Group Leader:

Ameena Mobeen  

Pr. Scientist

Team Members:

1. Ameena Mobeen                           (Principal Scientist)
2. Hafiza Jawairia Hashmi              (Junior Scientist)

MISSION: To assess risk associated with environmental contaminants andmolecular diagnosis of veterinary diseases

Research focusing areas

Environmental risk assessment/ toxicity and genotoxicity

Environmental toxicology lab facilitates and promotes R&D in area of toxicology and risk assessment, various toxicity assays has been established for pesticides, toxins and other commodities. Several different projects of genotoxicity and risk assessments research include

• Toxicity testing of pesticides formulationsin a systematic manner through various tests.
• Genotoxic environmental risk assessment of pesticideusing biochemical, molecular and genotoxic biomarkers i.e exposed agriculture and industrial workers, oral snuff (Naswar) addicted individuals in Pakistan; genotoxicity of pesticides in non target organisms.
• Risk assessment of Ochratoxin A and toxicological assessment of metallic nanoparticles etc.
• Mutagenicity assessment of pesticides, nanoparticles and others compounds.
• Established an aquatic toxicity lab for acute fish toxicity (LC₅₀) using various fish species.
• Various toxicological studies; acute and sub acute, sub chronic, allergenicity/ dermal sensitization, dermal irritation, ocular irritation, gross pathology and  genotoxicity have been established and conducted for biosafety of transgenic crops &and nutraceuticals (enzymes mixtures for poultry feed).

This lab is pioneer in Pakistan to established genotoxicity/ mutagenecity facilities and provides toxicity testing services to different pesticides manufacturer companies for their products registration; ultimately save the revenue of the nation, otherwise various firms/clients have to send their samples overseas for testing. This lab has capacity to extend R&D services on toxicity testing in future.

Molecular diagnosis of veterinary diseases and livestock genomics  

It is the pioneer laboratory in Pakistan that established PCR based diagnostic facility for economically important veterinary diseases including Peste des Petites Ruminants (PPR), Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Newcastle Disease (ND), Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD), Brucellosis etc.These facilities were used for national rinderpest disease eradication program and Pakistan was declared as “Rinderpest Free Country” a landmark in the history of the national livestock sector. This laboratory also participated in the proficiency test on the diagnosis of by molecular diagnosis methods organized by Joint FAO/IAEA Division Animal Production and Health Laboratory Seibersdorf /Vienna Austria from December 2014 to March 2015 and scored 100% result. This group successfully applied Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) assays for point of care diagnosis of PPR and FMD under field conditions. 

Recently, this group started project on genomic selection of indigenous livestock breeds for productivity related traits (milk, meat etc.) and has established a facility for determination beta casein gene polymorphism (A1/A2) which is found in exotic cattle breeds.

SUPPORT / FUNDING:

• IAEA-Project: P.I. Dr. Qaiser, (2001-03) ~ Rs. 8.0 M
• CRP-Project: P.I. Dr. Qaiser, (2007-10) ~ Rs. 2.50 M  
• AIP-Project: P.I. Dr. Muhammad Asif,  Co.P.I  Ameena Mobeen (2017-19) Rs. 3.21 M
• ALP-Project: P.I. Dr. Qaiser, (2004-07) Rs. 2.76 M
• ALP-Project: P.I. Dr. Qaiser, (2015-17) Rs. 4.2 M
• Generated income through toxicity testing of pesticides formulations etc (Ameena Mobeen/ Muhammad Asif).
• HEC funded PhD students

Technology Transfer /Human Resource Development

This group has been involved in technology transfer of advanced molecular diagnostic techniques to veterinarians/researchers through annual training workshops since 2007.

Servicers of the group:

1: Toxicity and genotoxicity

2: Molecular diagnosis of veterinary diseases

3: Animal House Facility