Prof. Sarzamin Khan, formerly Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Agriculture Peshawar, has assumed charge as Vice Chancellor of the University following the retirement of Prof. Jehan Bakht.
Prof. Khan possesses distinguished academic credentials, including a DVM, M.Sc. (Hons) in Poultry Science, and PhD in Livestock Management. His doctoral research focused on post-conception decline in milk yield in peri-urban dairy buffaloes. His PhD thesis was supervised by Prof. Nazir Ahmad and Prof. M. Subhan Qureshi.
He further strengthened his academic profile through international research fellowships. He served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Tsukuba, Japan, working on dairy physiology and lactation. He was also awarded the prestigious Fulbright Program Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Minnesota, USA, where he worked on Next Generation Sequencing.
His achievements have been recognized through several prestigious awards, including the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology Productive Scientist Award (2014), Higher Education Commission Pakistan Best University Teacher Award (2015), and Fulbright Postdoctoral Award (2018).
Broad Technical Expertise
Besides academic excellence, Prof. Khan has developed extensive expertise in broiler, layer, and breeder production systems, dairy production, sheep and goat farming, and advanced laboratory diagnostics including PCR, Real-Time PCR, histopathology, and ELISA.
Applied Research and Innovation
He has successfully implemented several research projects of industrial relevance. His notable contributions include:
- Introduction of artificial insemination in broiler breeder farms in Pakistan
- Establishment of biogas model units for poultry breeder operations
- Promotion of environmentally controlled poultry sheds
- Initiation of insect protein production for poultry and livestock feed
- Development of killed vaccines for mastitis, infectious bronchitis, and infectious bursal disease
Several of his innovations are under consideration for patents in Pakistan, including:
- Mealworm-based chitosan
- Garlic, onion, and chilli phytobiotic blends
- Superworm-based prebiotics and probiotics for poultry
Academic Contributions
Prof. Khan has supervised 125 postgraduate scholars and 13 PhD scholars. He has presented research findings at numerous national and international conferences and has published 72 research papers in peer-reviewed impact factor journals.
National Scientific Leadership
He was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Pakistan Science Foundation after approval by the President of Pakistan for a three-year term, with formal notification issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology Pakistan.
Role in Dairy Science Park
Prof. Khan has played a significant leadership role in Dairy Science Park as a founding member of the Board of Governors and Chief Technical Officer. He has actively contributed to the organization of the biennial international conferences and industrial exhibitions held in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2023.
Through Dairy Science Park, he has helped strengthen academia–industry linkages by engaging livestock and poultry farmers in applied research, training, consultancy, policy development, and technology transfer.
International Collaboration and One Health
He also participated in collaborative initiatives on Biorisk Management with Sandia National Laboratories, USA. A four-member delegation of Dairy Science Park visited the Netherlands in March 2015 to launch the initiative. This effort led to multiple international engagements involving over 100 participants from academia, industry, and government, and contributed toward integration of biorisk management modules into DVM curricula in Pakistan.
Policy Development
Prof. Prof. Sarzamin Khan also made valuable contributions to policy-oriented applied research during his PhD studies. Working at the buffalo dairy farm of Mr. Kamran Akram, he concluded that the sharp post-conception decline in milk yield in buffaloes could be mitigated through appropriate feed supplementation, offering practical implications for dairy productivity enhancement. Mr. Kamran Akram, recognized by Dairy Science Park as a “Beacon of Hope” for the younger generation, demonstrated remarkable resilience by transforming challenges into opportunities through diversified business models including fancy birds, beef production, quail farming, dairy processing, and milk retailing. He also actively participated in consultative meetings with Mr. Arif Yousaf and Mr. Mohibullah Khan, while showcasing commercial rabbit and quail production systems and Omega-3 enriched eggs as innovative solutions for food security and decent employment under the Good Governance Model of Dairy Science Park.
Vision for the Future
The Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences has remained an integral part of the The University of Agriculture Peshawar, actively promoting academia-industry linkages with visible impact on the private sector and contributing to the birth of Dairy Science Park as an interactive forum for stakeholders across the livestock value chain. Looking ahead, the Faculty envisions its transformation into a Center of Excellence for Veterinary Innovation and Commercialization, and ultimately into a University of Veterinary Innovation and Commercialization.
(The feature image covers a meeting of FAHVS seniors and Dr Nadir with Prof Ibrahim from ILRI Kenya, a CGIAR research centre aimed at partnership for a food-secure future.)
Dairy Science Park extends heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Prof. Sarzamin Khan for a successful and visionary tenure.
