Fatima AHSAN, PhD

I am a PhD-trained biological scientist with 10+ years of progressive R&D experience spanning recombinant protein engineering, molecular biology, and preclinical research across international institutions in Pakistan and the United Kingdom (UCL). I have deep understanding and the relevant expertise in vaccine development, biosimilar protein expression and characterization, gene therapy vector production, and antimicrobial resistance research. I am author of 11 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals including Cell Stem Cell and Journal of Biotechnology, with a strong track record of translating bench-level discoveries into applied pharmaceutical outcomes.

Currently, I am advancing my clinical research competencies in Canadian work environment through a graduate certificate program at Humber Polytechnic, Toronto.

Research Trainee - University Health Network (UHN), Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, Toronto General Hospital - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

(2026-05 - 2026-08)

• Selected for a competitive Clinical Research Trainee (Work-Integrated Learning) placement as part of the Humber Clinical Research Graduate Certificate.
• Will support supervised cardiac clinical trial activities, including data documentation, participant coordination, and regulatory-aligned study procedures.

Assistant Professor — Department of Microbiology - University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (UVAS) - Lahore, Pakistan

• Led an independent research program in molecular microbiology and antimicrobial resistance, securing funding and directing multi-year experimental timelines
• Supervised 10+ graduate student research projects from experimental design and data collection through manuscript preparation and peer-reviewed publication
• Designed and executed experiments in recombinant DNA technology, PCR, RT-qPCR, gel electrophoresis, molecular cloning, and site-directed mutagenesis
• Managed full laboratory operations including equipment maintenance, annual budgets, reagent procurement, inventory control, and institutional safety protocols
• Published multiple peer-reviewed papers in international journals on antimicrobial resistance, nanoparticle synthesis, and biofilm analysis
• Served as peer reviewer for the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, completing 7 manuscript reviews ensuring scientific rigor and quality
• Delivered lectures and developed curricula for undergraduate and graduate courses in microbiology and molecular genetics

Research Fellow - University College London (UCL) - London, United Kingdom

• Contributed to groundbreaking research demonstrating that Cyclosporine H overcomes innate immune restrictions to improve lentiviral transduction and gene editing in human hematopoietic stem cells
• Co-authored publication in Cell Stem Cell (Impact Factor ~20), one of the premier journals in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine
• Produced and titrated lentiviral and retroviral vectors using HEK293T packaging cell lines for gene therapy applications
• Performed mammalian cell culture with HEK293T cells including isolation, expansion, and transduction protocols
• Applied advanced techniques including flow cytometry and viral vector titration assays to quantify transduction efficiency
• Operated under BSL-2 containment with strict adherence to biosafety protocols and institutional guidelines

Postdoctoral Research Fellow / Research Officer - Centre for Applied Molecular Biology (CAMB) & University of the Punjab - Lahore, Pakistan

• Engineered recombinant human interferon alpha-2b and novel chimeric derivatives in E. coli expression systems for pharmaceutical biosimilar development
• Developed a novel strategy to prevent N-terminal processing of recombinant proteins, published in Bioorganic Chemistry (2018), improving product homogeneity and bioactivity
• Performed comprehensive protein characterization using FPLC, HPLC, affinity chromatography, SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, and mass spectrometry
• Conducted bioassays for recombinant protein activity validation, with results published in Journal of Biotechnology (2014)
• Optimized bacterial and mammalian cell culture protocols for high-yield recombinant protein expression, reducing purification cycle time

Clinical Research Graduate Certificate - Regulatory affairs, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), clinical trial methodology, health research ethics - Humber College (2026)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Biological Sciences.

Dissertation: Recombinant protein engineering — interferon alpha-2b expression, purification, and characterization. Advanced training in mo - University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (UVAS)

Bachelor of Science (Hons) - Microbiology & Molecular Genetics - University of the Punjab