Muhammad Umair Ijaz

Highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher with expertise in nutrition, obesity, gut microbiota, and metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Experienced in designing and executing research projects, leading to multiple peer-reviewed publications. Skilled in data analysis, synthesizing findings, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams. Research interests include developmental pathways, gene expression, hepatic cancer, immunotherapies, and nutrigenomics. Strong foundation in microbiology, biochemistry, and genetics.

• National Institute of Food Science & Technology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan (www.uaf.edu.pk) in collaboration with Washington State University (www.wsu.edu) and University of Iadhao (www.Idaho.edu), Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Sanitations standard operating procedures and HACCP & HACCP plan.
• National Institute of Food Science & Technology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan (www.uaf.edu.pk) in collaboration with Agro-campus Ouest, Rennes, France. (www.agrocampus-ouest.fr), Technological & Scientific aspects of Dairy products with special reference to French Chesses
• National Institute of Food Science & Technology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan (www.uaf.edu.pk) in collaboration with Agro-campus Ouest, Rennes, France. (www.agrocampus-ouest.fr), Participation in "Product Development Competition" as a team leader. Innovative products where were launched are Fish Spread, Mushroom Soup, Papaya Juice & Jam
• A) Merit scholarship awarded during B.SC. (HONS.) from 2007-to 2010 B) Merit Laptop Winner C) Doctoral Scholarship from China Scholarship Council (2015-2020)
• Frontiers in Nutrition, Journal of Functional Foods, Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Journal of Food Engineering, American Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology

• 09/2022 - 05/2023, College of Medicine, The University of Oklahoma, Health Science Centre, Oklahoma City, Research/Postdoctoral Scholar, As a Research Scholar at OUHSC, my primary focus is on investigating the mechanisms involved in β-cell differentiation, regeneration, and survival, both under normal physiological conditions and in the context of disease. Specifically, I am conducting research to understand the role of autophagy in these processes, as well as exploring potential therapeutic avenues for the treatment of diabetes.
• 09/2021 - 09/2022, Department of Medical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Davis Health Systems, Postdoctoral Fellow, I was focused on investigating the regulation of the gut-liver axis, with a particular emphasis on liver cancer therapy. During my time there, I studied primary liver cancer, including the mechanisms involved in its development, progression, and response to treatment immunotherapy. Additionally, I also conducted research on the role of probiotic bacteria, including L. Rhamnosus and L. Johnsonii, in regulating the gut microbiome and improving overall gut health.
• 09/2015 - 05/2020, Nutrigenomics Lab, National Center of Meat Safety and Quality Control, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, China, Ph.D. scholar, My doctoral research focused on investigating the effects of dietary protein consumption with low and high fat on metabolic syndromes, gut microbiota, intestinal barrier functions, and adipogenesis using in vivo studies and various cellular and molecular techniques such as ELISA, Immunofluorescence, DNA, RNA extraction, real-time PCR techniques, Metagenomics, and Metabolomics analysis. I observed that intake of meat protein from beef, pork, and chicken had a differential effect on the biomarkers linked with glucose, lipid and cholesterol metabolisms, gut microbiota composition, intestinal barriers functions, energy hemostasis, and adipogenesis in diet-induced obese mice.

• Meat protein in high-fat diet induces adipogenesis and dyslipidemia by altering gut microbiota and endocannabinoid dysregulation in the adipose tissue of mice, Muhammad Umair Ijaz, Muhammad Ijaz Ahmad, Xiaoyou Zou, Muzahir Hussain, Min Zhang, Fan Zhao, Xinglian Xu, Guanghong Zhou, Chunbao Li, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 68, 13, 3933-4, 4.192, 2020
• Beef, casein, and soy proteins differentially affect lipid metabolism, triglycerides accumulation and gut microbiota of high fat diet-fed C57BL/6J mice, Muhammad Umair Ijaz, Muhammad Ijaz Ahmad, Xiaoyou Zou, Muzahir Hussain, Min Zhang, Fan Zhao, Xinglian Xu, Guanghong Zhou, Chunbao Li, Frontiers in Microbiology, doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2018.02200, 4.23
• The Effects of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin on Immunometabolism and Microbiome, Muhammad Umair Ijaz, Muhammad Ijaz Ahmad, Di Zhao, Xinglian Xu, Guanghong Zhou, Chunbao Li, Liver Research, 10.1016/j.livres.2023.05.001
• High fat diet incorporated with meat proteins changes biomarkers of lipid metabolism, antioxidant activities, and serum metabolomic profile in Glrx1-/- mice, Muhammad Ijaz Ahmad, Muhammad Umair Ijaz, Muzahir Hussain, Iftikhar Ali Khan, Noreen Mehmood, Sultan Mehmood Siddiqi, Congcong Liu, Di Zhao, Xinglian Xu, Guanghong Zhou, Chunbao Li, Food & Function, 10.1039/c9fo02207d, 4.171
• High fat meat proteins drive dynamic changes in gut microbiota, hepatic metabolome and ndotoxemia-TLR-4-NFkB-mediated inflammation in mice, Muhammad Ijaz Ahmad, Muhammad Umair Ijaz, Di Zhao, Xinglian Xu, Guanghong Zhou, Chunbao Li, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 68, 42, 11710-11725, 4.192
• Meat proteins in a high-fat diet have a substantial impact on intestinal barriers through mucus layer and tight junction protein suppression in C57BL/6J mice, Muzahir Hussain, Muhammad Umair Ijaz, Muhammad Ijaz Ahmad, Iftikhar Ali Khan, Di Zhao, Xinglian Xu, Guanghong Zhou, Chunbao Li, Food & Function, 10, 6903-6914, 4.171
• Processed meat protein promoted inflammation and hepatic lipogenesis by upregulating Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway in Glrx-deficient mice, Muhammad Ijaz Ahmad, Muhammad Umair Ijaz, Muzahir Hussain, Congcong Liu, Xinglian Xu, Guanghong Zhou, Chunbao Li, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 67, 32, 8794-8809, 4.192
• The role of meat protein in generation of oxidative stress and pathophysiology of metabolic syndromes, Muhammad Ijaz Ahmad, Muhammad Umair Ijaz, Ijaz-ul-Haq, Chunbao Li, Food Science and Animal Resources, Doi.org/10.5851/kosfa.2019.e96, 1.445
• Antioxidants Potential of the Filamentous Fungi (Mucor circinelloides), Hameed, A., Hussain, S.A., Yang. J., Ijaz, M.U., Suleria, H.A.R, Liu, Q, Song, Y, Nutrients, 9, 11, 1101, 10.3390/nu9111101, 4.546
• Factors Affecting the Organoleptic Characteristics of Coffee. II: Postharvest Processing Factors, Hameed, A., Hussain, S.A., Ijaz, M.U., Samee-ullah, M., Pasha, I, Suleria, H.A.R., Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 9.912
• Antioxidant activity of polyphenolic extracts of filamentous fungi Mucor circinelloides (WJ11); extraction, characterization and stability of food emulsions, Hameed, A., Suleria, H.A.R, Ijaz, M.U, Ullah, S., Hussain, S.A., Song, YA, Muhammad, Z., Food Bioscience, 3.410
• Deletions of the Idh1, Eco1, Rom2, and Taf10 Genes Differently Control the Hyphal Growth, Drug Tolerance, and Virulence of Candida albicans, Hameed, A., Hussain, S.A., Ijaz, M.U, Umer, Folia Biologica, 1.03
• Antioxidant potential of chrysanthemum morifolium flower extract on lipid and protein oxidation in goat meatballs during refrigerated storage, Khan I A, Shah T, Yun A, Ijaz MU, Ahmed MI, Brohi S A, Hussain M, Cong L, Huang M, Journal of Food Sciences, 10.1211/17513841.14518, 2.47
• Occurrence of heterocyclic amines in commercial fast-food meat products available on the Chinese market and assessment of human exposure to these compounds, Iftikhar Ali Khan, Cheng Yiqun, Zhu Zongshuai, Muhammad Umair Ijaz, Sarfaraz Ahmed Brohi, Muhammad Ijaz Ahmad, Caiyue Shi, Muzahir Hussain, Jichao Huang Ming Huang, Journal of Food Science, 84, 3, 10.1111/1750-3841.14418, 2.47
• Perilla frutescens seed meal as a fat substitute mitigates heterocyclic amine formation and protein oxidation and improves fatty acid profile of pan-fried chicken patties, Khan IA, Shi B, Shi H, Nawaz A, Zhu Z, Ijaz MU, Hussain M, Khan A, Wang M, Chen F, Wang D, Cheng K-W, Frontiers in Nutrition, 10.3389/fnut.2022.975831

• Prof. Chunbao Li, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China, chunbao.li@njau.edu.cn, 86 25 84395679
• Dr. Zhao Di, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China, dizhao@njau.edu.cn
• Prof. Dr Tahir Zahoor, Director General, National Institute of Food Science & Technology University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Zahoor_t@yahoo.com
• Prof. Dr. Faqir Muhammad Anjum, Vice-chancellor University of Gambia, Republic of Gambia (Former Director General National Institute of Food Science & Technology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad), vc@utg.edu.gm, (0022)-03353000