Research Group Title                       

Environmental Microbiology and Microbial Ecology

Area of Research   

Microbiology, Biotechnology

Theme of Research / Goals

Microbial Diversity, Biodegradation; Bioremediation; Plant-microbe interaction; Metagenomics; Photosynthetic bacteria, Ecology, Ecotoxicology

Faculty Members

Dr. Imran Tipu, Dr. Rana Muhammad Mateen, Mr. Muhammad Khurram, Miss Anam Amir, Miss Nabiha Naeem.

Collaborating UMT Departments

Department of Physics, Department of Mathematics, School of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Collaborating National Institutes

COMSATS, Islamabad, School of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, LCWU, School of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Collaborating International Institutes

Tsinghua University, China; University of Minnesota, USA.

Names of Active Senior Students

Maryam Afzal, Miss Mahnoor, Miss Nimra.

Names of Alumni

Mr. Zain Abbas, Miss Mutther, Miss Mariya Noor.

Short Description of the Research Theme

Rapid industrialization and urbanization have been the main contributors to water and soil pollution, causing tremendous socioeconomic and environmental issues. Microorganisms in combination with plants can overcome environmental stress by degrading toxic pollutants. They are ubiquitous living organisms that play important roles in biospheres, in biogeochemical cycles, and in the well-being of other living organisms. There is a vast diversity of these microorganisms having so much a variety of metabolic activities. These microorganisms can be explored and utilized in solving different anthropogenic problems, such as degrading pollutants, a process known as bioremediation. Moreover, the microorganisms interact with each other and play crucial roles in the environment where they live, and directly / indirectly affect their hosts as well. The study of their interaction with each other and with other living organisms is important in understanding the phenomena involved in it, and to successfully utilize it in biotechnology. For example, various microorganisms are found in the rhizosphere of plants, where they produce various compounds necessary for the growth of the plants. Such microorganisms can be used to support the growth of the plants in a stressful environment.

SDGs Covered

SDG 2: Zero Hunger SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.SDG 6: clean water and sanitation for all.  SDG 12: responsible consumption and production.

List of 5 Relevant Publications

Inam-u-llah, Dr. Humera Nazir, Dr Mizna Arif, Dr Irum Javid, Eina Hoor Hashmi, Rabiya Naz, Muhammad Akbar Shahid, & Nabiha Naeem. (2024). Unraveling the tapestry: a comprehensive analysis of echinococcus granulosus diversity in pakistani livestock and its implications for public health. Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology, 31(6), 2234-2241.

Huda, N. u., Tanvir, R., Badar, J., Ali, I., and Rehman, Y. 2022. Arsenic-Resistant Plant Growth Promoting Pseudoxanthomonas mexicana S254 and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia S255 Isolated from Agriculture Soil Contaminated by Industrial Effluent. Sustainability, 14:10697.

Raja Tahir Mahmood, Muhammad JavaidAsad, Muhammad Asgher, Muhammad Gulfraz, and Tariq Mukhtar, Muhammad Akram. Study of Disperse Dyes Biodegradation and Lignolytic Enzymes Production Potential of Indigenous Coniophoraputeana IBL-01, a Brown Rot Fungi. Advance Environmental Biology, 9(11): 139-150.

Fatima, Kaneez, Asma Imran, Imran Amin, Qaiser M. Khan, and Muhammad Afzal. "Successful phytoremediation of crude-oil contaminated soil at an oil exploration and production company by plant-bacterial synergism." International Journal of Phytoremediation 20, no. 7 (2018): 675-681.

Mohsin, H., Asif, A., Fatima, M., & Rehman, Y. (2021). Potential role of viral metagenomics as a surveillance tool for the early detection of emerging novel pathogens. Archives of microbiology, 203: 865-872.

Mohsin, Hareem, Azka Asif, and Yasir Rehman. "Anoxic growth optimization for metal respiration and photobiological hydrogen production by arsenic-resistant Rhodopseudomonas and Rhodobacter species." Journal of Basic Microbiology 59, no. 12 (2019): 1208-1216.