National Agricultural Genomics & Breeding Programmes

NIGAB executes four strategic, multi-disciplinary research programmes designed to enhance crop and livestock productivity by at least 10% and deliver climate-resilient agricultural solutions across Pakistan.

Research Programmes

Four national programmes, one integrated mandate

Each programme is led by a Principal Scientific Officer and operates across dedicated laboratories, from gene discovery through to field-ready technology.

Programme 01 · Plant Biotechnology

Transgenic Research Programme

Programme Leader: Dr. Shaukat Ali, PSO

Development of genetically modified crops for economically important traits
Molecular, biochemical and morphological evaluation of transgenic crops
Molecular-based diagnostic testing of genetically modified products
Biosafety studies for GM crops addressing health and environmental concerns

transgenic@nigab.parc.gov.pk+92 51 9073 3805

Programme 02 · Plant Biotechnology

Functional Genomics & Bioinformatics

Programme Leader: Dr. Muhammad Ramzan Khan, PSO

Genome informatics of plants for expression variation using NGS applications — WGS, RNA-seq and ChIP-seq
Isolation, cloning and functional characterisation of economically important genes
Generation of gRNA and CRISPR/Cas9 expression cassettes for genome editing
T7 endonuclease assays for validation of genome-edited lines

genomics@nigab.parc.gov.pk+92 51 9073 3808

Programme 03 · Plant Biotechnology

Marker Assisted Breeding (MAB)

Programme Leader: Dr. Armghan Shahzad, PSO

Molecular dissection and association mapping of economically important traits in wheat and other crops
Marker-assisted selection for rust, karnal bunt, salinity and drought tolerance
Genetic diversity and phytochemical analysis of indigenous crop accessions
DNA fingerprinting for varietal identification and export quality assurance

breeding@nigab.parc.gov.pk+92 51 9073 3806

Programme 04 · Plant Biotechnology

Plant Tissue Culture Programme

Programme Leader: Dr. Aish Muhammad, PSO

Micropropagation and disease-free plantlet production of banana
Virus-free seed potato production through meristem and shoot-tip culture
Mass-scale production of true-to-type planting material for dissemination
National and international coordination and capacity building in tissue culture

tissueculture@nigab.parc.gov.pk+92 51 9073 3807

Research Portfolio

Projects funded through national research programmes

Supported by PSDP, ALP, RADP and PSF funding streams across plant and animal biotechnology.

#	Project Title	Funding	Status
01	High-throughput DNA sequencing based identification of sugarcane varieties/hybrids and unveiling of ancestry relationships in local cultivars	PSDP	On-going
02	Green Super Rice in Pakistan	PSDP	On-going
03	Sino-Pak Agricultural Breeding Innovations Project for Rapid Productivity Enhancement	PSDP	On-going
04	Yield enhancement of wheat through improved grain number and spikelet architecture using translational genomics and genome editing approaches	ALP	On-going
05	Comparative genomics of wheat and desiccation-tolerant Oropetium grass for root architecture variations, and CRISPR-Cas9/dCas9-mediated genome editing of root growth genes in wheat	ALP	On-going
06	Development of double haploid system in wheat	ALP	On-going
07	Development of monoclonal antibodies against PPR virus in sheep and goats	ALP	On-going
08	Development of bio-fortified tomato with precursor of vitamin A	ALP	On-going
09	Commercialisation of potato tissue culture technology in Pakistan	PSDP	On-going

9 active projectsPSDP · ALP funding streams

Intellectual Property

Patents filed

Invention Title	Date Filed	Application No.	Type	Status
Transgenic tomato with improved cold tolerance	18 Jan 2021	68/2021	Complete	In review
Transgenic maize with improved salt tolerance	18 Jan 2021	67/2021	Complete	In review
A DNA-based method for identification of olive cultivars	24 Dec 2020	888/2020	Complete	In review

3 national patents filedIntellectual Property Organization of Pakistan

Partner with Pakistan’s national genomics institute

Whether you need reference-grade GMO testing, DNA fingerprinting for export quality assurance, or a research collaboration, NIGAB’s laboratories and scientists are available to the public and private sector.

Contact the Institute View Services