Affiliation: National Institute for Genomics Advanced Biotechnology & NARC

Shakira Ghazanfar, a renowned microbiologist and expert in probiotics, has made substantial contributions to microbiology, particularly in the advancement of probiotics for humans and animals. She obtained her PhD in Microbiology from Quaid-i-Azam University, specializing in gut microbial genomics and probiotic products. Since 2007, Dr. Ghazanfar has served as a Senior Scientific Officer at the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), where she played a crucial role in establishing the Probiotic Development Lab in Islamabad. Her AI-based probiotic innovations have been widely applied in sectors such as animal feed and human nutrition.

Dr. Ghazanfar is acclaimed for developing "Probio Predict," a bioinformatics tool that forecasts outcomes of probiotic products. She has supervised over 70 graduate students and contributed to numerous research projects funded by various organizations, aiming to enhance health and productivity through microbial genomics. With a portfolio of over 100 research papers, she has also served as an editor for multiple scientific publications. In recognition of her achievements, Dr. Ghazanfar was honored with the Young Biotechnology Award in 2021 by the Society for Uplifting of Rural Areas in India. She remains a prominent figure in microbiology, actively working on projects to improve agricultural practices and livestock productivity in Pakistan