Profile
Plant Molecular Biologist, Genome Editor and Educator
Dr. Abdul Qayyum Rao completed an MSc in Botany from Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan, an M.Phil in Molecular Biology from CEMB, University of the Punjab, and a PhD in Molecular Biology from CEMB, University of the Punjab. From 2005-2006 he served as a visiting scientist at DSMZ Braunschweig, Germany, and from 2016-2018 he worked as a Humboldt Fellow at the Joseph Gottlieb Kölreuter Institut für Pflanzenwissenschaften at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany.
He has headed the Plant Biotechnology section at CEMB since 2009 and was promoted to Professor in 2021. He established CRISPR/Cas genome editing technology at CEMB and pioneered its edible vaccine section targeting poultry diseases.
His research spans transgenic cotton resistant to biotic stresses, genome editing of crop plants via CRISPR/Cas to improve productivity and stress tolerance, and development of plant-based pharmaceuticals and edible vaccines. Work from his lab has been translated into commercially released Bt and herbicide-resistant cotton varieties and six patent filings.
Selected contributions
Science translated into capability
CRISPR genome editing
Established CRISPR/Cas genome editing technology at CEMB to improve crop traits and address biotic and abiotic stresses.
Edible vaccine pioneer
Pioneered CEMB's edible vaccine programme targeting major poultry diseases such as Newcastle disease and Avian Influenza.
Transgenic cotton development
Led development of double- and triple-gene Bt/herbicide-resistant cotton varieties (CEMB 33, CA12, CEMB 66, CEMB 100, CKC series) grown commercially in Pakistan.
Patents
Holds one granted patent and five pending applications covering transgenic cotton, edible vaccines, and CRISPR-based crop improvement.
International research training
Trained as a visiting scientist at DSMZ Braunschweig, Germany, and as a Humboldt Fellow at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
Research funding leadership
Secured four international and thirteen national competitive research grants totaling over PKR 100 million and USD 0.261 million.
Awards and honors
Recipient of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences ZKS Gold Medal (2022), Humboldt Fellowship (2016-2018), and ICRA Young Researcher Award (2017).