Biological Sciences Sr. No. 1 2 Name, Email address and Department of Primary Supervisor Dr. Zahra Hasan Zahra.hasan@aku.edu Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Dr. Rehana Rehman Rehana.rehman@aku.edu Biological & Biomedical Sciences 3 Dr. Rehana Rehman Rehana.rehman@aku.edu Biological & Biomedical Sciences 4 Dr. Najeeha Talat Iqbal Najeeha.iqbal@aku.edu Pediatrics & Child Health/ Biological & Biomedical Sciences Supervisory Team Drs. Martin Rottenberg; Kiran Iqbal Dr. Syed Hani Abidi Drs. Aisha Sheikh; Najeeha Talat Iqbal Drs. Junaid Iqbal Farah Qamar Tania Thomas Aga Khan University- FHS-PhD Programme List of funded projects for potential PhD Candidates 2018-19 Title of Project Impact of latent Tuberculosis infection and diabetes on the progression of infection with M.tuberculosis Understand the association of SIRT1 genetic variants with microenvironment of the oocyte in infertile female Serum cytokines, TLR4 gene polymorphism and bone turnover markers with risk of osteoporosis in pre and post-menopausal women Exploration of TB biomarkers in Pakistani children Research 15 Million 2,070,374/- 3292818/- 3939982/- Duration of funding To understand urine modulation caused by latent TB infection To investigate the role of SOCS molecules in 2019 modulation of host infection by M.tb To dissect the impact of diabetes on tuberculosis progression To estimate various oxidative stress biomarkers in the serum of the infertile females To establish a primary cell culture model of normal human granulosa cells using follicular fluid from infertile patients having SIRT1 polymorphisms 2019 To assess the oxidative stress environment in the cells in presence of the genetic polymorphism To study the effect of Metformin on maturation of human granulosa cells and the oxidative environment of the human granulosa cells. 2019 To correlate serum levels of cytokines, TLR4 gene polymorphism and bone over markers with bone mineral density in pre and post-menopausal women To associate serum cytokines and bone turnover markers with gene polymorphism in pre and postmenopausal women To correlate serum levels of vitamin D, Calcium and Phosphorus with gene polymorphism and bone mineral density in pre and post-menopausal women Compare the performance of ALS in Gene Xpert positive cases and define a diagnostic cutoff for children with active pulmonary TB. To enhance the sensitivity of ALS test using a modified protocol that utilizes the enrichment of 2019 CD19+B cells from PBMCs pool. Explore the role of catabolites/anabolites from urine and plasma samples for the identification of metabolic profiles of cases and controls (cases: Gene Xpert positive, Controls: Healthy, age and sex matched children).
Clinical Sciences Sr. No. Name, Email address and Department of Primary Supervisor 1. Tashfeen Ahmad Tashfeen.ahmad@aku.edu Surgery 2. Tashfeen Ahmad Tashfeen.ahmad@aku.edu Surgery Supervisory Team Dr. Farhan Raza Khan Drs. Pervaiz Mehmood Hashmi; Syed Faaiz Enam Title of Project Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells of Permanent Teeth (DPSC) & Stem Cells from Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth (SHED): A Comparison of Dental Tissue Regeneration Phase I/II clinical trial of a rapid, sutureless method for vascular anastomosis in expendable vessels Research 300,000 600,000 (2-year funding 25000 per month for PhD student) Duration of funding 2019 1. Development of in-vitro tooth-like tissue formation model 2. Comparison of tooth-like tissue formation between stem cells from adult and baby teeth 3. Development of an in-vivo tooth like tissue formation model 1. To determine the safety of a novel sutureless vascular anastomosis technique in lacerated arteries of human patients by assessing the rate of complications 2. To compare the efficacy of the sutureless vascular anastomosis technique versus the standard suture technique in lacerated arteries of human patients by measuring the time taken to perform vascular anastomosis, comparing the blood flow across anastomoses and identifying the smallest diameter of a vessel that can be anastomosed
Population and Public Health Sr. No. 1. 2. Name, Email address and Department of Primary Supervisor Dr Rozina Karmaliani rozina.karmaliani@aku.edu Dr. Romaina Iqbal romaina.iqbal@aku.edu Community Health Sciences Supervisory Team Ms Nousheen Pardhan, Saleema Gulzar, Shireen Shazad, Sohail Bawani, Dr. Nargis Asad Mr. Iqbal Azam, Dr. Khawar Kazmi Title of Project School Health Project at Deh Chohar, Gadap town-fas site NIHR Global Research Unit on Improving Health in Slums Research PAK 7 million GBP 160,000 (Grant value, nothing specifically marked for a project) Duration of funding Dec, 2019 Assessing the status of malnutrition amongst school children amongst school children and develop school nutrition programme. Assess the need and develop tele-health for school children and parents to provide access and affordable basic pediatric care. Propose strategies to strengthen community involvement in health system management and evaluation Research 2020 Short Term: To understand disease burden and key risk factors of residents of select urban slums in Karachi To map geo-spatially (using digital maps) current health service delivery arrangements and understand patterns of health service use (including equity of use) in slums in major and secondary cities. To identify costs associated with different models of health service delivery arrangements in these slums, including by whom costs are incurred. 3. Dr. Romaina Iqbal romaina.iqbal@aku.edu Community Health Sciences 4. Dr Amna Rehana Siddiqui rehana.siddiqui@aku.edu Mr. Iqbal Azam, Dr. Khawar Kazmi Syed Iqbal Azam Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological Study Life Style Changes and Glycemic Control in Type I diabetes Mellitus: a CAD 60,000 (nothing marked for PhD project per se) Rs 15,00,000 Long-term To model options for health service delivery in slums, considering quality, cost-effectiveness and equity of provision. 2019 To assess the relative contributions of societal influences [as measured by each of the 4 domains of interest (built environment, nutrition, policy, psychosocial/socioeconomic factors and tobacco)] on individual lifestyle choices (diet, activity) and on risk factor levels (INTERHEART score) obesity, DM and CVD (cross-sectional component) To determine if societal changes in the above 4 domains over time affect behaviors, and risk factor levels To develop local tools for measuring societal influences i.e. diet, built environment, and psychosocial/socioeconomic factors. To study novel risk factors affecting urban and rural population such as diet, smokeless tobacco consumption and built environment in detail. March, 2020 To determine the effect of daily mobile messages for maintenance of log book for self-
Community Health Sciences factorial approach blood glucose monitoring in type 1 diabetes patients To determine the relationship of daily step count on blood glucose levels in Type 1 Diabetes patients To measure and compare the acute complications of Type 1 diabetes in all groups over a period of six months 4. To measure and compare the variability of daily blood glucose measurements using average daily risk range method 5. Dr. Rozina Nuruddin Rozina.nuruddin@aku.edu Community Health Sciences Drs. Sarah Saleem; Elizabeth McClure Global network s maternal and newborn health registry, Thatta USD 604,878/- June 2023 To understand trends of pregnancy outcome in defined geographic area To provide population based estimate of stillbirth newborn and maternal mortality.
Nursing S # Name, Email address and Department of Primary Supervisor 1. Dr David Arthur david.arthur@aku.edu 2. Dr David Arthur david.arthur@aku.edu 3. Dr Rozina Karmaliani rozina.karmaliani@aku.edu 4. Dr Rozina Karmaliani rozina.karmaliani@aku.edu Supervisory Team Title of Project Research Ms Ambreen Tharani, Ms Shireen Shehzad, Ms Saima Sachwani Drs. Tazeen Saeed Ali, Shahirose Premji, Naghma Rizvi, Saima Hirani Ms Nousheen Pardhan, Saleema Gulzar, Shireen Shazad, Sohail Bawani, Dr. Nargis Asad Drs. Zulfiqar Bhutta, Tazeen Saeed Ali, Judith McFarlane, Saima Hirani, nargis Asad, Ms. Kausar S. Khan FFMQ, Sense of coherence and resilience validation - - Perinatal Mental Health: screening and led intervention School Health Project at Deh Chohar, Gadap town- FAS site Men involvement in Maternal Health: Cash Transfer and Life Skills Building for women empowerment - - PAK 7 million US$ 1 million Duration of funding Dec, 2019 July, 2021 To examine the effects of a mindfulness based stress intervention on nursing students ability to manage stress, their resilience and state of mindfulness. To implement and examine the effect of mindfulness based anti-depression strategies on depressed women in the antenatal period. To identify the predictors of perinatal and post natal depression To test if midwifery led model is effective strategy to screen and manage perinatal mental health. Assessing the status of malnutrition amongst school children amongst school children and develop school nutrition programme. Assess the need and develop tele-health for school children and parents to provide access and affordable basic pediatric care. Propose strategies to strengthen community involvement in health system management and evaluation Research. To measure the impact of men involvement in Life Skill Building (LSB) and Cash Transfer (CT) on maternal depression, domestic violence, and women empowerment To measure the impact of men involvement in LSB and CT on child survival and functioning among children of couples. 5. Dr Tazeen Saeed Ali Tazeen.ali@aku.edu Drs. Zulfiqar Bhutta Rozina Karmaliani Judith McFarlane Saima Hirani Ms Kausar S. Khan Men involvement in Maternal Health: Cash Transfer and Life Skills Building for women empowerment US$ 1 million July, 2021 To measure the impact of men involvement in LSB and CT on maternal self-efficacy, family economic solvency and men and women s attitude on gender roles. To understand the strategies of male involvement in the prevention of violence against women and family harmony 6. Dr Tazeen Saeed Ali Tazeen.ali@aku.edu Drs. Naghma Rizvi, Neelofar Sami, Sarah Saleem, David Arthur Life experience of married women in vulnerable state (gynecological morbidities and secondary infertilities and marital conflict): A mix methodology approach - - To identify the factors associated with gynaecological morbidity and infertilities and marital conflict To explore coping mechanisms and development of the strategy to resolve the marital conflicts in vulnerable situations
7. Dr Tazeen Saeed Ali Tazeen.ali@aku.edu Drs. Naghma Rizvi, Rozina Karmaliani Gender inequalities in health with special reference to adolescent sexual and reproductive health among both genders across Pakistan - - To describe perceptions, attitudes and suggestions for intervention and prevention of IPV as perceived by health care staff, district and community representatives (qualitative study). To determine the prevalence and frequency of all forms of IPV against women in relation to socio-demographic and psychosocial factors such as age, socio-economic status, alcohol consumption and educational status (quantitative study) To determine health effects, patterns of health care seeking behavior and coping mechanisms of women 15-60 years of age subjected to IPV (quantitative study). To determine associations between gender attitudes and contraceptive use, and IPV among women 15-49 years old (quantitative study). To test screening tools and develop manual of management of gender inequalities in health? 8. Dr Tazeen Saeed Ali Tazeen.ali@aku.edu Drs. Naghma Rizvi, Neelofar Sami, Sarah Saleem Traditional menstrual and Postpartum Practices, Perceived morbidity and health-seeking behaviour with management: A community-based Mix method study in Karachi, Pakistan US$ 1 million July, 2021 To develop management of postpartum physical and mental illnesses among mothers between the ages of 15-49 years in Karachi, Pakistan To assess the factors associated with postpartum morbidities among these mothers To observe the pattern of health seeking behavior with its management by current health system 9. Dr Jacqueline Dias jacqueline.dias@aku.edu Drs. Rehana Rehman, Charles Docherty; Ms. Saleema Farooq Perceptions of nursing students of educational environment at a private undergraduate school of Nursing in Karachi Pakistan - - To explore the perception of nursing students of educational environment at a private undergraduate school of Nursing in Karachi Pakistan 10. Dr Jacqueline Dias jacqueline.dias@aku.edu Drs. Rehana Rehman, Charles Docherty; Ms. Saleema Farooq Enhancing Nursing students educational environment at a private undergraduate school of Nursing in Karachi Pakistan - - To explore and come up with strategy to enhance nursing students learning environment
11. Dr. Rubina Barolia rubina.barolia@aku.edu Jennifer Anastasi Nurse Led culturally relevant smoking cessation interventions for the patients with cardiovascular disease in tertiary care hospital setting US$ 2100 2020 Identifying important patient centered factors to design and construct culturally relevant smoking cessation interventions for patients with diagnosed cardiac disease Testing the acceptability and relevance of the intervention for providers and cardiac patients Assessing the effectiveness of nurse led interventions leading to the establishment of nurse-led smoking cessation clinics in the hospital setting. Designing and implementing evidence based nurse-led smoking cessation programme in Pakistan
Aga Khan University- FHS-PhD Programme FOGARTY JOHNS HOPKINS - AFGHANISTAN PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE TRAUMA AND INJURY RESEARCH TRAINING (JHU-AKU scholarships) Sr. No. Title of Project Contact person from the Supervisory team Research 1 Interventions for vulnerable road users (pedestrians and motorcyclists) in Karachi, Pakistan Dr. Zafar Fatmi zafar.fatmi@aku.edu Dr. Uzma Rahim Khan uzma.khan@aku.edu USD 15000 To implement population level interventions to assess their effectiveness in preventing road traffic crashes and injuries among vulnerable road users in a Low and Middle Income Country (LMIC). 2 Patterns, factors, and capacity building for prevention of occupational injuries in Karachi, Pakistan Dr. Zafar Fatmi zafar.fatmi@aku.edu Dr. Nadeem Ullah Khan nadeemullah.khan@aku.edu USD 15000 The study would determine pattern/trend and factors through establishing sentinel surveillance and develop capacity for prevention of occupational injuries in selected industries in Karachi 3. Substance misuse in emergency patients: Trends, Risk Factors, and Feasibility of Interventions Dr. Farooq Ghani Farooq.ghani@aku.edu Dr. Junaid A. Bhatti junaid.bhatti@ices.on.ca Dr. Nadeem Ullah Khan nadeemullah.khan@aku.edu USD 15000 1. To assess patterns of substance misuse diagnosed in patients admitted from the emergency. 2. To assess risk factors for emergency admissions related to substance misuse 3. To find out the association of drugs of abuse with road traffic accidents and its severity in Karachi, Pakistan. *These projects are in any of the 3 streams - Population and Public Health, Clinical Sciences and Nursing except Biological Sciences stream.