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CurriculumVitae, Munir A. Anwar

Curriculum Vitae

Dr. Munir Ahmad Anwar

Present Position:Principal Scientist

Group Leader:Systems Biology of Prebiotics

Telephone:+92412651475-79. Ext. 341

Fax: +92412651472

Address:Industrial Biotechnology Division,

National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), POB 577, Jhang Road, Faisalabad,

Pakistan.

E-mail:

EDUCATION

University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

Ph. D.Microbiology/Biotechnology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute

Islamia University, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

M. Sc.Chemistry

University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

B. Sc.Botany, Chemistry, Zoology

PhD Thesis Title:

How Lactobacilli Synthesize Inulin: Characterization of Fructosyltransferase

Enzymes.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND MERITS

  • PhD scholarship (2006-2010) under the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan Overseas Scholarship Scheme.

RESEARCH AREA: Systems Biology of Prebiotic Synthesis

RESEARCH INTERESTS

  • Structure-function relationships of fructosyltransferase (FTF) enzymes
  • Cloning and expression of ftf genes of halophilic archaea
  • Bioprocess development for the synthesis of fructans (having novel rheological properties) from economical substrates (molasses, sugarcane juice etc.) using FTF enzymes of different types of bacteria

TRAINING/COURCES

  • Got one year training of basic tools of biotechnology, i.e. isolation, culturing, maintenance and genetic manipulation of microorganisms, at National Institute for Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan, as a Trainee Research Fellow.
  • Studied advance courses of biotechnology (M.Phil. courses) offered by NIBGE, in affiliation with Quaid-i-AzamUniversity, Islamabad, and stood first in the examinations securing 91 % marks. These courses include:
  • Bioprocess Technology
  • Techniques in Biotechnology
  • Environmental Biotechnology
  • Obtained European 5b level diploma in “Practical Training in Radiation Protection” at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
  • Learnt presentation skills by participating in the “Dynamic Presentation Course” Organized by the Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
  • Attended following talent classes organized by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) at the Hague, the Netherlands:
  • How to market yourself effectively
  • Write it Right
  • Attended the 9th European Training Course on Glycosciences, 6-9 June 2006, Wageningen, The Netherlands, and presented a poster.
  • Attended the GBB Introduction Course, 8-15 September 2006, Groningen, The Netherlands.

TEACHING

  • Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan approved supervisor for Ph. D.and M. Phil.students
  • Faculty Member of Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences (PIAES)
  • Teaching courses on Biochemistry, Recombinant DNA Technology and Techniques in Biotechnology to M. Phil. students

RESEARCH SUPERVISION/CO-SUPERVISION

Graduate:1From Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain,

M. Sc.:5From different universities of Pakistan

M. Phil.:7From different universities of Pakistan

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Munir A. Anwar, Hans Leemhuis, Tjaard Pijning, Slavko Kralj, Bauke W. Dijkstra and Lubbert Dijkhuizen. 2012. The role of conserved inulosucrase residues in the reaction and product specificity ofLactobacillus reuteriinulosucrase. FEBS J. 279 (19): 3612-3621.

Tjaard Pijning, Munir A. Anwar, Markus Böger, Justyna M. Dobruchowska, Hans Leemhuis, Slavko Kralj, Lubbert Dijkhuizen and Bauke W. Dijkstra. 2011. Crystal structure of inulosucrase from Lactobacillus: insights into the substrate specificity and product specificity of GH68 fructansucrases. J. Mol. Biol. 412: 80-93.

Anwar, M. A., Kralj, S., Pique, A. V., Leemhuis, H., Van der Maarel, M. J. and Dijkhuizen, L. 2010. Inulin and levan synthesis by probiotic Lactobacillus gasseri strains: characterization of three novel fructansucrase enzymes and their fructan products. Microbiology 156:1264-1274.

Ilyas, S., Bhatti, H. N., Ruan, C., Ghauri, M. A. and Anwar, M. A. 2010. Column bioleaching of metals from electronic scrap. Hydrometallurgy 101:135-140.

Akhtar, N., Ghauri, M. A., Anwar, M. A. and Akhtar, K. 2009. Analysis of the dibenzothiophene metabolic pathway in a newly isolated Rhodococcus spp. FEMS Microbiology Letters 301: 95-102.

Rehman, M., Anwar, M. A., Iqbal, M., Akhtar, K., Khalid, A. M. and Ghauri, M. A. 2009. Bioleaching of high grade Pb-Zn ore by mesophilic and moderately thermophilic iron and sulphur oxidizers. Hydrometallurgy 97: 1-7.

Akhtar, N., Ghauri, M.A., Iqbal, A., Anwar, M. A. and Akhtar, K. 2008. Biodiversity and phylogenetic analysis of culturable bacteria indigenous to Khewra salt mine of Pakistan and their industrial importance. Braz. J. Microbiol. 39: 143-150.

Anwar, M. A., Kralj, S., Van der Maarel, M. J. and Dijkhuizen, L. 2008. The probiotic Lactobacillus johnsonii NCC 533 produces high-molecular-mass inulin from sucrose by using an inulosucrase enzyme. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74:3426-3433.

FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS/RESEARCH GRANTS

1.Title of the projectUpgradation of high sulfur Pakistani coals through

biotechnological process

ParticipationAs Principal Investigator (PI)

Funding AgencyThird WorldAcademy of Sciences (TWAS), Trieste, Italy.

AmountUS $ 7000

2.Title of the projectBiodesulfurization of Indigenous Fossil Fuels

ParticipationAs Co-PI

Name of P. I.Dr. M. Afzal Ghauri (Principal Scientist)

Funding AgencyMinistry of Science and Technology, Islamabad,

Pakistan

AmountRs. 28.8 Million

3.Title of the projectMicrobial leaching of low-grade Saindak copper ore

ParticipationAs a research team member

Name of P. I.Dr. Ahmad M. Khalid (Director NIBGE)

Funding AgencyGovt. of Pakistan

AmountRs. 1.6 million

4.Title of the projectBioleaching of metals from ores

ParticipationAs a research team member

Name of P. I.Dr. Ahmad M. Khalid (Director NIBGE)

Funding AgencyPak-Kazakh Joint Project

AmountRs. 25 million