Introduction

Biotechnology is the technology based science that uses living systems to make beneficial products to improve the live and health of human beings. It is basically the science for human welfare. Biotechnology also uses genetic engineering techniques to improve the characters of living organism. Biotechnology is a frontline discipline of applied sciences with extensive potential for the welfare of mankind. The Department of Biotechnology, JUW was established in 2012 with the aim to provide female students with the knowledge that creates a robust foundation for understanding developments and advancements in the rapidly growing field of biotechnology, to enhance the critical thinking and technical skills of students, to strengthen ethical attitude and to encourage outreach, giving the nation with  highly trained professionals who are capable to execute the scientific procedures for the constant improvement of biotechnological services and products with value, safety and quality.

Vision

  • To be a department of excellence in the field of biotechnology.
  • To nurture world-class graduates with a potential to innovate, invent and distribute knowledge.
  • To impart quality education for lifelong professional growth and a wide range of career opportunity in the field of product processing and marketing.

Mission

  • To maintain regular updating of the course curriculum to serve the needs of academia and industry.
  • To initiate multi-disciplinary programs through academia-industry interface with special emphasis on implementation of bioprocess
  • To emphasize on recent trends in bioengineering through organization of conferences, symposia, workshops.

Research Publications

Total number of publications by the department faculty and students

(2019-2022 publications that are available online with DOIs)

 

National Conference International Conference HEC Recognized Journal HEC recognized Impact Factor Journals
2 7 16 5

Research areas in biotechnology

 

Industrial Biotechnology
Agriculture Biotechnology
Medical Biotechnology
Environmental Biotechnology
Food Biotechnology
Marine Biotechnology

Research Project Funded

S.No. Faculty Title Funding Source Grant
1. Dr. Syeda Kahkashan Kazmi Micropropagation of commercially important ornamental plants HEC-TDF Rs. 9.918 million
2. Dr. Rashida Rahmat Zohra Lab to Market: Xanthan gum production through microbial fermentation. HEC-TDF Rs. 5.3 million

Business startup incubated in JUBIC

Floritech – By Dr. Syeda Kahkashan Kazmi
Floritech startup has been established with the funding of HEC-TDF 03-138 project. The startup has been registered in 2020 from JUBIC of Jinnah University for Women, Karachi. The aim of this startup is to commercialize ornamental and fruit plants in order to get profit. These plants are produced and multiplied through various breeding and propagation strategies. Currently, this project provides plants to different nurseries and farms i.e. Orchidium Nursey and Pasha Farms.

Notable Alumni

S.NO NAME OF STUDENTS BATCH ORGANIZATION NAME COUNTRY
1 Sabeen Nadeem 2016 Jinnah University for Women Pakistan
2 Neha Khan 2016 Jinnah University for Women Pakistan
3 Tooba Shamim 2016 ‏‎Macter International Ltd.‎ Pakistan
4 Mehnaz Kabir 2016 Agha khan University Hospital Pakistan
5 Sheikh Rimsha 2016 Agha khan University Hospital Pakistan
6 Hira Irfan 2016 Agha khan University Hospital Pakistan
7 Mahnoor Saleem 2016 ICCBS Pakistan
8 Asna Waseem 2016 Mondelez International Pakistan
9 Umaiya Abdali 2016 Lecturer Pakistan
10 Batha Naz 2016 Korangi Creek General Hospital Pakistan
11 Humna Farooqi 2016 Happy Palace Grammar School Pakistan
12 Shagufta Nisar 2016 Agha khan University Hospital Pakistan
13 Iqra Kanwal 2016 ‏‎Dow University Ojha Campus Pakistan
14 Wajiha Faizan 2016 ‏‏‎Skills Valley North Campus Pakistan
15 Faiza Islam 2016 ‎SJ&G Fazal Elahi Pharmaceutical Industries Pakistan
16 Aliya 2017 Karachi University Pakistan
17 Umaima ibrahim 2017 Eden Girls School,Coventry‎‏ United Kingdom
18 Anoosha Fatima 2017 Beacon Light Academy Pakistan
19 Mehreen Khan 2018 Essa Laboratory Pakistan
20 Syeda Hafsa Fatima 2018 ICCBS Pakistan
21 Aiman Sheikh 2019 Saifee Hospital Pakistan
22 Amna Raheel 2019 Musa jee adam and sons Pakistan
23 Komal 2019 Jinnah Hospital Pakistan
24 Dua Mughal 2019 ICCBS Pakistan
25 Muraffa Ghani 2019 ICCBS Pakistan
26 Bareera Amir 2019 Agha khan University Hospital Pakistan

Industry Advisory Board Members

  1. Beena Naqvi (Senior Scientific Officer, Plant tissue culture and Biotechnology Laboratories, PCSIR)
  2. Samina Iqbal (Senior Scientific Officer, Pharmaceutical Research Centre, PCSIR)
  3. Asma Naseeb (Depty Director Horticulture, Pakistan Defence Housing Authority)
  4. Muraffa Ghani (Research Associate, Sindh Forensic DNA and Serology Laboratory)
  5. Muhammad Zaid Saeed (Sanitation Specialist, Mondelez International Cadbury and Tang)
  6. Salman Parekh (Sales Manager, Roche Pakistan Limited)
  7. M. Zeeshan Qureshi (Group Product Manager, Getz Pharma)
  8. Syed Noman Ahmed (Regional Product Sales Manager, Gulf Scientific Corporation)
  9. Ms. Warisha Nadeem (Scientific Officer, Matrx International Laboratories)

Department’s Achievement

Faculty member’s achievements

1) Won “Research Productivity Award” (2022, IBRAS)

  • Dr Suad Naheed
  • Dr Rashida Rahmat Zohra
  • Ms. Ayesha Siddiqui

2) National Idea Bank Award (2022)

Provincial Level Winners on research idea entitled “Single Cell Protein: A solution to malnutrition”

  • Dr Suad Naheed
  • Dr Maria Ghani
  • Ms. Ayesha Siddiqi

3) Won “Silver Award” on best oral presentation in ICEBBB, AIMST University Malaysia (2020)

  • Ayesha Siddiqui
  • Ms. Ayisha Aman ullah

Student’s achievements

  1. Won 2nd prize in Womenprenure Combat (2022), project entitled
    “Single cell protein”

2. Study Tours

Study tours are conducted in different research institutes and industries for final year students

Science Exhibition

Science exhibitions are organized on yearly basis in which students showcase their innovative science projects.

Community Service

In community service, public awareness campaign is conducted to disseminate information regarding different disease outbreaks i.e. dengue, coronavirus, breast cancer etc.

Conference/ Seminars/Workshops/Symposium/ Webinars

The department of biotechnology is actively involved in arranging conferences, symposium and webinars. The department has successfully organized sessions under International Conference (IBRAS) from last two years in which international and national scientists represented their scientific innovations. Moreover, the department has also organized international and national webinars in Covid pandemic era for faculty, students and researchers of various domains of biotechnology.

Conferences held
Three-day Conference entitled “2nd International Conference on Biological Research & Applied Sciences. Session hosted entitled “Recent Advances in Biotechnology” Held on January 11–13, 2022.
Two days Conference on 1st International Conference on Biological Research & Applied Sciences. Session hosted entitled “Emerging trends in Biotechnology”. Held on January 20 – 21, 2021.

 

Webinars Organized
1.      International Webinar: Experimental Structure Determination of Macromolecules on February 10th, 2021
2.      International Webinar: Structure-Function studies of Alzheimer’s disease on February 24th 2021
3.      International Webinar: Story of Autophagy related protein in parasites 24 September 2021
4.       National Webinar: Micro propagation of Commercially Important Ornamental Plants Oct 4, 2021

IBRAS Picture Gallery

Webinars

Laboratory Facilities in Department of Biotechnology

Currently, the department of biotechnology owns life Sciences Lab, Analytical Lab, Molecular Biology Lab, Biochemical Engineering Lab, Industrial Biotechnology Lab and Agriculture Biotechnology and Tissue Culture Lab. These laboratories are well equipped with advanced instruments including incubators, pH meters, drying oven, magnetic stirrers, cold centrifuge, spectrophotometer, water bath, microscopes, analytical balance, DNA electrophoresis unit, protein electrophoresis unit, thermo cycler ,viscometer ,biosafety cabinets etc.

Establishment of Plant Cell Tissue Culture Lab facility

The department’s faculty member Dr. Syeda Kahkshan Kazmi has won HEC funded project TDF03-138 of worth 9.918 million entitled “Micropropagation of commercially important ornamental plants” in 2019. Through project funding, a Plant Cell Tissue Culture (PTC) facility has been established in the department. The PTC lab consists of washing, sterilization and media preparation area which are equipped with water distillation assembly, deionizer, autoclaves, weighing balance, pH meter, and ovens. The aseptic area of PTC lab includes transfer and growth rooms which are facilitated with biosafety cabinets and incubation racks with fluorescent lights of 200-1000 lux intensity. Acclimatization area and green house are also present in PTC lab facility. In addition, through this project Jinnah University Business startup “FLORITECH” has also begun.

Through plant cell tissue culture techniques, commercially ornamentals plants such as Orchids, Chrysanthemum, Lily and Citrus have been developed and commercialized.

Career Opportunities for Biotechnology graduates

  • Pharamaceutical Industries
  • Food Industries
  • Textile Industries
  • Agriculture and Fisheries
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