PhD Doctor Shazia Kousar
About me
A Senior Research Fellow holding a Ph.D. in Botany specializing in molecular taxonomy, DNA barcoding, and sustainable agroecology. Proven track record in managing internationally funded conservation projects (including UNDP) and authoring over 15 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters on climate change adaptation, botanical pest control, and food security.
I am currently working as a senior environmental researcher and botanist serving as a Research Fellow at the Center for Plant Conservation, University of Karachi, and I hold a Ph.D. in Botany with a core specialization in Taxonomy and Molecular Systematics. My interdisciplinary research portfolio spans plant molecular taxonomy, DNA barcoding, ethnobotanical mapping, and the development of biodegradable botanical pesticides, directly addressing global food security and climate change adaptation. Demonstrating strong capabilities in institutional leadership and funding procurement, I have successfully managed high-impact, multi-million rupee conservation projects backed by major international organizations, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), EVK2CNR, and the Global Genome Biodiversity Network. As a highly prolific scholar, I have established an extensive publication record consisting of 18 peer-reviewed journal articles with a cumulative Impact Factor exceeding 30, alongside six authoritative book chapters published by premier scientific outlets including Springer, Elsevier, and Wiley. Furthermore, I regularly serve as an expert peer reviewer for elite international journals, most notably Food Chemistry, while actively cultivating the next generation of scientists by supervising and mentoring 18 graduate and undergraduate research students across diverse regional institutions.
Degrees:
Fatima, S., Hussain, I., Ishtiaq, S., Kousar, S., Muneeb, M., Saeed, M., Maqbool, K., & Tajgul. (2026). Biochemical variations among native apple (Malus domestica) varieties: Saspolo, Kachura Ambari, and exotic varieties from Skardu, Baltistan, Pakistan. Zoo Botanica, 03(3), 649–660.
Batool, A., Kanwal, A., Raza, G., Kousar, S., & Jamil, I. (2025). Nutritional characteristics of almond (Prunus dulcis) leaves for livestock in the Baltistan region. Sarhad Journal of Agriculture, 41(4).
Jamil, I., Kousar, S., & Abid, R. (2025). Chloroplast DNA region-based phylogenetic relationships within the genus Abutilon Mill. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 57(4).
Kousar, S., Abbas, Z., Khan, N., Harun, N., Ishaq, K., Khan, T., Hashem, A., Avila-Quezada, G. D., & Abd_Allah, E. F. (2025). Promising alternative Wild phytofoods to mitigate the environmental aridity and food insecurity in Balochistan province, NW Pakistan: A cross-cultural approach. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 31, 1–25.
Parveen, A., Ejaz, S., Wei, C. R., Bokhari, S. W. A., Iqbal, J., Ashraf, S., & Kousar, S. (2024). Ethnobotany and urban life: Medicinal and food use of plants from Karachi (Pakistan largest metropolis). Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 28, 1–26.
Alomrani, S. O., Kousar, S., Yaseen, G., Kousar, M., Hussain, A., Ahmed, S., & Javed, T. (2023). Effect of Sodium Hydrosulfide on physicochemical characteristics and melatonin mediated stress mitigation in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) grown under Lead stress. Scientia Horticulturae, 323, 112547.
Hussain, M., Zhang, T., Chaudhry, M., Jamil, I., Kausar, S., & Hussain, I. (2024). Review of Prediction of Stress Corrosion Cracking in Gas Pipelines Using Machine Learning. Machines, 12(1), 42.
Khan, N., Sultan, A., Khan, T., Kousar, S., & Amjad Khan. (2023). A new species of Astragalus (Fabaceae) from Zhob district of Northern Balochistan, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 55(6), 6-16.
Alam, J., Abbas, Z., Kousar, S., Jan, G., Karim, S., Muhammad, S., Islam, M., Harun, N., Yawer, A., & Abideen, Z. (2023). Plants of the Hunza valley (Central Karakorum), Northern Pakistan: Ecology, Diversity and Conservation. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 55(6).
Anwar, S., Shah, A. A., Yasin, N. A., Ramzan, M., Khan, W. U., Kousar, S., Abbasi, G. H., Alfarraj, S., Babur, E., Uslu, Ö. S., Al Obaid, S., & Hussain, M. I. (2023). Interactive potential of Bacillus megaterium A12 and Biochar in Chromium stress mitigation in Spinacia oleracea: Methylglyoxal detoxification and activation of antioxidant enzymes. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 55(5).
Khan, S., Kousar, S., Khan, S. H., Haider, F., Malik, J., Khan, F., Khan, I., Ullah, I., & Zia, M. A. (2022). The burden of Omicron variants in Pakistan: an updated Review. COVID MDPI, 2, 1460–1476.
Qasim, S., Kamran, K., Siddiqui, S., Khan, N., Kousar, S., Iqbal, A., & Akbar, A. (2022). Medicinal Plants Status, Habitat Degradation Factors and Rehabilitation Possibilities in Sra Ghurgai Protected Area Takatu Mountain Range Quetta Pakistan. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 31(3), 1-10.
Ijaz, S., Perveen, A., Ashraf, S., Abid, R., Kousar, S., Abbas, Z., & Arslan, M. (2022). Traditional knowledge of Wild Edible Plants used by the people of Lawat, District Neelum, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 23, 24.
Abbas, Z., Kousar, S., Muhammad Abdul Aziz, Pieroni, A., Aldosari, A. B., Bussmann, R. W., Raza, G., & Abbasi, A. M. (2021). Comparative assessment of medicinal plants utilization among Balti and Shina communities in the periphery of Deosai National park, Pakistan. Biology, 10(5), 434.
Ijaz, S., Perveen, A., Ashraf, S., Abid, R. B., Kousar, S., Abbas, Z., & Arsalan, M. (2019). Wild medicinal plants of Lawat village, Neelum valley Azad Kashmir, Pakistan and their uses in ethnomedicine. WULFENIA, 26(12), 27-55.
Kousar, S., Qamarunnisa, S., Perveen, A., & Jamil, I. (2016). Intraspecific relationship within the genus Convolvulus L. inferred by rbcL gene using different phylogenetic approaches. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 48(5), 2025-2030.
Kousar, S., Parveen, A., Qamarunnisa, S., & Jamil, I. (2016). Morphological features and relationship of genus Convolvulus L. Convolvulaceae from Pakistan. Journal of Agri-Food and Applied Sciences, 4(1), 7-12.