Associate Professor/HOD
Dr Uzma Yunus
051-9057818
uzma.yunus@aiou.edu.pk

Education

Ph.D. Chemistry (Organic Chemistry) 

Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany & Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan

Post Doctorate

Umeå University, Sweden

Experience

Head of Chemistry Department since July, 2021 with 21 years of experience in teaching M.Sc., M.Phil and PhD Students. Supervised 4 PhD Thesis, 20 M.PhilThesis and 36 M.Sc. Research Projects in addition to 49 Publications in Impact factor Journals. Currently leading cutting-edge Research in following areas of interest:

  • Synthesis of Heterocyclic compounds of medicinal interest.
  • Supra-molecular Chemistry with emphasis on the development of Pharmaceutical Co-crystals to improve physico-chemical properties of drugs.
  • Development of Nano carriers-based drug delivery systems for target specific delivery of cancer drugs.
  • Applications of Chiral Metal Organic Frameworks (CMOFs) for resolution of racemic drugs.

Publications

  1. Reactions of some unsaturated carboxylic acids with o-phenylenediamine in acidic medium II M.Hasan, F.Malik, M.C.G.Alveraz, U.Yunus, N.Rashid and Z.Maqbool, J.Chem.Soc.Pak.12(1), 80, (1990).Impact Factor 0.536
  2. Synthesis of some new 2-(4-halophenylamino)-5-(isomeric pyridyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazoles: R.Iqbal, N.H.Rama, U.Yunus, A.Saeed, and K.Zamani, J.Chem.Soc.Pak.19(1), 77, (1997).Impact Factor 0.536
  3. Synthesis of 2,4-dihydro-4-(4-halophenyl)-5-(pyridyl)-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiones: R.Iqbal, N.H.Rama, U.Yunus, A.Saeed, and K.Zamani, J.Chem.Soc.Pak.19(2), 145, (1997). Impact Factor 0.536
  4. Studies on the methylation of 5-nitro-benzimidazoles: M.Hasan, F.Shaheen and U.Yunus,Turk.J.Chem.,24,73, (2000). Impact Factor 1.239
  5. Preparation of optically active amino acid derivatives of some methylated 5-aminoazaheterocycles:M.Hasan, F.Shaheen, U.Yunus and S.Munir, Turk.J.Chem.,24,165,(2000). Impact Factor 1.239
  6. Synthesis of chiral building blocks for cephalostatin analogues: U.Yunus, R.Iqbal and E.Winterfeldt, J.Heterocyclic Chem. 42 (1) , 1079, (2005).Impact factor 2.193
  7. 2-Phenyl-4H-thiazolo[3,2-a][1,3,5]-triazine-4-thione: U.Yunus, M.K.Tahir, M.H.Bhatti, S.Ali and M.Helliwell, ActaCrystal.E, 63(9), o3690, (2007). Impact factor0.646
  8. Studies on a- Bromination of ketone in hydrindane ring system: U.Yunus and E.Winterfeldt ,J.Chin.Chem.Soc.,54 , 1087 ,(2007).Impact factor 1.960
  9. 2-(4-Amino-5-thioxo-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylmethyl)isoindoline-1,3-dione, U.Yunus, M.K.Tahir, M.H.Bhatti, N.Yousaf and M.Helliwell, Acta Cryst.,E64,o476, (2008). Impact factor 0.646
  10. 1-(1,3-Benzothiazol-2-yl)-3-benzoylthiourea: U.Yunus, M.K.Tahir, M.H.Bhatti, S.Ali and W.Y.Wong, Acta Cryst.,E64,o20, (2008). Impact factor 0.646
  11. 2-Propyl-4H-Thiazolo[3,2-a][1,3,5]triazine-4-thione, U.Yunus, M.K.Tahir, M.H.Bhatti,  and W.Y.Wong, Acta Cryst.,E64,o722, (2008).Impact factor 0.646
  12. N-(Thiazol-2-yl)acetamide, U.Yunus, M.K.Tahir, M.H.Bhatti, and W.Y.Wong, Acta Cryst.,E64,o1516,(2008).Impact factor0.646
  13. Ethyl-4-(3-benzoylthiureido)benzoate, S.Saeed, M.H.Bhatti, U.Yunus and P.G.Jones, Acta Cryst.,E64,o1485, (2008).Impact factor0.646
  14. 1-(4-Acetylphenyl)-3-butyrylthiourea, S.Saeed, M.H.Bhatti, U.Yunus and P.G.Jones, Acta Cryst.,E64,o1566,(2008). Impact factor 0.646
  15. 2-Substituted-4H-[1,3]thiazolo[3,2-a][1,3,5]triazine-4-thiones: Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Antifungal Activity, S.Saeed, N.Rashid, P.G.Jones and U. Yunus, J.Heterocycl.Chem.,47, 908, (2010).Impact factor 2.193
  16. 2-[2-(1,3-Dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)-acetamido]acetic acid: Moazzam H. Bhatti,
    • U.Yunus, Imtiaz-ud-Din,S. Shams.-ul-Islam and W.-Y. Wong, Acta Cryst., E66, o2969, (2010).Impact factor0.646
  17. Synthesis, spectroscopic characterisation and X-ray analysis of regioisomeric1,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazoles, U.Yunus, R. Kauser, M.H. Bhatti, M. Zia-ul-Haq, W.Y. Wong,J.Mol. Struct.., 995, 173–180, (2011).Impact factor 3.196.
  18. Catena-Poly[[diaquacalcium]bis[μ-2(1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)aceto]-κO,O’:O;
    • κ3 O:O,O’ ]: M. H. Bhatti, U.Yunus, S. Saeed, S. R. Shah and W. T. Wong , Acta Cryst.,E67, m1102-m1103, (2011).Impact factor 0.646
  19. The 1:1 adduct of caffeine and 2-(1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)acetic acid: M. H.Bhatti, U.Yunus, S. Saeed, S. R. Shah, and W.-T. Wong, Acta Cryst., E67, o2240, (2011).Impact factor 0.646
  20. Electrochemical and Spectroscopic Investigations of Isoniazide and its analog with ds.DNA at physiological pH: Evaluation of biological activity: N. Arshad, U.Yunus, S. Razzaque, M. Khan, S. Saleem, B. Mirza, N. Rashid,  Eur.J.Med.Chem.,47, 452-461,(2012).Impact factor 6.514.
  21. Caffeine-N-Phthaloyl-β-Alanine (1/1): M. H.Bhatti, U.Yunus, S. R. Shah and U. Flörke, Acta Cryst., E68, o1888, (2012).Impact factor 0.646
  22. Catena-Poly[[triphenyltin(IV)]-μ-N-(4-acetylphenyl)maleamato]: M.H. Bhatti, U.Yunus, N. Mussarat, M. Helliwell and R. Prendergast, Acta Cryst.,E69, m427 (2013).Impact factor 0.646
  23. Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Activity of Novel Schiff And Mannich  Bases of 3-(N-phthalimidomethyl)-4-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-thione, U.Yunus, M.H. Bhatti, N. Rahman, N. Mussarat, S. Asghar and B.Masood, J. of Chem., (2013),DOI:10.1155/2013/638520 . Impact factor 3.241.
  24. Isoniazid Cocrystals with antioxidant hydroxybenzoic acids, S. M. A. Mashadi,U.Yunus, M. H. Bhatti, M. N. Tahir, J.Mol. Struct.,1076,446-452,(2014). Impact factor 3.196.
  25. Synthesis, Characterization and Thermal Studies of Poly (4-Vinylpyridine) Composites of Rare Earth Metal Salts, A. Khan, R. Rashid, M. Hussain, U.Yunus, A. Zahra, S. U. Mir and G. Murtaza, Arab. J Sci. Eng.,2016, 41(1), 105–109. doi: 10.1007/s13369-015-1592-2 (2015).Impact factor 2.334.
  1.  Synthesis, characterization and in vitro evaluation of methotrexate conjugated fluorescent carbon nanoparticles as drug delivery system for human lung cancer targeting, M. Ajmal, U.Yunus, A. Matin, N. U. Haq, J PhotoC Photo.B,153 111-120, (2015). Available online 9 September (2015), doi: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2015.09.006. Impact factor 6.252.
  2. Synthesis, Characterization, Solubility and Stability studies of Hydrate Cocrystal of Antitubercular Isoniazid with Antioxidant and anti-bacterial Protocatechuic acid, S. M. A. Mashhadi, U.Yunus, M. H. Bhatti, I. Ahmed, M. N. Tahir, J. Mol. Struct., 1117 17,21, (2016).   Impact factor 3.196.
  3. Structural, spectroscopic, nonlinear optical and electronic properties of calcium N-phthaloylglycinate: A combined experimental and theoretical study, Ö. Tamera, M. H. Bhatti, U.Yunus, D. Avcı, Y. Atalay, M. Nadeem, S. R. Shah, M. Helliwell, J. Mol. Struct., 1125, 315-322, (2016). doi:10.1016/j.molstruc.2016.06.084. Impact factor 3.196.
  4. Synthesis and theoretical studies of non‒covalent interactions within a newly synthesized chiral 1, 2, 4-triazolo [3, 4-b][1, 3, 4] thiadiazine, U.Yunus, S. Ahmed, M. Chahkandi, M. H. Bhatti, M. N. Tahir, J. Mol. Struct., 1130, 688–698, (2017).Impact factor 3.196.
  5. Property relationship of 3-(N-phthalimidomethyl)-4-amino-1, 2, 4-triazole-5-thione: A structural, spectroscopic and DFT study, Ö. Tamer, M.H. Bhatti, U. Yunus, M. Nadeem, D. Avcı, Y. Atalay, A. Yaqub, R. Quershi, J. Mol. Struct.,1133, 2017, 329–337, (2017).Impact factor 3.196.
  6. Synthesis and comprehensive structural studies of a novel amide based carboxylic acid derivative: Non-covalent interactions, M. Chahkandi,M.H. Bhatti, U. Yunus, S. Shaheen, M. Nadeem, M. N. Tahir, J. Mol. Struct., 1133, 499–509, (2017). Impact factor 3.196.
  7. Crystal structure, spectroscopic, electronic, luminescent and nonlinear optical

properties of(s)-4-Amino-5-(1-hydroxy-ethyl)-2,4-dihydro-[1,2,4]triazole-3-thione: A combined experimental and DFT study,M. Nadeem, U. Yunus, M. H. Bhatti, K. Ayub, M. Mehmood, M. J. Saif, Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, 110, 218–226, (2017).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpcs.2017.06.011. Impact factor 3.995.

  1. Novel cocrystal of N-phthaloyl-β-alanine with 2,2–bipyridyl: Synthesis,

computational and free radical scavenging activity studies: Mohammad Chahkandi, M. H. Bhatti , U. Yunus, N. Rehman, M. Nadeem, M. N. Tahir, M. Zakria, J. Mol. Struct., 1152 (2018) 1-10, DOI information: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2017.09.046,Final version published online: 23-Sep-(2017). Impact factor 3.196.

34 Crystal structure, thermal, luminescent and terahertz time domain spectroscopy of magnesium N-phthaloyl-β-alaninate: A combined experimental and theoretical study, M. Nadeem, M., H.Bhatti, K.Sayin, U. Yunus, M. Mehmood, S. Mehboob, U. Flörke, J. Mol. Struct, Volume 1170, 15 October 2018, Pages 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2018.05.063.Impact factor 3.196.

 

35 Schiff base of isoniazid and ketoprofen: synthesis, X-ray crystallographic, spectroscopic, antioxidant, and computational studies, Naima Rehman, Muhammad Khalid, M. H. Bhatti, U. Yunus , A. A. C. Braga , F. Ahmed , S.M. A. Mashadi , M. N. Tahir, Tur. J. Chem., (2018) 42: 639 – 651.doi:10.3906/kim-1706-45.Impact factor 1.239.

 

36 Synthesis and characterization of unique new lithium, sodium and potassium coordination polymers:M. Nadeem, M. H. Bhatti, U. Yunus, U. Flörke, Inorganica Chimica Acta, (2018),479: 179-188. DOI: 10.1016/j.ica.2018.04.045. Impact factor 2.545.

 

37 New Homochiral Metal Organic Frameworks and Their Usage for the Enantio-purification of Racemic Drugs, Shakirullah, U. Yunus, M. H.Bhatti, Chemistry Select,(2018), 3: 1-6. Impact factor 2.109.

38 Crystalline network study of new N-phthaloyl-β-Alanine with benzimidazole, cocrystal: Computational consideration & free radical scavenging activity Mohammad Chahkandi,M. H.Bhatti,U. Yunus,M. Nadeem,N. Rehman,M. N. Tahir,J. Mol. Struct., 1191 (2019) , 225-236.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2019.04.088.Impact factor 3.196.

 

39- Design, Synthesis, and Targeted Delivery of Fluorescent 1,2,4- Triazole−Peptide Conjugates to Pediatric Brain Tumor Cells: M. Ajmal, U. Yunus, R. M. Graham, and R. M Leblanc, ACS Omega, Publication Date: December 18, (2019),https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.9b01903. Impact fsctor 3.489.

 

40-  Pt-Ni@PC900 Hybrid Derived from Layered-Structure Cd-MOF for Fuel Cell ORR Activity: M.Nadeem,G. Yasin, M. Arif,M. H. Bhatti,K. Sayin,M. Mehmood,U. Yunus,S.Mehboob,I. Ahmed, U.Flörke, ACS Omega, (2019), ISSN 2470-1343. Impact factor: 3.489

 

41-Targeted drug delivery systems: synthesis and in vitro bioactivity and apoptosis studies of gemcitabine-carbon dot conjugates: U. Yunus, MA Zulfiqar, M Ajmal, MH Bhatti,Gul-e-Saba Chaudhry, Tengku Sifzizul Tengku Muhammad and Yeong Yik Sung ,  Biomed. Mater. (2020), 15, 065004.  Impact factor: 3.715.

doi: 10.1088/1748-605X/ab95e1

42-Post synthetically modified compounds of Cd-MOF by l-amino acids for luminescent applications: I.Ahmed,U. Yunus,M. Nadeem,M. H.Bhatti,  M. Mehmood, Journal of Solid State Chemistry,  287,  121320, 2020.Impact factor: 3.498.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssc.2020.121320.

 

43-Synthesis and structural characterization of cocrystals of isoniazid and cinnamic acid derivatives, S. M. A. Mashhadi, D. Yufit, H. Liu, P. Hodgkinson and U. Yunus, J. Mol. Struct., 1219, 128621, 2020. Impact factor: 3.196.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2020.128621.

44-Isoniazid-Gentisic acid cocrystallization: Solubility, Stability, Dissolution rate, Antioxidant   and Flowability Properties Studies, S. M. A. Mashhadi, A. S. Batsanov, S. A. Sajjad, Y. Nazir, M. H. Bhatti and U. Yunus, J. Mol. Struct., 1226, Part B, 129388, 2021.Available online 2 October 2020.Impact factor: 2.190https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2020.129388. Impact factor 3.196

45-Highly active sites of Pt/Er dispersed N-doped hierarchical porous carbon for trifunctional electrocatalyst, M. Nadeem, G. Yasin, M. Arif, H. Tabassum, M. H.Bhatti, M. Mehmood,

U. Yunus, R. Iqbal, T. A. Nguyen, Y. Slimani, H. Song, W. Zhao, Chemical Engineering Journal, 409, 128205, 2021. Available online 25 December 2020. Impact factor: 13.273

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2020.128205.

46- Structural characterization and In-situ Synthesis of Quaternary ionic-cocrystal of isoniazid from un-ionized conformers: S. M. A. Mashhadi, U. Yunus, M. H. Bhatti, J. Mol. Struct., 1233, 130015, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molstruc.2021.130015. Impact factor 3.196

47- Development of biodegradable thin films for efficient, specific and controlled delivery of Capecitabine, U. Yunus, I. Gul, M. Ajmal, M. H Bhatti, Gul-e-Saba Chaudhry, Tengku Sifzizul Tengku Muhammad and Y. Y. Sung, Biomed.. Mater., 16(5), 055019,2021. doi: 10.1088/1748-605X/ac1c61.Impact factor 3.715.

48-Pharmaceutical organic salt: Disordered crystal structure of levofloxacin with γ-resorcylic acid,S. M. A. Mashhadi, M. N. Tahir, D. Apperley, M. Hussain Bhatti, M. Ashfaq, U.Yunus,Euro.J.Chem. 12(3),323-328, 2021.  doi: https://doi.org/10.5155/eurjchem.12.3.323-328.2134 . Impact factor 3.196.

Project, Research Interests

Head of Chemistry Department since July, 2021 with 21 years of experience in teaching M.Sc., M.Phil and PhD Students. Supervised 4 PhD Thesis, 20 M.PhilThesis and 36 M.Sc. Research Projects in addition to 49 Publications in Impact factor Journals. Currently leading cutting-edge Research in following areas of interest:

  • Synthesis of Heterocyclic compounds of medicinal interest.
  • Supra-molecular Chemistry with emphasis on the development of Pharmaceutical Co-crystals to improve physico-chemical properties of drugs.
  • Development of Nano carriers-based drug delivery systems for target specific delivery of cancer drugs.
  • Applications of Chiral Metal Organic Frameworks (CMOFs) for resolution of racemic drugs.

     

 Funded Research Project (funded by HEC under NRPU Scheme):

  1. Syntheses, characterization and biological activity studies of small aza-heterocyclic scaffolds: 1,2,4-triazolo[3,4-b]thiadiazoles and 1,2,4-triazolo[3,4-b]thiadiazines.
  2. Development of site specific anticancer drugs: design, synthesis and anticancer studies of fluorescent 1,2,4-Triazole-Peptide Conjugates(Project ID: 9310), Approved in 2018.

AIOU Funded Projects

  1. Design, synthesis and biological studies of fluorescent 1,2,4-Triazole-peptide conjugates as potential anti-cancer agents, 2017-2018.Rs. 200,000/- Completed.
  2. Development of stimuli-based target specific drug delivery systems for cancer drugs. 2021-2022 grant. Rs.250,000/- in progress.

About

The Allama Iqbal Open University was established in May, 1974, with the main objectives of providing educational opportunities to masses and to those who cannot leave their homes and jobs. During all these past years, the University has more than fulfilled this promise.