Faculty Profile

Dr. Saleem joined LUMS in 2012 as an assistant professor and was tenured and promoted to associate professor in 2020.  He is an enthusiastic experienced organic chemist with a proven track record in the medicinal chemistry and materials. He enjoys teaching and training organic chemistry, spectroscopy, medicinal chemistry and drug discovery courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level. He builds effective collaborations within and outside of the institution.
In the medicinal chemistry, he has expertise in the discovery of lead molecules for various cellular targets. His specialties include hit and lead generation, lead optimization, medicinal chemistry, organic synthesis and methodology, structure-based drug design, data analysis, natural product isolation and structure elucidation.
On the materials front, he is also working on the novel metal-free organic dyes for solar cell and organic scaffolds for metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and modification of the drug molecules to prepare nanoparticles for subsequent evaluation. As an organic chemist, he has also done the isolation, characterization & total synthesis of the natural products.

Post-doctoral/Work experience
Jan 2020- to date     Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, SBASSE, LUMS
Jan 2012- Jan 2020     Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, SBASSE, LUMS
Summer 2019    DAAD fellow, University of Saarland, Germany
Summer 2016    DAAD fellow, University of Saarland, Germany
Summer 2014    Herchel Smith Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Cambridge, UK
Summer 2012    Post-Doctoral Research Visit, University of Bristol, UK
Education
2011      PhD, Michigan State University (Advisor: Prof. Jetze J. Tepe, Fulbright Fellowship)
2004      MPhil, GC University, Lahore, Pakistan
2002      MSc, GC University, Lahore, Pakistan (First position in the university)
2000      BSc, Punjab University, Lahore (Government College, Gujranwala), Pakistan
Roll of Honors
Academic roll of honor (2002)
Awards
2019                     DAAD Research Stays for University Academics and Scientists, University of Saarland
2016                     DAAD Research Stays for University Academics and Scientists, University of Saarland
2013-14                Herchel Smith fellowship, University of Cambridge
2012                     LUMS’ SSE Deans travel award for the summer research visit to University of Bristol
2006-11                Fulbright PhD fellowship
2011                     Dissertation completion fellowship
2011                     Graduation school travel fellowship, Michigan State University
2006                     Walter R. and Margaret W. Yates Memorial fellowship, Michigan State University
2006                     XIVth star award 2005: 125 distinguished men & women: Leaders of the new millennium
2003                     Orient Dr. Ata-ur-Rehman chemistry award and gold medal
2002                     Academic excellence award, GC University Lahore
2002                     Prof. Abdul Rashid Tariq gold medal
1998                     President talent farming award
1996                     Jamiat gold medal

Research group page: OrgChem.lums.edu.pk