| I have the duties of teaching and research at Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan Pakistan. My teaching focuses on teaching basic and advance Biological courses at graduate and postgraduate level at the departmental of Zoology. The focus of my research program is on the molecular surveillance of tick and tick-borne infectious disease of livestock and companion animals. Tick-borne infectious diseases constitute serious animal and public health problems. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral disease reported in Pakistan. This disease mainly affects individuals who have close contact with livestock, including those working in slaughterhouses and veterinary practices. The case fatality rate of CCHF is high, estimated to be ~30-50%. In Pakistan, human CCHF is vectored by Hyalomma spp. and spread throughout Pakistan, therefore a significant threat could be posed to human health. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop an effective and long-lasting prophylactic strategy, such as vaccine, to control and stop the spread of tick-borne infectious diseases in Pakistan. It is well-established that vaccination strategy can induce herd immunity and has been successful in preventing and eradicating several infectious agents over the past century. I have conducted my doctoral research project on the molecular surveillance of ticks and tick-borne infectious pathogens and propose to get my postdoctoral training in vaccine development. I have published 13 articles in peer review journals so far in last one and half years. Moreover, I am an HEC approved supervisor now and I am looking to submit a grant proposal to Higher education commission and focusing to train research students in near future. |
