and Education Foundation
(10).Three-Day “International Conference on Recent Updates in Biotechnology” held on 16-18 October 2019 at AIOU, Islamabad, organized by Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Pakistan (Posters presented)
(11). 2019
Two-Day workshop on “Phylogenetic Analysis; Methods & Applications” held on 15-16 April 2019 at Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, organized by GC University Faisalabad
(12). 2019
Four-Day 1st International Workshop on “Scholarly Writing and Publishing” held on18-21, March 2019 co-organized by Alexander von Humboldt foundation, United States Department of Agriculture, and UAF, at UAF, Faisalabad, Pakistan
(13). 2018
One-Day “16th Young Leaders Summit 2018” March 11, 2018 held at Convention Center Islamabad organized by Positive Pakistan
(14). 2018
One-Day Seminar on “Cell Culture & Protein Biology Innovations” February 20, 2018 organized by Department of Bioinformatics & Biotechnology in collaboration with Invitrogen, Thermo Scientific
(15).