If you are looking for a career in Biological Sciences, Biotechnology, Food Safety and Quality Management, Molecular Pathology and Genomics, then you are in the right place. The mission of Kauser Abdulla Malik School of Life Sciences (KAM-SLS) at Forman Christian College (A Chartered University) is to inspire, educate and transform our students by providing an innovative and ingenious learning experience that prepares them to flourish in the dynamic and demanding practical world.
The school has been named after Prof. Dr. Kauser Abdulla Malik in 2020. He joined the school in 2008 and since then has been an integral part of it. Dr. Kauser Abdulla Malik is HEC National Distinguished Professor and has been presented with many prestigious awards by the Government of Pakistan for his services in the field of Agriculture and Biotechnology including Hilal-e-Imtiaz, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, and Tamgha-e-Imtiaz. He has 300 plus publications to his name and has been associated with many Government and Research Organizations including PAEC, NIAB, NIBGE, PARC as its Chairman, and the Planning Commission of Pakistan as its Member of Food & Agriculture. In the light of his vast experience, expertise in research, and guidance, the school has grown to be one of the best options to pursue a Life Sciences degree. He has been guiding the research of several PhD students in the area of Plant Biotechnology and Plant-Microbe Interactions. Currently, he is serving as Professor and Dean of Post-graduate studies and Director ORIC at FCCU.
The Chairperson of KAM-SLS is Dr. Samina Mehnaz. Over 31 years of research and more than 12 years of teaching in Pakistan, North America, and Europe; Served as a junior and senior-level researcher for 10 years at NIBGE, Faisalabad; 8 years of Pre and Post Doctorate Fellowships in the USA, Canada, Belgium, and Germany; She has 70 plus publications to her name. Dr. Samina is the first Alexander von Humboldt Ambassador Scientist of Pakistan. Her research is contributing to new and improved methods for not just safe and healthy farming but also for finding new avenues for the cure of human diseases. She is the co-editor of ‘Environmental Sustainability (Springer Nature since 2017); editor of ‘Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection (Taylor & Francis, the UK since 2015), and Associate Editor of ‘Frontiers in Microbiology. She has been declared an ‘outstanding editor’ for ‘The archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection. She has also been ranked among the top 1% of reviewers in the global reviewer’s database by Publons Academy USA.
The KAM- School of Life Sciences covers an area of 65,500 square feet within the Armacost Science Building. In addition, it has a botanical garden on the east side of the campus covering about 7 acres. The school programs are supported by 22 competent, well-qualified, and enthusiastic faculty members (all PhDs) and 15 scientific assistants. It has 12 research laboratories associated with 8 dedicated and 18 accessible lecture rooms. The research labs are well equipped with modern and advanced research equipment including HPLC, GC, Bio-fermenter, Nanodrop, Gel documentation system, Freeze dryer, Rotary evaporator, ELISA Reader, Gel Electrophoresis, FPLC Akta, Fluorescent Microscope, and TLC documentation system. The research and teaching facilities are supported by a greenhouse, two climate rooms, a one-acre agricultural field for experimentation on the campus, a natural history museum, a herbarium, and a seminar room.
After years of growth and development, the School of Life Sciences has won a distinguished position in the scientific research community and become one of the important institutions for Life Sciences in Pakistan. Our faculty has won competitive research grants worth nearly 150 million Rupees over the last 10 years. The School of Life Sciences at FCCU is visualized as a hub for providing the right combination of academics and research. It has the facilities and infrastructure to undertake research in advanced agricultural, food, microbial, and medical biotechnology using all the developments in genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and phenomics to solve the real-world problems of health, food, and agriculture.
With the merger of the Botany and Zoology departments, the Department of Biological Sciences emerged at FCCU in 2006. The department initiated undergraduate and graduate degree programs in biological sciences, biotechnology, and environmental sciences in 2008 and 2009. Over the years, the department expanded with qualified and competent faculty, state-of-the-art equipped labs for research, diverse courses, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research projects, and linkages with industry. It was upgraded to the School of Life Sciences in 2019. Through the rigorous teaching and arduous pioneering of a great number of distinguished Professors including Dr. Kauser Adulla Malik, Dr. Samina Mehnaz, and Dr. Muhammad Arslan, and the diligent efforts of a large number of young faculty members. The School has made improvements in conducting research and teaching by improving the overall infrastructure.
The school offer BS Programs (Four-year degree) in Biotechnology and Biological Sciences. MPhil which is a two-year Postgraduate degree program has been offered in Biotechnology; Food Safety and Quality Management; Molecular Pathology, and Genomics. The KAM-School of Life Sciences is also offering a Ph.D. degree in Biotechnology and has many enthusiastic Ph.D. scholars enrolled in the program. Our postgraduate students are the main players involved in innovation and scientific pursuits. Research is being conducted on microbiome profiling of cotton, developing herbicide-resistant wheat, bio-fortification, bio-fertilizer, drought and salt tolerance in wheat, bio-pesticides, bacterial metabolites, autism, neurological disorders, obesity, molecular oncology, transgenders, biomarkers, epigenetics, human papilloma virus, tuberculosis, gluten-free products, food preservation, starch modification, bioactive compounds from food byproducts and production of fruit leather.
The KAM-School of Life Sciences is incredibly proud of its Alumni. Our graduates are successfully working in public and private sector institutes/companies including Pakistan Food Authority, Pakistan Dairy Association, Pakistan Biotechnology Information Center, Punjab Forensic Science Agency, Pakistan Agriculture, Food and Drug Authority (PAFDA), Four Brothers Group of Companies, Chughtai Diagnostic Laboratories, Shaukat Khanam Diagnostics Labs and WWF. One of our brilliant alumni is also serving as a Diplomat at Foreign Services of Pakistan in the Science and Diplomacy wing. Our Doctorates are teaching in different well-reputed educational institutes in Pakistan including, the University of Central Punjab, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, and Ruth Pfau College of Life Sciences. Our first PhD graduate has been awarded a postdoctoral fellowship in the USA.
With the help of well-qualified faculty, dedicated staff, bright undergraduate students, and astute postgraduate scholars, the KAM-School of Life Sciences strives to improve life by stimulating scientific discovery and solving critical problems at the intersection of the life sciences and society. The School has pushed boundaries of knowledge, invested in diversity, created synergy and pursued excellence in serving the community.
