Profile
Human Geneticist, Vision Researcher and Educator
Dr. Muhammad Asif Naeem earned his PhD in Molecular Biology from CEMB, University of the Punjab. At CEMB he served as in-charge of the Vision Impairment Lab, Assistant Professor (TTS), and Principal Investigator of the HEC NRPU project "Investigating the Molecular Basis of Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)," combining traditional linkage analysis with next-generation sequencing.
He has established links with LRBT Eye Hospital, Allama Iqbal Medical College Research Centre and the Ophthalmology Department of Jinnah Hospital nationally, and international collaborations with the National Eye Institute (Bethesda, USA) and the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University.
His goal is to prevent heritable blindness in Pakistan through screening, research and education. DNA samples from 154 consanguineous Pakistani families affected by retinitis pigmentosa and congenital cataract have been processed to identify pathogenic mutations, with genome-wide scan and exome sequencing data analysed and two PhD students trained in these techniques. His work has resulted in 36 published manuscripts in international peer-reviewed journals.
Selected contributions
Science translated into capability
Retinitis Pigmentosa research
Principal Investigator of an HEC NRPU project on the molecular basis of Retinitis Pigmentosa.
Large family cohort study
Processed DNA from 154 consanguineous Pakistani families affected by RP and congenital cataract.
International eye-research collaborations
Partnerships with the National Eye Institute (USA) and the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University.
NIH training
Trained at NIH during the 2018 Summit, using the experience to revise CEMB's Medical Genetics course.