Dr. Hafiza Sana Ashraf

Lecturer

Physical Therapy

Biography

I am a highly dedicated and driven postgraduate specializing in Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy. With a relentless pursuit of knowledge, I continuously seek out opportunities to expand my expertise, enhance my clinical skills, and delve into cutting-edge research. With an impressive background spanning over five years in research and 3.5 years in various clinical settings, including ICUs, indoor (musculoskeletal rehabilitation in a dialysis center, cardiopulmonary, orthopedic, women's health) and outdoor rehabilitation, COVID rehabilitation, and post-surgical rehabilitation, I bring a wealth of hands-on experience to the table.

Moreover, I possess almost one and a half years of academic experience, where I delved into the fascinating subjects of Anatomy and Exercise Rehabilitation. Additionally, I have honed my administrative skills during the same period, gaining invaluable experience in Journal Management (Pakistan Journal of Physical Therapy), Post-graduate research, Departmental slate review reporting, and curriculum-oriented activities. I am also well-versed in handling university-related processes for Nigeria's Medical Rehabilitation Therapist Board Registration (MTRB).

Passionate, hardworking, and self-motivated, I am driven by a strong desire to make a difference in the field of Physical Therapy. Whether contributing to groundbreaking research, providing top-notch patient care, or shaping the next generation of therapists through education, I am committed to making a positive impact.

Education

SrNo.	Year	Degree	Board/University
1	2010	Matric	BISE Lahore
2	2013	FSc (Intermediate)	BISE Lahore
3	2013-2018	Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)	The University of Lahore
4	2019-2021	Masters of Science in Physical Therapy Musculoskeletal	The University of Lahore

Experience

SrNo.	From	To	Category	Designation	Organization
1	24 March 2022	Still	Academic Experience	Lecturer, Journal Coordinator	The University of Lahore, Defense Road Campus, Lahore
2	Oct 2019	23 March 2022	Consulting Experience	Physical Therapist (OPD, Indoor, ICU)	The University of Lahore Teaching Hospital, Lahore
3	July 2019	October 2019	Consulting Experience	Physical Therapist	Re Active Physio, Physical Therapy Clinic, Johar Town, Lahore
4	February 2019	June 2019	Professional Experience	House Officer- Surgical ICU	Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Lahore

Publications

SrNo.	Title	Category	Sub Category
1	Association of Restless Leg Syndrome with Sleep Quality and Fatigue in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients with and without Hemodialysis: A Cross-sectional Study	Publication	Journal Article
2	Physiotherapists’ Attitude Towards Professionalism	Publication	Journal Article
3	Effects of Ponytail versus Modern Hijab Wear on Cervicogenic Headache and Postural Deviation	Publication	Journal Article
4	Prevalence Of Neck and Back Pain Among Gynecologists and Obstetrics in Tertiary Care Hospital of Lahore: Neck and Back Pain among Gynecologists and Obstetrics	Publication	Journal Article
5	PREVALENCE OF UPPER CROSS SYNDROME AND ASSOCIATED POSTURAL DEVIATIONS IN COMPUTER OPERATORS; A QUALITATIVE STUDY	Publication	Journal Article
6	Prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among surgeons in Gujranwala, Pakistan	Publication	Journal Article
7	Sleep quality, sleep efficiency and level of anxiety in lactating women	Publication	Journal Article
8	Impact of disease activity level on sleep quality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A cross sectional study	Publication	Journal Article
9	Frequency of temporomandibular dysfunction, pain intensity and joint s level of disability among patients with cervical pain under physical therapy treatment in Lahore, Pakistan	Publication	Journal Article
10	Comparison Of Anterior Knee Pain In Adolescent Athletes Participating In Single Sport And In Multiple Sports	Publication	Journal Article
11	Comparison of health related quality of life among female patients who had received early versus delayed physiotherapy after modified radical mastectomy	Publication	Journal Article
12	Prevalence of anterior pelvic pain, pain intensity and functional disability among pregnant women of Lahore city, Pakistan	Publication	Journal Article
13	Frequency of agricultural work-related musculoskeletal disorders, functional disability and ergonomic awareness in farmers of Kasur district, Punjab, Pakistan	Publication	Journal Article
14	Comparison of upper extremity muscles strength in school going children with and without carrying heavy bags using dynamometer	Publication	Journal Article
15	Association of stress level with gender, semester of study, and clinical practice in undergraduate physical therapy students: A cross sectional survey	Publication	Journal Article
16	Knowledge, Interest and Perception of Academic Physiotherapists with Regard to Professional Ethics	Publication	Journal Article
17	Elements Affecting Adherence To Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation Exercises In Females With Urinary Incontinence	Publication	Journal Article
18	Assessment of Postural Changes Among School-Going Children Due to Heavy Backpacks in Lahore	Publication	Journal Article
19	Prevalence of sleep paralysis among hostelite females of university of Lahore, Pakistan	Publication	Journal Article
20	Knowledge, attitude and perception of young athletes towards prevention of sports injuries	Publication	Journal Article
21	Frequency of musculoskeletal shoulder pain and level of disability in loaders working at railway stations of Lahore city	Publication	Journal Article
22	Prevalence of Uterus Prolapse in Pregnant Females of Lahore: A Cross-sectional Survey	Publication	Journal Article
23	Prevalence of Preeclampsia in Adolescent	Publication	Journal Article
24	Knowledge, perception, and attitude of pregnant women towards the role of physical therapy in antenatal care: a cross sectional study in Lahore, Pakistan	Publication	Journal Article

Conferences

SrNo.	Year	Level	City	Country	Confence
1	2019	Participant	Lahore	Pakistan	1st National Public Health conference in Punjab University, through Rehabcure
2	2021	Attendee	Lahore	Pakistan	3rd International E-Conference on Rehabilitation Sciences on Innovations in Rehabilitation Technology & Research, Riphah International University
3	2018	Attendee	Lahore	Pakistan	International Conference on Cerebral Palsy, School of Allied Health Sciences, Lahore
4	2022	Organizing team & Attendee	Lahore	Pakistan	1st International Conference on Advances in Allied Health Sciences, The University of Lahore

Awards

SrNo.	Year	Awarding Organization	Description
1	2020	The University of Lahore, Defense Road Campus, Lahore	Excellence Award on Scientific Research & Methodology Seminar arranged by Student Focus Awarded by Speaker Prof. Dr. Syra Afzal; Editor, Annals of KEMU, and Prof. Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad; Dean FAHS, UOL.

Memberships

SrNo.	From - To	Title	Organization
1	April 2019 - December 2022	Member	Positive Pakistan; Lahore Chapter
2	September 2020 - Still	Member	Zanoor Foundation
3	March 2021 - Still	Reviewer	Rawal Medical Journal
4	March 2021 - Still	Reviewer	Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies (ELSEVIER
5	July 2021 - Still	Reviewer	Journal of Pakistan Medical Association - JPMA
6	2018 - 2020	Campus Ambassador & Member	Medical Globe Allied Health Sciences
7	2015 - 2016	Member	UOL Healthcare Society
8	2020 - Still	Social Welfare Member	Shahina Ghias & Shifa Welfare Foundation
9	November 2018 - Still	Member	Pakistan Physical Therapy Association

Courses Taught

SrNo.	Type	Title	University	Semester
1	Theory, Lab (DPT)	Anatomy-III	The University of Lahore, Defense Road Campus, Lah	3
2	Theory, Lab (DPT)	Physiology-II	The University of Lahore, Defense Road Campus, Lah	2
3	Lab (M/Phil. MSK)	Exercise Rehabilitation	The University of Lahore, Defense Road Campus, Lah	2

Project Supervisor

SrNo.	Title	From - To	Organization	Type
1	DPT, MS-MSK, M.Phil. MSK, MS. Neuro	July 2022 - Present	The University of Lahore, Defense Road Campus, Lahore	Thesis Supervisor

Services

SrNo.	From - To	Organization	Job Description
1	03/25/2022 - 07/16/2023	The University of Lahore, Defense Road Campus, Lhr	Coordinator, Pakistan Journal of Physical Therapy
2	04/01/2022 - 11/30/2022	The University of Lahore, Defense Road Campus, Lhr	Master's Thesis Defense- team member, PG Research
3	11/01/2021 - 08/30/2022	The University of Lahore, Defense Road Campus, Lhr	Board of Studies (BOS); Team member- PG Research

Books

Research Fundings

Extracurricular Activities

SrNo.	Hobbies	Interests

Languages and Skills

SrNo.	Langues	Skills
1	English & Urdu	Speaking, Writing
2	Punjabi	Speaking, Writing
3	Scientific Research - English	Data Analysis through SPSS Software
4	English & Urdu	Proficient in MS Office (Urdu, English)
5	Graphics	Website Designing, Photoshop, Whiteboard animation

Active Collabrations

Consulting Experience

Achievements / Rewards

Dr Akhtar represents Pakistan, explores collaboration with Germany on global issues

Description

In a substantial ambassadorial effort, Prof Dr Rabia Akhtar (Director of the Center for Security, Strategy, and Policy Research (CSSPR)) represented Pakistan as a thought leader in a delegation of five eminent scholars from Asia. This delegation, constituted by the Asia chapter of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), visited Berlin, Germany, to engage in dialogues and meetings aimed at understanding Germany’s viewpoints on key global issues, from June 13-15, 2023.

The FES Strategic Foresight Group, comprising scholars from Pakistan, Thailand, India, South Korea, and Indonesia, sought to gain insights into Germany’s perception of the world, the interconnectedness of geopolitics and geoeconomics, and the overall security and stability of different regions. By interacting with parliamentarians, scholars, and think tank experts, the group aimed to identify Germany’s foreign policy direction amidst intensifying great power competition, technological advancements, and the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Dr Akhtar articulated Pakistan’s aspirations to become a regional and global connector, and expressed her belief that the country could serve as Germany’s partner in promoting peace. She said academic collaboration between the two countries must lay the groundwork for better ties. In that regard, she hoped that the University of Lahore (UOL) and CSSPR will like to establish linkages, to work on security and strategic issues with policymakers, universities, and think tankers in Germany.

Moreover, during the meetings with German officials and academicians, including Dr.Martin Thummel (Deputy Head for East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Federal Foreign Office), Dr Akhtar along with the delegation underlined the importance of collaboration between nations in an increasingly interconnected world. It was argued that Europe and Asia should not be considered separate arenas, as common threats and opportunities necessitate a collective approach.

The participants engaged in thought-provoking discussions on how Germany’s foreign policy has evolved amid geopolitical tensions and how the country aims to strike a balance between values-based and interests-based approaches, particularly in the face of the evolving Sino-U.S. rivalry. Central to these discussions was Germany’s embrace of Zeitenwende, signifying a transformative shift in its foreign and defence policies following the war in Ukraine. German officials highlighted that this philosophy would enable their country to contribute positively to regional and global stability.

Furthermore, the delegation stressed the importance of inter-regional dialogues, trade, and economic cooperation between Germany and Asian countries during their meetings with parliamentarians. Geoeconomics emerged as a key theme, with experts acknowledging its potential to promote interdependence, peace, and stability. However, they also expressed caution, and were mindful of the geopolitical complexities that could hinder its effectiveness.

Dr Ashraf becomes Pakistan’s top and world’s 12th most cited Plant Science researcher

Description

What traits set exceptional academic leaders apart? One is their ongoing commitment to academic excellence. Prof Dr Muhammed Ashraf (Rector, UOL), in an interview with the Press and Publications Cell (PPC) of the University of Lahore (UOL), shared how his commitment to academics and research led him to stand amongst the top-cited Plant Science researchers in the world.

The second edition of Research.com rankings of the best researchers was released recently. According to these rankings, Dr Ashraf stood 12th in the list of top-cited researchers with a massive number of 72,461 citations and 1,169 publications in the field of Plant Science.

While sharing his sentiments with the PPC team, he said, “It is a great honour and privilege for me to be among the world’s top-cited Plant Science researchers. Barely people from third-world countries like Pakistan get such immense acknowledgement for research, but I, hailing from a developing country, take pride in the fact that I was able to garner the limelight along with researchers from advanced countries like America, Germany, etc.”

Motivation for Plant Science Research

For most of his academic life, Dr Ashraf has been conducting research anchored on Plant Science, his field of specialisation for which he has recently been recognised globally. Revealing his motivation behind his research drive, he mentioned that “Research is the key element for institutions and even for academicians to leave an unprecedented imprint on the global academic spectrum. The only sound way to project novel ideas pertaining to your field is through research, and that is what keeps me right on track with research. To make significant contributions to the field of Plant Science, I try to continually explore and conduct impactful research.”

Global Acclamation

In continuing the discussion of his research motivation, on a lighter note, he shared that he received a congratulatory email from Mr Rattan Laal (The Ohio State University, the United States). “To my surprise, Mr Laal, the world’s most cited researcher, shared his congratulatory remarks with me. I am humbled to the core by this global acclamation that I have received so far,” he said.

Catering to Contemporary Plant Science Issues

In every field of study, researchers try to address and explore solutions for the most pressing issues. In Plant Science and Agronomy, the focal point of researchers nowadays is the impact of climate change on plants and, broadly, on the agriculture sector. Upon being asked about the impact of his research, the UOL Rector stated that “Climate change, undoubtedly, has adversely affected the lives of plants, animals, and even humans. My focus is particularly on plants and agriculture. Through my research, I have always tried to address and highlight the pressing issues that are being faced mainly by Asian and African countries, and this is also one of the reasons that my research is getting global acknowledgement because it caters to global issues. Majorly, my work is based on different plant stresses such as drought, salinity, waterlogging, temperature extremes etc.”

Fundamentals of Research, Publications, and Rankings

Not many people are familiar with the Research.com rankings, and in fact, they lack even the most basic knowledge of research rankings. During his interview with PPC, Dr Ashraf summarised the entire research ranking process by saying that “A researcher gets ranked based on his number of publications and citations. Researchers should try to publish their work in international journals, which will increase their chances of maximum citations. The more publications and citations, the higher the H-index, and ultimately, the better the chances of getting ranked at the top.”

Tips for soon-to-be Early-career Researchers

There is no short cut to conduct profoundly organic research, and that is what Dr Ashraf said. “Dedication and hard work are the keys to achieve research goals. Nevertheless, to stand out in the pool of researchers, it is pertinent, especially for Plant Science research aspirants, to focus on technological and digital advancements, keeping oneself up-to-date with international contemporary research trends, and fuelling the urge of discovery by gaining more and more knowledge,” he advised the students.

Dr Tahir explores the role of financial risk-taking attitude in consumer satisfaction

Description

A consumer’s attitude of financial risk tolerance (FRT) plays an important role in his/her financial decisions, thereby determining his well-being. FRT is a consumer’s preference for the amount of risk he undertakes while making investments. Recently, a lot of research studies have been conducted on consumer well-being and FRT. Being motivated by this trend in financial research, Dr Muhammad Tahir (Assistant Professor, Lahore Business School, the University of Lahore (UOL)) and fellow researchers explored the relationship amongst financial literacy, propensity to plan (PTP), FRT, financial satisfaction, and life satisfaction.

Though scholarly acumen for consumer well-being is rapidly developing, not much is known regarding the collective roles of financial literacy, PTP, and FRT. Dr Tahir’s study addressed this gap by showing that financial literacy, risk-taking attitudes, and planning propensities are all interconnected and necessary ingredients to improve financial and life satisfaction.

Dr Tahir’s analytical study titled “Role of financial risk-taking attitude in personal finances and consumer satisfaction: evidence from Australia” revealed a strong partial mediation of FRT between financial literacy and financial satisfaction. Moreover, the analysis showed that a high PTP combined with a high FRT results in high financial satisfaction.

For achieving the main objective of the research, the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey was taken into consideration. Furthermore, Dr Tahir used the variance-based partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), also known as the PLS path modelling approach, to test the proposed hypotheses of the study empirically.

The findings of Dr Tahir’s research study showed the importance of creating financial plans in accordance with risk tolerance. Considering the relevance of increasing financial literacy, Dr Tahir suggested that the use of tools that could help consumers plan and spent in risky investments might lead them to have a more financial and life satisfaction.

UOL chemist explores an eco-friendly alternative thickening agent for textile printing

Description

Textile printing is the most versatile and vital methodology for introducing colour and design to textile fabrics. Different types of thickeners (chemical compounds) are used for printing, such as polysaccharide thickener, synthetic thickener, and emulsion thickener. Synthetic thickeners are highly criticised for endangering the environment at the manufacturing stages.

Dr Dure Najaf Iqbal (Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, The University of Lahore) and her team of researchers explored an eco-friendly alternative for synthetic thickeners that is effective in the textile printing process. The team revealed that guar gum could serve as an outstanding natural thickener, stabiliser, and gelling agent and could as well be used in various industrial units, including food, cosmetics, textiles, oil fracturing, and mining. Guar gum is one of the most important naturally occurring non-ionic high molecular weight polysaccharides and consists of galactomannan, which has vast applications in various fields.

Dr Iqbal and her team synthesised carboxymethyl guar gum (CMG) via monochloroacetic acid under alkaline conditions. The carboxymethylation of guar gum was accomplished by the Willianson ether technique and the reaction conditions were optimised during the course of the experiment. Guar derivatives with variable degrees of substitution (DS) were prepared and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The DS was determined quantitatively by the titration method for each derivative.

For this research study, native guar gum was purchased from National Guar Industries, Karachi, with a molecular weight of 1.043 106 g/mol. Whereas, all the chemicals and reagents used were of analytical grade and were purchased from Merck, Germany.

The result proved that the substituted guar gum is an eco-friendly, non-hazardous thickener as compared to synthetic thickeners. Furthermore, the penetration properties, fixation ability, and colour fastness of guar gum were compared with those of commercial alginate thickeners. The printing trial of the thickener CMG also showed that carboxymethyl guar gum could easily replace conventional thickeners without any compromise on printing results and could prevent fabric stiffness. The tested water-holding capacity (a central aspect that determines commercial applications of gums) of guar gum made it ideal for improving the texture of end products in diverse industrial formulations.

Also, it was revealed that the implementation of carboxymethyl guar gum in textile printing can reduce the economic burden associated with exporting alginate and other synthetic thickeners. This, in turn, could enable exporters to offer competitive pricing without compromising on quality.

Faculty / Staff Profiles

Dr. Hafiza Sana Ashraf

Lecturer

Physical Therapy

Biography

Education

Experience

Publications

Conferences

Awards

Courses Taught

Project Supervisor

Services

Books

Research Fundings

Extracurricular Activities

Languages and Skills

Active Collabrations

Consulting Experience

Dr Akhtar represents Pakistan, explores collaboration with Germany on global issues

Dr Ashraf becomes Pakistan’s top and world’s 12th most cited Plant Science researcher

Dr Tahir explores the role of financial risk-taking attitude in consumer satisfaction

UOL chemist explores an eco-friendly alternative thickening agent for textile printing