Dr. Muhammad Shahid

About

Dr. Muhammad Shahid is a molecular virologist with over 19 years of experience in research and diagnostics, and six years of academic teaching. He currently serves as Assistant Professor at the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, under the mentorship of Prof. Dr. Muhammad Idrees. His research explores host-virus interactions, gene expression regulation, and the roles of non-coding RNAs (lncRNA, circRNA, miRNA, piRNA) and competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks in HCV, HIV, and liver cancer. He focuses on identifying biomarkers for disease progression and treatment outcomes. Dr. Shahid has contributed significantly to public health through commercial diagnostic services for Hepatitis B and C (Real-Time PCR and Genotypes) and other viral outbreak responses, including his role in the Prime Minister’s Program for Hepatitis HCV/HBV Control in 2006.
At CEMB, Molecular Virology Research Group, he works in areas: commercial diagnostics for HCV/HBV (including genotyping), outbreak investigation (Dengue, TB, SARS-CoV-2), assay and kit development, and fundamental research on viral pathogenesis and antiviral resistance.
Dr. Shahid earned his PhD in Molecular Biology from CEMB and completed part of his research at Erasmus MC, Netherlands, through the HEC IRSIP Fellowship. He has received multiple research and performance awards from the University of the Punjab and supervises MPhil and PhD scholars. He teaches Molecular Virology and hands-on training in molecular biology techniques.
As Principal Investigator of an NIH-funded project on HIV transcriptomics, he has also submitted competitive grants to HEC, WHO, and PSF. His research has been presented internationally, including at the Viral Hepatitis Congress in Germany.
He is working to expand diagnostic services and build collaborative virology networks. His long-term goal is to integrate virology, transcriptomics, and bioinformatics to support personalized medicine.

Areas of Expertise