Dr. Muhammad Arif Rizwan
Lecturer
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health — Faculty of Veterinary Science
Biography
Dr. Muhammad Arif Rizwan holds a DVM (Gold Medalist, 2014) and M.Phil. in Clinical Medicine (2016) from UVAS Lahore. He earned his PhD from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China (ANSO Scholar), where his dissertation employed phylogenetics, multi-omics, and genomic surveillance to investigate influenza A virus evolution and pharyngeal microbiome disruption under shifting epidemiological pressures. His research operates within the One Health framework — demonstrating that suppressing transmission does not halt viral evolution, and that integrated viral–bacterial surveillance is essential for post-pandemic outbreak preparedness and antimicrobial stewardship. He has published widely in respiratory pathogen genomics, zoonotic surveillance, and mucosal ecosystem dynamics in journals including npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, Viruses, and Journal of Medical Virology. He began his academic career as a Lecturer in Clinical Medicine before joining the Punjab Livestock & Dairy Development Department as a Veterinary Officer, selected through the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC). He later transitioned to CUVAS, where he now teaches and researches at the intersection of epidemiology, genomic surveillance, and public health. As Vice President of the One Health Club CUVAS, he is committed to building cross-sectoral disease surveillance capacity and translating pathogen genomic intelligence into public health policy for Pakistan.
Research interests
• Evolution
• Genomics
• Metagenomics
• Bioinformatic Analysis of Pathogenic Microbes
Educational information
| Year | Degree | Board / University |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Ph.D. Microbiology (Public Health) | Wuhan Institute of Virology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China |
| 2014 | M.Phil. Clinical Medicine | University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore |
| 2014 | Doctor of Veterinary Medicine | LUAWMS |
Academic experience
| From | To | Post held | Organisation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | To Date | Lecturer | Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur. |
| Sep 2022 | July 2026 | Ph.D. Researcher | Wuhan Institute of Virology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China |
| Dec 2018 | Aug 2022 | Lecturer | Institute of Continuing Education & Extension, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur. |
| June 2016 | Nov 2022 | Veterinary Officer/ Field Researcher | Livestock & Dairy Development Department, Govt. of Punjab, Pakistan |
| Jan 2016 | June 2016 | Lecturer | Department of Clinical Medicine & Surgery, Riphah College of Veterinary Sciences, Lahore. |
Publications
- — Pharyngeal Microenvironment Associated with Human Rhinovirus Infection in Children: Insights from Metatranscriptomic Sequencing., npj Biofilms and Microbiomes2026
- — Genomic Evolution of Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and A/H3N2 Viruses Among Children in Wuhan, China, Spanning the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020–2023)., Basel Viruses2026
- — Age-related pharyngeal microbiome and host transcriptomic signatures underlying fever responses in RSV bronchiolitis., Virologica Sinica2026
- — Epidemiological, Clinical, and Genomic Traits of PIV in Hospitalized Children After the COVID-19 Pandemic in Wuhan, China., Journal of Medical Virology2024
- — Bovine brucellosis: Exploring the role of phytonutrients in treating the disease., Comp Clin Pathol2024
- — Exploring KRAS Expression Heterogeneity in Esophageal Carcinoma: Implications for Prognosis, Therapy, and Diagnosis., Kurdish Studies2024
- — Comprehensive Bioinformatics Analysis Reveals GAPDH as a Prognostic Biomarker in Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma., Kurdish Studies2024
- — Deciphering Key Hub Genes in Medulloblastoma: Integrative Analysis of Transcriptomic Datasets Reveals Potential Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets., J Popl Ther Clin Pharmacol2024
- — Deciphering The Role of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, A (VEGFA) in Colon Adenocarcinoma Progression: A Comprehensive Bioinformatics Analysis., J Popl Ther Clin Pharmacol2024
- — Review on Optimizing Dairy Sector Efficiency: Integrating of Genetic markers with Managemental Technique., Ecol. Genet. Genomics2024
- — Deciphering the orchestrated symphony: ANLN’S multifaceted role in liver hepatocellular carcinoma pathogenesis and prognosis., J Popl Ther Clin Pharmacol.2024
- — The up-regulated cul7 gene is associated with pathogenesis, metastasis, and low survival rates in liver hepatocellular carcinoma patients., J Popl Ther Clin Pharmaco.2024
- — One Health approach to Nipah virus prevention., Vacunas2024
- — Effect of Diarrhea on Serum Electrolytes and Trace Elements in Sheep and Goats., Uni.Sindh J Anim.Sci.2023
- — Review on Trypanosomiasis and their prevalence in ruminants., Zeugma Biological Science2022
- — The role of oxidative stress and haematological parameters in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in Kurdish population., Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders2021
- — FK228 ameliorates the liver toxicity and oxidative stress on thiram-induced tibial dyschondroplasia in chicken., Pakistan Journal of Zoology2021
- — Comparative study of SARS-CoV-2 antibody titers between male and female COVID-19 patients living in Kurdistan region of Iraq., Gene Reports2021
- — How to Assess Evolutionary Relationship of HSP 60 Genes in Goat and Other Animals., Zeugma Biological Science2021
- — Serodetection of antibodies for Mycobacterium avium Sub-species Paratuberculosis in sheep along with its associated risk factors in District Rahim Yar Khan, Uni.Sindh J Anim.Sci2019
- — Identification of Coagulase Gene in Staphylococcus aureus Isolates Recovered from Subclinical Mastitis in Camels, Pak Vet J2017
- — Epidemiological Investigation of Outbreak of Brucellosis at Private Dairy Farm,Central Punjab, Pakistan J Adv. Anim. Vet. Sci.2016
Conferences
| Year | Level | Country | City | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | International | China | Beijing | Summer School on Frontier and Interdisciplinary Sciences for International Students of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. Yanqihu Campus, Huairou, Beijing, China |
| 2024 | International | China | Shenzhen | BGI (Beijing Genomics Institute) International Summer Workshop 2024 & ICG-19 Youth Symposium: Bio Revolution for Sustainable Future, BGI Centre, Shenzhen, China |
| 2023 | International | China | Wuhan | International Workshop on Biosafety Laboratory Management and Techniques,State Key Laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| 2023 | International | China | Wuhan | 10th Wuhan International Symposium on Modern Virology, Hosted as part of the Sub Forum of the Hubei Science and Technology Academic Annual Conference |
| 2023 | International | China | Wuhan | RNA Sample NGS Library Construction Practical Training Phase II State Key Laboratories of Virology & Ab Clonal Technology Co., Ltd., China |
| 2022 | National | Pakistan | Bahawalpur | One-Day Hands-On Training on Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, Pakistan |
| 2022 | National | Pakistan | Bahawalpur | Two-Day Workshop on Promoting Research Excellence in Academics Across Pakistan Research Academy- On Campus (Elsevier) |
| 2021 | International | China | Beijing | One Day Seminar China-ASEAN Forum of Veterinary Vaccine & Drugs Beijing, China |
| 2020 | National | Pakistan | Bahawalpur | One Health Week, 3-10 November Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, Pakistan |
| 2019 | National | Pakistan | Bahawalpur | One Health Week, 7-14 November, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, Pakistan |
| 2019 | National | Pakistan | Bahawalpur | In-Service Competency Enhancement Training for University Faculty Centre for Educational Policy and Administration, UVAS |
| 2015 | National | Pakistan | Lahore | Business opportunities in Sheep & Goat Farming, Centre for Human Resource and Development, UVAS |
Awards
| Year | Awarding organisation | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, Pakistan | Appreciation Certificate: In Recognition of Research Publications by ORIC CUVAS |
| 2022 | (ANSO) Alliance of National and International Science Organization China | Won the PhD Scholarship: ANSO Scholarship for Young Talents 2022 |
| 2016 | Government of Punjab, Pakistan | Merit Based Laptop |
| 2014 | ILDPC & PVMA | Gold Medal in DVM |
| 2014 | LUAWMS | Gold Medal in DVM |
Professional memberships
| Organisation | Membership type | Since |
|---|---|---|
| Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council | Life Member | 2014 |
| One Health Club, CUVAS | Vice President | 2019 |
| CUVAS Scouts Group | Vice President | 2020 |
| Tutorial Group Meeting | Tutor | 2019 |
Courses taught
| Code | Course title | Programme | Credit hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPPH-201 | Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Prevention | LAD | 2(1-1) |
| EPPH-717 | One Health and Pandemic Preparedness | M.Phil. | 3(2-1) |
| MEPH-715 | Community Health and Medicine | M.Phil. | 3(3-0) |
Supervisions
| Title | From | To | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.Phil. students | Fall 2026 | To Date | M.Phil. supervision |
Books and chapters
| Year | Title | Publisher | Your role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Mitigating zoonotic transmission: probiotics and prebiotics strategies in control of brucellosis. Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Prebiotics and Probiotics, pp. 304–312. https://doi.org/10.47278/book.CAM/2024.423 | Unique Scientific Publishers, Faisalabad, Pakistan | Chapter author |
Languages and skills
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| English, Urdu, Punjabi, Siraiki | Excellent communication skills |
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