Irfana Maqsad

I have done my master's and MPhil in botany from Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan. Recently I completed my work as a research fellow at the Department of Ciências Agrárias at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Portugal, in a project "Fungi for Health” where my responsibilities included the isolation, maintenance, and molecular identification of fungal collections. During my MPhil program, I conducted research on the identification and characterization of fungi in the Plant Genetics and Genomics Laboratory at Quaid-i-Azam University. Through these experiences, I acquired different skills and techniques such as DNA extraction, PCR, sequence analysis, antimicrobial screening, phytochemical analysis, spectrometry, microscopy fungal and bacterial culturing, isolation, and maintenance. Moreover, I have done Bachelor in Education from Allama Iqbal Open University. In addition to this, I have acquired some teaching experience by teaching in one of the area colleges in Pakistan. My unwavering objective is to harness my profound passion for research in fungi and plant sciences to play a pivotal role in global food security, employing cutting-edge solutions, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.