Email: [email protected]
Phone: +92 300 4176705
Qualification: Ph.D. (Molecular Biology)
With 33 years of teaching and research experience at the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Dr. Ahmed Usman Zafar has transitioned to his current position at Qarshi University. His primary focus is on cultivating a cadre of students with the capacity to pioneer indigenous technologies for the commercial production of biotech products. Dedicated to bridging the gap between academic research and marketable, economically viable products, Dr. Zafar brings extensive expertise in developing upstream and downstream processes for biotech products, including bacterial fermentation and mammalian cell culturing.
Dr. Zafar’s knowledge and skills have been honed through biotech training and collaborative research at esteemed institutions such as the School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, USA, the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Italy, and the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, Malaysia. Additionally, he participated in a scientist exchange program at Nanjing Agriculture University, China.
Dr. Ahmed Usman Zafar’s professional profile boasts over 45 international and national conferences/workshops, accompanied by a prolific publication record comprising 30 international and 13 national publications. Further highlighting his contributions to the field, he has secured five patents in the realms of biopharmaceuticals and agriculture.
Professional Achievements
- Training / experience on cGMP compliance for recombinant therapeutic proteins and stem cell production facility.
- SOP’s documentation, implementation and training for cGMP compliances. ISO 17025 for CEMB Biopharmaceutical QC labs.
- Established infrastructure for pilot scale fermentation and commercial production of recombinant human proteins for therapeutic use.
- Established mammalian cell culture lab and providing national facility for quality control testing of recombinant human proteins to NIH, Islamabad and private pharma sector.
- Established and patented 3 patents for the downstream process of recombinant human interferon for therapeutic use.
- Established and Patented downstream process for the commercial production of Bt. based biopesticide against lepidoptera.
- Prepared three different formulations of diptericidal Bt. based biopesticides.
- Developed Probiotic formulation for poultry.
- Established CEMB mammalian cell repository and bacterial culture collection repository of 2000 isolates.
- Established animal house facility for the stem cell project.
Administrative Experience at CEMB:
- Incharge Biopharmaceuticals
- Chairman, Institutional Procurement Committee
- Chairman, Institutional Animal Ethics Committee
- Member, Biosafety & Biosecurity Committee
- Member selection board CEMB
Pharmaceutical Consultancy to:
- BF Biosciencs, Lahore
- Pharmedic Pharma, Lahore
- Getz Pharma, Karachi
- Sami Pharma, Karachi
- Mecter Pharma, Karachi
- NTP Gelatin Pvt. Ltd., Lahore
- Livewell Capsules Pvt. Ltd. Lahore
Publications
- International: 30 (Impact Factor 94.153)
- National: 13
- Patents: 5 (Four Local & One US Patent)
Patents
- Riazuddin; Shaikh (Lahore, PK), Rehman; Atta-ur (Karachi, PK), Zafar; Usman (Lahore, PK), Choudhary; Iqbal (Karachi, PK), Ashfaq; Usman Ali (Lahore, PK), Khan; Khalid M. (Lahore, PK), Husnain; Tayyab (Lahore, PK), Khan; Zulfiqar Ali (Lahore, PK), Akram; Javed. (2012) 7-nitro-2-(3-nitro phenyl)-4H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one or derivatives thereof for treating or preventing antiviral infections. US Patent, USA # 8,148,368.
- Zafar A.U. and S. Riazuddin (2009) A method of purification of the recombinant protein products. Pakistan patent office, Karachi #140587
- Zafar A.U. and S. Riazuddin (2009) A process for modification of recombinant human interferon for therapeutic use. Pakistan patent office, Karachi #140586
- Zafar A.U. and S. Riazuddin (2007) An improved codon optimized human interferon. Pakistan patent office, Karachi #140574
