Principal Investigators
Professor Muhammad Shahzad
Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan
Oral microbiome and oral-systemic healthGut microbiome development in early lifeNutrition–microbiome–host interactionsPublic Health nutrition
Biography
Dr Muhammad Shahzad is Professor at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences (IBMS), Khyber Medical University, and Founder and Lab Lead of the Nutrition, Oral and Gut Microbiome (NOG) Lab. He received his PhD from the University of Glasgow and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Reading, UK.
His research explores the role of oral and gut microbiomes in human health and disease, with a particular focus on nutrition–microbiome interactions, malnutrition, and vulnerable populations. Through the NOG Lab, his work aims to advance understanding of how nutrition and microbial communities influence health outcomes and inform targeted interventions.
Academic Experience
Professor
Khyber Medical University, Pakistan
2026–present
Associate Professor
Zarqa University, Jordan
2023–2026
Associate Professor
Khyber Medical University, Pakistan
2021–2023
Senior Visiting Research Fellow
University of Reading, UK
2021–2023
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
University of Reading, UK
2019–2020
Assistant Professor
Khyber Medical University, Pakistan
2015–2021
Education
PhD (Oral Microbiology & Immunology)
University of Glasgow, UK
2010–2015
MHPE (Master of Health Professions Education)
Khyber Medical University, Pakistan
2021–2023
BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery)
Khyber College of Dentistry, Pakistan
2002–2007
Grants & Funding(6)
Association of Oral Microbiome with Oral Cancer and Immunological Markers in Patients Exposed to Smokeless Tobacco
Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan2025–2026Exploring the Role of the Oral and Gut Microbiome in Development of Childhood Malnutrition in Pakistan
University of Reading / ORIC-KMU2023Gut Microbiome Maturation in Malnutrition in Pakistani Children (CALICO)
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pakistan2022–2025Diet, Oral and Gut Microbiome in South Asian Populations in Scotland and in Pakistan
Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)2020–2021Early-Life Nutritional Programming of Gut Microbiome Maturation and Immune Development in Pakistan