UHS-Dept

Introduction

Research Activities

Research Publications

Faculty

i. Research Projects: List ongoing and completed projects

Sr. No. Funding Agency Title Status
1 HEC Exploring efficacy of gene editing in reversing the debilitating effects of Beta thalassemia Ongoing
2 PSF Investigating the Genetic Landscape of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Ongoing
3 PAIDSCP Contribution of human APOBEC3 gene and HIV-1 Subtype specific mutations to the overall mutation rate of HIV 1. Report Submitted
4 HEC Analysis of Genetic Factors Contributing to Urolithiasis in the Pakistani Population Completed
5 HEC Genotype/Phenotype association in von-Willebrand disease in Pakistani patients Completed
6 HEC Clinical and Molecular Genetic Studies in Pakistani patients with Glanzmann Thrombasthenia Completed
7 HEC Functional analysis of Glanzmann Thrombasthenia: a genetic and epigenetic perspective Completed
8 PSF Molecular Genetics and Biochemical Studies in Familial Oculocutaneous Albinism (OCA) Completed
9 HEC Inflammation in Stroke: Curriculum of Cytokines (TNF-Alpha & IL-10) and Homocystine in Clinical Stroke” Completed
10 HEC Molecular Genetic Study in Pakistani Families with Schizophrenia Completed
11 PSF Molecular Genetic Studies in Pakistani Families with Autosomal Recessive Microcephaly Completed
12 HEC Pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of a candidate drug for metastatic breast cancer Completed

ii. Publications: (2020-2025)

  • Ijaz F, Ali S, Pervaiz A, Summer M. Anticancer efficacy of sericin (silkworm protein) and sericin chitosan conjugated silver nanoparticles against colorectal cancer. Medical Oncology. 2025 Aug 9;42(9):423.
  • Ijaz F, Ali S, Pervaiz A, Khan K, Afsar T, Aldisi D, Amor H, Razak S. Sericin-chitosan conjugated silver nanoparticles protect against 1, 2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon cancer in mice by regulating metastatic biomarkers, prohibiting dysplasia and enhancing antioxidant potential. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2025 Jul 31:146478.
  • Saeed S, Pervaiz A. Ribosomal inactivating plant protein: The regulator of tumor suppressor and oncogenes in breast cancer. Cancer Research and Medicine. 2025 Jul 16;2(1).
  • Shafiq N, Iqbal UU, Javed A, Pervaiz A. Effects of a synthetic alkyl-phospholipid on transcriptomic profile of cell cycle genes in liver cancer cells. Biomedical Current Insights. 2025 Jun 11;2(1).
  • Mannan A, Bhinder MA, Ullah FZ, Munir S, Nasir MF, Javaid I, Irfan M. DNA Restriction-Free Overlapping Sequence Cloning Techniques: A Modern Toolkit for Synthetic Biology and Genetic Engineering. (2025). Multidisciplinary Surgical Research Annals, 3(3), 805-825.
  • Choudhery MS, Arif T, Mahmood R, Mushtaq A, Niaz A, Hassan Z, Zahid H, Nayab P, Arshad I, Arif M, Majid M. Induced Mesenchymal Stem Cells: An Emerging Source for Regenerative Medicine Applications. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2025 Mar 18;14(6):2053.
  • Choudhery MS, Arif T, Mahmood R. Bidirectional prime editing: combining precision with versatility for genome editing. Cellular reprogramming. 2025 Feb 1;27(1):10-23.
  • Choudhery MS, Arif T, Afzal A, Mahmood R. Therapeutic potential of adipose tissue in aesthetic medicine. World J Exp Med 2025; 15(3): 106641
  • Choudhery MS, Arif T, Mahmood R, Harris DT. Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Stroke Treatment. Biomolecules. 2025 Apr 10;15(4):558.
  • Choudhery MS, Arif T, Mahmood R. Applications of artificial intelligence in stem cell therapy. World Journal of Stem Cells. 2025 Aug 26;17(8):106086.
  • Choudhery MS, Arif T, Mahmood R. Cancer stem cells: Review of current state and future directions. Biomedical Current Insights. 2024 Dec 29;1(1).
  • Shahzad A, Pervaiz A, Numan A, Iqbal S, Berger MR. Inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain (ITIH) genes: expressional profile in colorectal cancer and potential targeting by using a ribosome inactivating protein. Cancer Research. 2025 Apr 21;85(8_Supplement_1):6642-.
  • Malik A, Naveed M, Azeem A, Shams F, Pervaiz A, Latief N, Ijaz B. Regulation of cell migration, proliferation, and apoptosis through Psidium guajava extract against breast cancer: Cross-talk of AKT/FOXO3 and MAPK cascade and related miRNAs. South African Journal of Botany. 2025 Apr 1;179:375-88.
  • Umer K, Khan A, Pervaiz A. Effects of a ribosome inactivating plant protein (riproximin) on transcriptomic profile of apoptosis pathway genes in breast cancer cells. Biomedical Current Insights. 2024 Dec 28;1(1).
  • Khan A, Riaz K, Sajjad O, Pervaiz A. Riproximin mediated effects on transcriptomic profile of PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway genes in breast cancer cell lines. Cancer Research and Medicine. 2024 Dec 28;1(1).
  • Aslam A, Masood F, Perveen K, Berger MR, Pervaiz A, Zepp M, Klika KD, Yasin T, Hameed A. Preparation, characterization and evaluation of HPβCD-PTX/PHB nanoparticles for pH-responsive, cytotoxic and apoptotic properties. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2024 Jun 1;270:132268.
  • Choudhery MS, Arif T, Mahmood R, Harris DT. Stem cell-based acellular therapy: insight into biogenesis, bioengineering and therapeutic applications of exosomes. Biomolecules. 2024 Jul 3;14(7):792.
  • Choudhery MS, Arif T, Mahmood R, Harris DT. CAR-T-cell-based cancer immunotherapies: potentials, limitations, and future prospects. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2024 May 29;13(11):3202.
  • Choudhery MS, Mahmood R, Harris DT. Pre-enrichment of Adipose Tissue Grafts: Potential and Limitations. In Handbook of Stem Cell Applications 2024 Mar 26 (pp. 1057-1099). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
  • Choudhery MS, Mahmood R, Pervaiz A. Regenerative Products of Adipose Tissue: Clinical Applications and Limitations. (2024) 58-76.
  • Faiza S, Numan A, Berger MR, Pervaiz A. Chemokine expression modulations in primary and metastatic colorectal cancer. Biomedical Current Insights. 2024 Dec 23;1(1).
  • Pervaiz A, Javed A, Iftikhar S. Platelet Factor 4: A targetable chemokine induces antineoplastic effects in colorectal cancer cells. Cancer Research and Medicine. 2024;1(2).
  • Riaz H, Zheng B, Zheng Y, Liu Z, Gu HM, Imran M, Yaqoob T, Bhinder MA, Zhang DW, Zahoor MY. The spectrum of novel ABCB11 gene variations in children with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 2 in Pakistani cohorts. Scientific Reports. 2024 Aug 14;14(1):18876.
  • Mumtaz S, Ali S, Pervaiz A, Awan UA, Nauroze T, Kanwal L, Summer M, Mumtaz S, Mughal TA, Tahir HM. Toxicological effects of dimethlybenzeneanthracene in Balb C mice and pharmacological intervention by silk sericin–conjugated silver nanoparticles. Science Progress. 2024 Jan; 107(1):00368504231221670.
  • Bibi F, Rauf A, Khan MA, Ashfaq UA, Awan MQ, Masoud MS, Zarmeena R, Bhinder MA, Afandi MH, Bhatti R. Network Pharmacological Study of Papaver Somniferum to Explore the Potential Compounds to Treat Epilepsy. Journal of Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences. 2025 Mar 27;24(01):25-32.
  • Faiza S, Pervaiz A. CXCL family of chemokine: Clinical perspective in colorectal cancer. Cancer Research and Medicine. 2024;1(2).
  • Memon A, Khidri FF, Waryah YM, Nigar R, Bhinder MA, Shaikh AM, Shaikh H, Waryah AM. Association of MSX1 gene variants with nonsyndromic cleft lip and/or palate in the Pakistani population. The Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal. 2024 Nov;61(11):1845-52.
  • Ullah N, Bhinder MA, Rauff B, Mohamedain LMH, Sunniya H, Adam S, Munir F, Baloch J (2024). In-Silico analysis as tools of molecular screening of a mutation causing cataract. Journal of Population Therapeutics & Clinical Pharmacology. 31(03): 1337-1348. https://doi.org/10.53555/jptcp.v31i3.5692
  • Umair M, Iqbal M, Mustafa G, Bhinder MA, Shah MZ, Khan S, Parveen R, Ejaz A, Baig HMA (2024). A novel missense mutation (C.1982A>C) in FCHSD1 gene causes autosomal recessive early onset Parkinson’s disease in a consanguineous Pakistani family. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology. 31(5) 329-337. doi:10.53555/jptcp.v31i5.6155.
  • Ullah N, Munir F, Iqbal S, Ilyas M, Achakzai JK, Bari A, Bhinder MA (2024). Exome sequencing as a tool of molecular screening of cataract affected families. Journal of Population Therapeutics & Clinical Pharmacology. 31(02): 849-859. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.09.004
  • Mannan A, Bhinder MA, Sadia H, Yousaf Z, Hussain Z, Hussain A, Shakoor M, Zahoor MY, Rehman RA (2024). Association of Oral Submucous Fibrosis Risk with GSTM1 and GSTT1 Gene Polymorphisms. Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan 34(03): 296-301.
  • Rehman HM, Sajjad M, Ali MA, Gul R, Naveed M, Aslam MS, Shinwari K, Bhinder MA, Ghani MU, Saleem M, Rather MA. Identification of RdRp inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 through E-pharmacophore-based virtual screening, molecular docking and MD simulations approaches. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2023 May 15;237:124169.
  • Rehman HM, Sajjad M, Ali MA, Gul R, Irfan M, Naveed M, Bhinder MA, Ghani MU, Hussain N, Said AS, Al Haddad AH. Identification of NS2B-NS3 protease inhibitors for therapeutic application in ZIKV infection: A pharmacophore-based high-throughput virtual screening and MD simulations approaches. Vaccines. 2023 Jan 5;11(1):131.
  • Pervaiz A, Saleem T, Kanwal K, Raza SM, Iqbal S, Zepp M, Georges RB, Berger MR. Expression profiling of anticancer genes in colorectal cancer patients and their in vitro induction by riproximin, a ribosomal inactivating plant protein. Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology. 2023 Jul;149(8):4825-37.
  • Pervaiz A, Naseem N, Saleem T, Raza SM, Shaukat I, Kanwal K, Sajjad O, Iqbal S, Shams F, Ijaz B, Berger MR. Anticancer genes (NOXA, PAR-4, TRAIL) are de-regulated in breast cancer patients and can be targeted by using a ribosomal inactivating plant protein (riproximin). Molecular Biology Reports. 2023 Jun;50(6):5209-21.
  • Mumtaz S, Ali S, Mumtaz S, Pervaiz A, Tahir HM, Farooq MA, Mughal TA. Advanced treatment strategies in breast cancer: A comprehensive mechanistic review. Science Progress. 2023 Apr;106(2):00368504231175331.
  • Mumtaz S, Ali S, Pervaiz A, Qureshi MZ, Kanwal K, Saleem T. Apoptotic and antiproliferative effects of silk protein sericin conjugated-AgNO3 nanoparticles in human breast cancer cells. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences. 2023 Feb 1;30(2):103551.
  • Bashir A, Bashir MM, Afzaal S, Ahmad FJ, Choudhery MS. Fat grafts enriched with ex‐vivo expanded adipose stem cells improve hyperpigmentation of face. Cell Biology International. 2023 Jun;47(6):1118-25.
  • Arif T, Farooq A, Ahmad FJ, Akhtar M, Choudhery MS. Prime editing: A potential treatment option for β‐thalassemia. Cell Biology International. 2023 Apr;47(4):699-713.
  • Choudhery MS, Mahmood R, Harris DT. Stem cell banking of adipose tissue. Current Stem Cell Reports. 2022 Dec;8(4):174-83.
  • Choudhery MS, Mahmood R, Harris DT, Ahmad FJ. Minimum criteria for defining induced mesenchymal stem cells. Cell Biology International. 2022 Jun;46(6):986-9.
  • Rauff B, Alzahrani B, Chudhary SA, Nasir B, Mahmood S, Bhinder MA, Faheem M, Amar A. PNPLA3 and TM6SF2 genetic variants and hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis in Pakistani chronic hepatitis C patients: a genetic association study. BMC gastroenterology. 2022 Aug 26;22(1):401.
  • Akram M, Shafiq MI, Malik A, Khan F, andMuhammad Sajjad MA. Role of Glutathione S Transferase Polymorphism in the Pathogenesis of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Case Control Study. Pakistan Journal of Zoology. 2022 Dec 1;54(6):2659.
  • Javed Z, Khan K, Herrera-Bravo J, Naeem S, Iqbal MJ, Raza Q, Sadia H, Raza S, Bhinder M, Calina D, Sharifi-Rad J. Myricetin: targeting signaling networks in cancer and its implication in chemotherapy. Cancer Cell International. 2022 Jul 28;22(1):239.
  • Ullah I, Murtaza K, Ammara H, Misbah, Bhinder MA, Riaz A, Shehzad W, Zahoor MY. Association study of CLDN14 variations in patients with kidney stones. Open Life Sciences. 2022 Feb 28;17(1):81-90.
  • Earnist S, Nawaz S, Ullah I, Bhinder MA, Imran M, Rasheed MA, Shehzad W, Zahoor MY. Mitochondrial DNA diversity and maternal origins of Pakistani donkey. Brazilian Journal of Biology. 2022 Feb 4;84:e256942.
  • Choudhery MS. Strategies to improve regenerative potential of mesenchymal stem cells. World Journal of Stem Cells. 2021 Dec 26;13(12):1845.
  • Shafique QUA, Rehman HM, Zaheer T, Tahir RA, Bhinder MA, Gul R, Saleem M. A computational approach to modeling an antagonistic angiogenic vegfr1-il2 fusion protein for cancer therapy. Bioinformatics and Biology Insights. 2021; 15:11779322211043297.
  • Ajaz S, Muneer R, Siddiqa A, Ali Memon M, Firasat S, Abid A, Khaliq S (2021). Association of specific single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in the promoter and 3'-Untranslated region of Vascular Endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene with risk and higher tumour grade of head and neck cancers. Oral Oncology. 122:105519. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2021.105519.
  • Ajaz S, Zaidi SZ, Ali SM, Ali Memon M, Firasat S, Abid A, Khaliq S (2021). Absence of Glutathione S-Transferase Theta 1 Gene is Significantly Associated with Breast Cancer Susceptibility in Pakistani Population and Poor Overall Survival in Breast Cancer Patients: A Case-Control and Case Series Analysis 11: 4857. Doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.678705.
  • Rauff, B., Amar, A., Chudhary, S. A., Mahmood, S., Tayyab, G. U. N.and Hanif, R. (2021). Interferon- rs12979860 genotype association with liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients in the Pakistani population. Arch. Virol. doi: 10.1007/s00705-020-04901-2.
  • Qadeer, M. I., Amar, A., Huang, Y.-Y., Min, E., Galfalvy, H., Hasnain, S.and Mann, J. J. (2021). Association of serotonin system-related genes with homicidal behavior and criminal aggression in a prison population of Pakistani Origin. Sci. Rep., 11(1): 1670.
  • Majmundar, A. J., Buerger, F., Forbes, T. A., Klambt, V., Schneider, R., Deutsch, K., Kitzler, T. M., Howden, S. E., Scurr, M., Tan, K. S., Krzeminski, M., Widmeier, E., Braun, D. A., Lai, E., Ullah, I., Amar, A., Kolb, A., Eddy, K., Chen, C. H., Salmanullah, D., Dai, R., Nakayama, M., Ottlewski, I., Kolvenbach, C. M., Onuchic-Whitford, A. C., Mao, Y., Mann, N., Nabhan, M. M., Rosen, S., Forman-Kay, J. D., Soliman, N. A., Heilos, A., Kain, R., Aufricht, C., Mane, S., Lifton, R. P., Shril, S., Little, M. H.and Hildebrandt, F. (2021). Recessive NOS1AP variants impair actin remodeling and cause glomerulopathy in humans and mice. Science Advances, 7(1): eabe1386.
  • Sadia H, Bhinder MA, Irshad A, Zahid B, Ahmed R, Ashiq S, Malik K, Riaz M, Nadeem T, Ashiq K, Akbar A. Determination of expression profile of p53 gene in different grades of breast cancer tissues by real time PCR. African Health Sciences. 2020 Oct 7;20(3):1273-82.
  • Khan MU, Sadia H, Irshad A, Baig AA, Ashiq S, Zahid B, Sheikh R, Roshan S, Ali A, Shamas S, Bhinder MA. Detection, quantification and genotype distribution of HCV patients in Lahore, Pakistan by real-time PCR. African Health Sciences. 2020 Oct 7;20(3):1143-52.
  • Rehman HM, Mirza MU, Ahmad MA, Saleem M, Froeyen M, Ahmad S, Gul R, Alghamdi HA, Aslam MS, Sajjad M, Bhinder MA. A putative prophylactic solution for COVID-19: development of novel multiepitope vaccine candidate against SARS-COV-2 by comprehensive immunoinformatic and molecular modelling approach. Biology. 2020 Sep 18;9(9):296.
  • Akram J, Khan AS, Khan HA, Gilani SA, Akram SJ, Ahmad FJ, Mehboob R. Extensively drug‐resistant (XDR) typhoid: evolution, prevention, and its management. BioMed Research International. 2020;2020(1):6432580.
  • Ali G, Tariq MA, Shahid K, Ahmad FJ, Akram J. Advances in genome editing: The technology of choice for precise and efficient β-thalassemia treatment. Gene therapy. 2021 Feb;28(1):6-15.
  • Mehboob R. Elevated neurokinin 1-receptor expression in uterine products is associated with first trimester miscarriages. InVIRCHOWS ARCHIV 2020 Dec 1 (Vol. 477, pp. S299-S300). ONE NEW YORK PLAZA, SUITE 4600, NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES: SPRINGER.
  • Fatima W, Riaz S, Shahzad MA, Naz Z, Mahmood S, Hasnain S. Chromosomal region 1q24. 1 is associated with increased risk of schizophrenia in Pakistani population. Gene. 2020 Apr 15;734:144390.
  • Ehsan Y, Bashir S, Sabir F, Ghafoor M, Khaliq S. (2020). Six-year experience of prenatal diagnosis for beta thalassemia in twin pregnancies and selective foetal reduction-A case series. Pakistan. J Pak Med Assoc 70(11):2061-2064.
  • Amar, A., Afzal, A., Hameed, A., Ahmad, M., Khan, A. R., Najma, H., Abid, A. and Khaliq, S. (2020). Osteopontin promoter polymorphisms and risk of urolithiasis: a candidate gene association and meta-analysis study. BMC Med. Genet., 21.
  • Ali, T., Gul, S., Amar, A., Shakoor, M., Farhan, S., Mohsin, S. and Khaliq, S. (2020). Two homozygous missense mutations in ITGB3 gene as a cause of Glanzmann Thrombasthenia in four consanguineous Pakistani pedigrees. Int. J. Lab. Hematol. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijlh.13266.
  • Khalid, T., Amar, A. and Khaliq, S. (2020). Host genetic and epigenetic factors in determining clinical outcome of coronavirus disease-2019. Biomedica, 36(COVID19-S2): 175-184.
  • Amar, A., Afzal, A., Hussain, S. A., Hameed, A., Khan, A. R., Shakoor, M., Abid, A. Khaliq, S. (2020). Association of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms and risk of urolithiasis: results of a genetic epidemiology study and comprehensive meta-analysis. Urolithiasis. 48, 385-401.

Book Chapters

  1. Choudhery MS, Mahmood R, Harris DT. Pre-enrichment of Adipose Tissue Grafts: Potential and Limitations. In Handbook of Stem Cell Applications 2024 Mar 26 (pp. 1057-1099). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
  2. Choudhery MS, Mahmood R, Pervaiz A. Regenerative Products of Adipose Tissue: Clinical Applications and Limitations. (2024) 58-76.