Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ashraf

Pro-Rector

Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

Biography

Advances in innovation and science are changing our reality at an unbelievable pace, and the next generation will, without a doubt, experience leaps in innovation, we can only envision.

The science analysts at the Faculty of Science at UoL tackle global, local issues to improve the world and make it a better place. Their work converts into monetary, social, and natural effects. As a research-intensive university, we contribute to global knowledge while meeting the needs of communities. We benefit from vital funding, which helps us interpret our research into substantial advantages for all.

I invite you to study with us in Sciences and transform, discover, and tackle tomorrow’s world issues.

Achievements

· Highly Cited Researcher (2018, 2020 and 2021) by the Clarivate Analytics (Web of Science).

· Journal impact factor is now over 1220

· Author citation index according to Web of Science (Publons) over 33000

· Author citation index according to Google over 66000

· Research papers published in ISI-rated journals + other journals 760

· W Number of Books (Edited) = 12

· Number of PhDs produced as a major supervisor 36

· Number of Phis produced as a co-supervisor/member 43

· Number of research projects (national/international) completed = 28

· Conferences/symposia organized/participated (national/international) = Over 75

Education

SrNo.	Year	Degree	Board/University
1	2011	D.Sc	University of Liverpool, UK
2	2018	Honorary Doctorate Degree	Lanzhou University, China
3	1993-94	Post-doc	University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
4	1986	Post-doc.	University of Liverpool
5	1986	Ph.D	University of Liverpool, UK
6	1980	M.Sc	University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
7	1973	B.Sc	University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
8	1971	F.Sc	DO
9	1969	Matriculation	Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Sargodha, Pakistan

Experience

SrNo.	From	To	Category	Designation	Organization
1	2016	Till Date	Professional Experience	Pro-Rector/Rector	The University of Lahore
2	2016	2020	Professional Experience	Vice Chancellor (President)	University of Agriculture Faisalabad
3	2018	2019	Professional Experience	Pro-Rector	The University of Lahore
4	2015	2018	Professional Experience	Chairman (President)	Pakistan Science Foundation
5	2014	2015	Professional Experience	Vice Chancellor (President), Founding Vice Chancellor	Muhamamd Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture, Multan, Pakistan
6	2017	Till Date	Professional Experience	Adjunct Professor	International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), HEJ, University of Karachi
7	2007	Still	Consulting Experience	Visiting professor	Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
8	1992	1992		Visiting Scientist	University of Wales, Aberystwyth, UK
9	1992	1992	Consulting Experience	Visiting Scientist	University of Wales, Aberystwyth, UK
10	2005		Consulting Experience	Visiting professor	Jenju University, South Korea
11	2000		Consulting Experience	Visiting professor	Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt,
12	1993	1994	Consulting Experience	Visiting Scientist	University of Arizona Tucson, USA
13	1981	1983	Academic Experience	Lecturer in Botany	Government Degree College, Shorkot City, Pakistan
14	2013		Academic Experience	Visiting professor	Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China.
15	2011	2014	Academic Experience	Visiting Professor	Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.
16	2013		Academic Experience	Visiting Professor	University of Shiraz
17	2009	2011	Academic Experience	Visiting professor	King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
18	2008	2008	Consulting Experience	Visiting scientist	BIOTEC, Bangkok, Thailand
19	1997	1999	Professional Experience	Associate Professor	Botany Department, Bahauddin Zakariya University
20	1989	1997	Academic Experience	Assistant Professor	Botany Department, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan
21	1989	1993	Academic Experience	Part-Time Teacher	University College of Agriculture
22	1986	1989	Professional Experience	Lecturer	Botany Department, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan
23	1985	1986	Academic Experience	Demonstrator	Botany Department, University of Liverpool
24	1981	1983	Professional Experience	Lecturer in Botany	Government Degree College, Shorkot City, Pakistan
25	2000		Academic Experience	Fellow (Elect)	Pakistan Academy of Sciences Islamabad
26	2003		Academic Experience	Fellow (Elect)	The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Italy
27	2020		Academic Experience	Fellow (Elect)	The Islamic World Academy of Sciences (IAS) Jordan
28	2013	2014	Academic Experience	Professor	University College of Agriculture Sargodha
29	2002	2013	Academic Experience	Professor	Botany Department, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.
30	1999	2002	Academic Experience	Associate Professor	Botany Department, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad
31	2013	2014	Professional Experience	Chairman, Department of Agronomy,	University of Sargodha
32	2013	2014	Professional Experience	Director, Quality Enhancement Cell	University of Sargodha
33	2006	2012	Professional Experience	Dean, Faculty of Sciences.	University of Agriculture, Faisalabad
34	2006	2008	Professional Experience	Director	Quality Enhancement Cell
35	2002	2006	Professional Experience	Chairman	Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad
36	2005	2006	Professional Experience	Head/Convener	Quality Enhancement Cell

Publications

SrNo.	Title
1	Evolution of Salt tolerance in Forage Crops.
2	Effect of salinity on germination and seedling growth of mungbean (Vigna radiata).

Conferences

Awards

SrNo.	Year	Awarding Organization	Description
1	2018,2020,2021	Clarivate Analytics (Thomson Reuters USA)	Highly Cited Researcher declared by the Clarivate Analytics (Thomson Reuters USA) for the Years 2018, 2020 and 2021.
2	2021	Research.com	“Research.com” has recently ranked all scientists of the world based on their scientific contribution in terms of Google Citations and h-index. In Plant Science and Agronomy Prof Dr. Muhammad Ashraf have been ranked 8th in the World and First in Pakistan.
3	2002	Stanford University USA	Stanford University USA has ranked the world scientists using Scopus citation data in November 2020. Prof. Ashraf is listed among the top 2% scientists of the world.
4	2021	Google Citations	Attained First position in the world in the fields of Plant Sciences, Stress Biology, Plant Ecophysiology, based on Google Citations (over 59000 accessed on 15th August 2021). https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=search_authors&hl=en&mauthors=label:plant_physiology
5	2007	OIC	Ranked the top scientist of the OIC countries (57 countries) by securing 4306 points in Biological Sciences in 2007 by the COMSTECH of the OIC countries.
6	2004,2005,2007,2010	Pakistan Council for Science and Technology.	Ranked the top Scientist in Biological Sciences in 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2010 by the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology.
7	1980	University of Agriculture Faisalabad	Earned a Medal in 1980 and 1st position in the University in M.Sc.
8	2003	Dr. Agha G.D. Ahmad Medal	Dr. Agha G.D. Ahmad Medal by the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan (2003).
9	2003	Ministry of Science & Technology	Earned Productivity Allowance from the Ministry of Science & Technology (2003).
10	2002	Ministry of Science & Technology	Earned Productivity Allowance from the Ministry of Science & Technology (2002).
11	2002	Higher Education Commission	Best University Teacher Award by Higher Education Commission Islamabad (2002).
12	1997	Pakistan Academy of Sciences	Open Gold Medal in Botany (1997) by the Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Islamabad.
13	1994	National Book Foundation of Pakistan	First Award in Biology by the National Book Foundation of Pakistan in 1994.
14	1993/94	U.S. Educational Foundation	Fulbright Research Award for 1993/94 by the U.S. Educational Foundation.
15	1992	Nobel Laureate Dr. Salam	Salam Prize (established by the Nobel Laureate Dr. Salam) in Science (Biology), in 1992.
16	1990	Pakistan Academy of Sciences	Earned a Gold Medal from the Pakistan Academy of Sciences in the field of Biology, in 1990 (under 40).
17	1988	National Farm Guide Council of Pakistan	Earned a Golden Star in 1988 from the National Farm Guide Council of Pakistan based on excellent research in Agriculture.
18	2012	Government of the Republic of Korea	Appointed as a Scientific Advisor for the Green Technology Program, Rural Development Administration, Government of the Republic of Korea for a period of 3 years from January 2010 to Dec. 2012.
19	2006	President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf.	A shield by the University of Agriculture Faisalabad given away by the President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, in the inaugural ceremony of the Centenary Celebrations of the University on 14 March 2006.
20	2005-2007	Higher Education Commission, Pakistan	Appointed as a Distinguished National Professor by the Higher Education Commission from 25th Nov. 2005 to 24th Nov. 2007
21	2005-2008	Government of the Republic of Korea	Appointed as an Honorary Scientist for Rural Development Administration, Government of the Republic of Korea for a period of 3 years from Ist July 2005 to 30 June 2008.
22	2003	University of Agriculture Faisalabad	Dr. Agha G.D. Ahmad Medal by the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan (2003).
23	2002	Higher Education Commission, Pakistan	Best University Teacher Award by Higher Education Commission Islamabad (2002).
24	1997	President of Pakistan	Presidential Award –Izaz-e-Fazeelat for 1997.
25	2013	Government of Pakistan	Earned HEC Life-time Achievement Award in 2013
26	2013	Pakistan Academy of Sciences	Earned Pakistan Academy of Sciences Distinguished Scientist in Botany 2013
27	2013	United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)	Earned a medal from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in February 2013 based on excellent research on stress biology
28	2017	President of Iran	Earned Khwarizmi International Award from the President of Iran in February 2013.
29	2011	University of Liverpool, UK	Earned D.Sc degree (a titled degree based on excellent research performed after attaining the PhD degree) from the University of Liverpool, UK in 2011 – A very rare achievement by the Pakistani scientists
30	2017	Pakistan Council for Science and Technology.	Attained 3rd position among the scientists from all disciplines in Pakistan during 2017 by the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology.
31	2021	COMSTECH (of the OIC Countries)	Life-Time Achievement Award in Biology 2021
32	2018	Lanzhou University China	Earned Honorary Doctorate degree from the Lanzhou University China in 2018.
33	2016	President of Pakistan	Hilal-e-Imtiaz (One of the highest Civil Awards) by the President of Pakistan in 2016
34	2006	President of Pakistan	Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Next to the former civil award) by the President of Pakistan conferred on 14th August, 2006.
35	2000	President of Pakistan	Pride of Performance (Third civil award) by the President of Pakistan in 2000.

Memberships

SrNo.	From - To	Title	Organization
1	2007 - 2008	Member of the Executive Council of Pakistan Academ	Pakistan Academy of Sciences
2	2009 - 2010	Member of the Executive Council of Pakistan Academ	Pakistan Academy of Sciences
3	2015 - 2017	Member of the Executive Council of Pakistan Academ	Pakistan Academy of Sciences
4	2003 - 2004	Fellow of Third World Academy of Sciences	Trieste Italy
5	2000 - 2001	Fellow of Pakistan Academy of Sciences (PAS)	Pakistan Academy of Sciences
6	2020 - 2021	Fellow of Islamic Academy of Sciences 2020.	Islamic Academy of Sciences
7	2007 - 2007	Member of the Commission for the ICTP Prize Fellow	TWAS, Italy.
8	2006 - 2008	Member of the Executive Committee of the National	Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of
9	2006 - 2007	President	Pakistan Botanical Society
10	2006 - Till Date	Focal person	The National Research Program for Universities, Hi
11	2005 - 2008	Member	National Core Group in Life Sciences, Higher Educa
12	1998 - Till Date	Member	National Curriculum Committee, Higher Education Co

Courses Taught

Project Supervisor

Services

SrNo.	From - To	Organization	Job Description
1	07/20/2022 - 07/20/2022	Biologia, Pakistan	Member Advisory Board from January 2010 to date.
2	07/20/2022 - 07/20/2022	EurAsian Journal	EurAsian Journal of BioSciences, Turkey, from 2007
3	07/20/2022 - 07/20/2022	Pakistan Journal	Pakistan Journal of Agriculture from July 2005 to
4	07/20/2022 - 07/20/2022	BMC Plant Biology	BMC Plant Biology, UK (Member Editorial Board) fro
5	07/20/2022 - 07/20/2022	Biological Agriculture & Horticulture, UK	Biological Agriculture & Horticulture, UK (Member
6	07/20/2022 - 07/20/2022	Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment, Finl	Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment, Finl
7	07/20/1991 - 08/02/1993	Pakistan Journal of Agriculture	Pakistan Journal of Agriculture from 1991-1993.
8	07/22/2022 - 07/22/2022	Pakistan Journal of Botany	Pakistan Journal of Botany (Editor- Section on Pla
9	07/22/2022 - 07/22/2022	Pakistan Journal of Botany	Pakistan Journal of Botany (Member Editorial Commi
10	01/01/1996 - 07/22/1998	Bahauddin Zakariya University	Journal of Science, Bahauddin Zakariya University,
11	07/22/2003 - 07/22/2005	Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences	Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences 2003
12	07/22/2000 - 07/22/2005	International Journal	International Journal of Agriculture and Biology 2
13	07/20/2000 - 07/20/1996	Pakistan Journal of Biochemistry	Pakistan Journal of Biochemistry 1996-2000.

Books

Research Fundings

Extracurricular Activities

SrNo.	Hobbies	Interests

Languages and Skills

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

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ashraf

Pro-Rector

Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

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