Education:

            D.Phil in Organopalladium Catalysis involving NMR, GC/MS, LC/MS studies

             University of Oxford, UK (2009)

Short Biography:                         

2000                   Oracle Database Management Programme Certification

                           Hamdard University.

2001-2002          Graduate Engineers Training Programme

                           Dawood Hercules Chemicals Ltd.

2002                   Nuclear Orientation Course

                           Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

2005                   Building a Business course based around Science Enterpreneurship 

                          Oxford Science Enterprise Centre, Said Business School, University of Oxford, UK.

2008                   Academic Visitor

                          The Scripps Research Institute, California USA.

Positions Held:

2002-2007           Scientific Officer

2007-2017           Senior Scientist

2017-Present       Principal Scientist

Research Interests:

Dr. Waqar Rauf leads translational R&D spanning GMP-ready, bioreactor-based viral vaccine development, discovery of broad-spectrum antivirals and antimicrobials via catalytic organic synthesis (with emphasis on palladium-catalyzed C–C couplings), and advanced analytics. His group isolates and profiles indigenous secondary metabolites by LC–MS, develops and validates LC–MS methods for mycotoxin surveillance and degradation studies, and designs synthetic derivatives for radiopharmaceutical applications. Integrating molecular virology, organic/peptide synthesis, conjugate and recombinant biologics, and mass spectrometry, he coordinates multi-institutional partnerships to translate laboratory innovation into national impact on animal health and food security.

 Publications:

1. Rafiq M, Huda N, Hassan N, Ali H, Tawab A, Bashir R, Iqbal N, Rafaque Z, Ahmad F, Wang Y, Rauf W, Saqib A, Jawad I, Kang (2025). Microbial prodigiosin shows broad-spectrum bioactivity confirmed by experimental and computational analyses. Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol. 16, DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2025.1676959
2. Bashir R, Jabeen S, Abbas W, Habib F, Iqbal S, Rahman M, Rauf W, Iqbal M. (2025). Enhancing thiazolide efficacy: C-4 aryl modifications drive selective SARS-CoV-2 inhibition. Future Medicinal Chemistry, 17(18), 2235–2250. https://doi.org/10.1080/17568919.2025.2559572
3. Munawar M, Khan NUH, Jabeen S, Taj S, Bashir R, Abbas W, Rauf W, Iqbal M. Design and Evaluation of ATN-161 Analogues as Fusion Inhibitors Targeting Integrins in SARS-CoV-2. Int J Pept Res Ther 31, 74 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10989-025-10734-x
4. Mahboob S, Ullah N, Farhan Ul Haque M, Rauf W, Iqbal M, Ali A, Rahman M, Genomic characterization and comparative genomic analysis of HS-associated Pasteurella multocida serotype B:2 strains from Pakistan. BMC Genomics 2023, 24 (1), 546.
5. Shabbir A, Shahzad SA, Assiri MA, Muqadas, Mustafa I, Rauf W. Synthesis and construction of aggregation induced emission based sensor for colorimetric multiphase sequential sensing of Al³⁺ and CN⁻ with real sample applications: Development of efficient vapor phase pH sensor. Journal of Molecular Liquids. 2025 2025/07/15/;430:127706.
6. Siddique W, Mahboob S, Rauf W, Jabeen S, Naseem Z, Shafaqat F (2025). Pasteurella multocida: Composition, genetics and biosynthesis of capsular polysaccharides (CPS) of serotypes A, B, D, E and F. Res J. Vet. Pract. 13(2): 26-38.
7. Tawab A.; Akbar N.; Hasssan M.; Habib F.; Ali A.; Rahman M.; Jabbar A.; Rauf W.; Iqbal M. Mass spectrometric analysis of lipid A obtained from the lipopolysaccharide of: Pasteurella multocida RSC Advances, 2020, 10(51), 30917-30933.
8. Qurban, F., Shahzad, S. A., Khaskheli, M. S., Khan, S. ullah, Khan, S. A., Rauf, W., Islam, S., Mannan, A. (2024). Design, synthesis and evaluation of novel norfloxacin analogs as potent anticancer and antioxidant agents. Future Medicinal Chemistry, 16(17), 1777–1789. https://doi.org/10.1080/17568919.2024.2383165
9. Shabbir, A., S. A. Shahzad, A. Y. A. Alzahrani, Z. A. Khan, M. Yar and W. Rauf (2025). "A Multimode fluorescent sensor for sequential detection of Cu2+ and cysteine as well as pH sensor with real sample Applications: Extensive experimental and DFT studies." Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 327: 125414.
10. Kiran S, Tariq A, Iqbal S, Naseem Z, Siddique W, Jabeen S, Bashir R, Hussain A, Rahman  M, Habib F, Rauf W, Ali A, Sarwar Y, Jander G, Iqbal, M. Punicalagin, a pomegranate polyphenol sensitizes the activity of antibiotics against three MDR pathogens of the Enterobacteriaceae. BMC Complement. Med. Ther. 2024, 24, 93.
11. Naz F,  Ahmad A,  Sarwar Y,  Khan MM,  Schierack P,  Rauf W, Ali A. Characterization of Salmonella enterica Biofilms and Antibiofilm Effect of Carvacrol and 2-Aminobenzimidazole. Foodborne Pathog. Dis. 2023, 21 (1), 52-60.
12. Assiri MA, Munir F, Waseem MT, Irshad H, Rauf W, Shahzad SA. Restricted intramolecular vibrations assisted enhanced fluorescence emission response of probe: A new experimental and theoretical approach for the detection of hydrogen peroxide. Microchem J 2023, 193,109220.
13. Assiri MA, Hanif S, Junaid HM, Hamad A, Irshad H, Yar M, Rauf W, Shahzad SA. AIEE active fluorophores for the sensitive detection of iron ions: An advanced approach towards optical and theoretical investigation, Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 438:114514 (2022).
14. Assiri MA, Hussain S, Junaid HM, Waseem MT, Hamad A, Ajab H, Iqbal J, Rauf W, Shahzad SA. Highly sensitive fluorescent probes for selective detection of hypochlorite: Applications in blood serum and cell imaging. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 2023, 294, 122537.
15. Assiri MA, Junaid HM, Waseem MT, Hamad A, Shah SH, Iqbal J, Rauf W, Shahzad SA. AIEE active sensors for fluorescence enhancement based detection of Ni²⁺ in living cells: Mechanofluorochromic and photochromic properties with reversible sensing of acid and base. Anal Chim Acta. 2022, 1234:340516.
16. Hussain S, Muhammad Junaid H, Tahir Waseem M, Rauf W, Jabbar Shaikh A, Anjum Shahzad S. Aggregation-Induced Emission of Quinoline Based Fluorescent and Colorimetric Sensors for Rapid Detection of Fe³⁺ and 4-Nitrophenol in Aqueous Medium. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy 2022, 272:121021.
17. Ashraf, A.; Khizar, M.; Islam, M.; Hameed, A.; Moin, S. T.; Yaqub, M.; Rauf, W.; Naseer, M. M.; Ahsan, M. T.; Shafiq, Z.; Hussain, J.; Al-Harrasi, A.; Boque, R.; Jabeen, F.; Mabood, F. Synthesis of sensitive novel dual Signaling pyridopyrimidine-based fluorescent "turn off" chemosensors for anions determination. Measurement 2020, 151.
18. Sarwat, A., Rauf, W., Majeed, S., De Boevre, M., De Saeger, S., Iqbal, M. (2022) LC-MS/MS based appraisal of multi-mycotoxin co-occurrence in poultry feeds from different regions of Punjab, Pakistan. Food Additives & Contaminants: Part B, 15:2, 106-122.
19. Ullah, F., Rauf, W., Khan, K., Khan, S., Bell, K.M., Vanessa Cristina de Oliveira, Tariq, M., Bakhshalizadeh, S., Touraine, P., Katsanis, N., Sinclair, A., He, S.,  Tucker, E.J., Baig, S.M. & Erica E. Davis. A recessive variant in TFAM causes mtDNA depletion associated with primary ovarian insufficiency, seizures, intellectual disability and hearing loss. Hum Genet 140, 1733–1751 (2021).
20. Khan, M., Rauf, W., Habib, F., Rahman, M., Iqbal, S., Shehzad, A., & Iqbal, M. Hesperidin identified from Citrus extracts potently inhibits HCV genotype 3a NS3 protease. BMC Complement Med Ther 22, 98 (2022).

Research Grants:

1. Palladium catalyzed C-H activation in tert-amide directed Fujiwara-Mortani reaction. Funding Agency: Higher  Education Commission, Pakistan, (NRPU 3569 as PI).
2. Palladium catalyzed C-H activation at C-5 positions of 2-aminothiazole ring. Funding Agency: Higher Education Commission, Pakistan, (NRPU 4569 as PI). 
3. Development of radiopharmaceuticals involving novel Fluoroquinolone analogs for early diagnosis of the infections caused by resistant pathogens” Funding Agency: HRI - NIH, (SG-22/R3-82 as PI).
4. Development of Inhibitors Targeting the Viral as well as Host Factors of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): A way forward to develop a high potency treatment therapy. Funding Agency: Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF/CRP/COVID-19/P-NIBGE/CONS (103) as Co-PI).
5. Discovery of antiviral agents to inhibit Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus replication. Funding Agency: Higher Education Commission, (NRPU 15319 as Co-PI).
6. ”Lab Scale FMD Vaccine Production under Clean Environment” (PCC-1 project as Co-PI).