FACULTY PROFILE

Dr Ghulam Mustafa is working as an associate professor at the Department of Chemistry, University of Okara Pakistan. Prior to joining University of Okara, he has been working as a research group leader (January, 2016- March, 2020) at Sulaiman Bin Abdullah Aba Al-Khail Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, International Islamic University Islamabad, Pakistan. He also served as an Assistant Professor and research group leader (November, 2013- January, 2016) at the Department of Environmental Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan. Prior to joining Quaid-i-Azam University, Dr Mustafa worked as a postdoctoral fellow from July, 2011 to September, 2013 at the Institute of Chemistry, University of Vienna and was the member of well-known scientists team working on the fabrication of a simple and fully integrated sensing system for cosmetic products, food and/or drinks (EU-FP7 Marie Curie Funding). He completed his PhD in 2011 with distinction from the Institute of Chemistry, University of Vienna Austria. He has supervised and designed number of projects at bachelor, MS/MPhil and PhD level students at University of Vienna, Austria, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad Pakistan and International Islamic University Islamabad, Pakistan and his research findings are resulted in a number of publications in high level journals and patents. Dr Mustafa’s research group consists of team highly qualified scientists, research students and scholars from different disciplines and background including nanotechnology, chemistry, material sciences, biotechnology, environmental sciences, applied physics and engineering. His research group currently focuses on the design and development of mass sensitive, electrochemical and optical biosensors and chemical sensors. His research activities are focused on a wide variety of topics including the synthesis, characterization of novel nanostructured chemically-selective recognition materials (molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), thin-films, nanoparticles, core-shell nanomaterials and nanocomposite) and further their applications for the separation and detection of analyte of interest/contaminants/pollutants (volatile organic compounds (VOCs), toxic gases, macromolecules, heavy metals, pesticides, drugs, proteins, fungus, viruses and bacteria etc). Beside sensor fabrication, group has extended research activities to the generation of nano-engineered MIPs based sieves for the waste-water treatment and selective removal and recovery of analyte of interest to cope with the industrial waste-water treatment and drinking water challenges. The group's scientific collaborations are extensive and include those within the department and those with other departments/research centers at Okara university, indigenous universities, industrial partners and international research groups.