Speakers

Muhammad Waheed Akhtar

Place of Birth : Pakistan
Position : Professor Emeritus, School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Pakistan
Field of study : Biochemistry, Molecular biology, and Biotechnology

After graduation from the University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan, Prof. M. Waheed Akhtar obtained his doctorate in 1973 from the University of Strathclyde, UK. He became a professor of Biochemistry in 1984 at the University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. In 1996, he was instrumental in planning and establishing the Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology at the University, becoming its Founding Director. Later, he was one of the Founding Directors of the School of Biological Sciences, which was established in 2002 at the same University. As Dean of Faculty of Science and other positions in the University, he made important academic contributions. He worked on UNIDO assignments at Trinity College, Dublin in 1984, 1986, and 1988. He was a visiting scientist in 1987 and, then, a visiting professor in 1990 at Cornell University, USA. He is a Fellow Pakistan Academy of Sciences and is associated with other renowned national and international organizations. He is the recipient of many national and international awards. Sixty-five researchers have completed Ph.D. degrees under his supervision and, as Professor Emeritus, he is supervising a group of Ph.D. and post-doctorate researchers. He has published over two hundred papers, many in highly reputed journals. His major current research interest is to construct multi-epitope-based fusion molecules for serodiagnosis and vaccine development for tuberculosis. Based on these studies, his group has produced promising molecules showing high sensitivity in the serodiagnosis of tuberculosis, as well as those in stimulating the cellular release of the cytokines involved in autophagy and apoptosis of the infected cells.

Experiences

• Professor of Biochemistry, University of the Punjab, Nov. 1984 onward
• Founding Director, Inst. of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab (1996)
• Dean, Faculty of Science, University of the Punjab, July 2002-April 2004
• Meritorious Professor, University of the Punjab, July 2002 - April, 2004
• Director, Planning and Development, University of the Punjab, 1996 - 2000
• Best teacher award, Higher Education Commission, Govt. of Pakistan (2003)
• Visiting Scientist, July-Sept. 1987, Cornell University., Ithaca, New York, USA
• Visiting Professor/Senior Fulbright Fellow, Biotechnology Center, Cornell University, USA. Dec. 1989 - Dec. 1990
• UNIDO consultant/Visiting Faculty, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland; July-October 1984, July-Oct. 1986 and Aug.- Sept. 1988
• Fellow of Pakistan Academy of Sciences since 1998
• King Báudouin Award, International Foundation for Science, Sweden for research of exceptional merit (1993)
• Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Government of Pakistan, 1999
• Chairman, Organizing Committee, 18th Symposium of the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists, Lahore, Pakistan, Nov. 20-23, 2005
• Honorary Fellow, Pakistan Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 1997
• British Council Award to study teaching and research in biochemistry and biotechnology in British universities and develop joint programs. Feb. 1994