Dr. Nazir Ahmad Khan

Education

Post-doctorate: University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
PhD Animal Nutrition, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
MSc (Hons) Animal Nutrition, The University of Agriculture Peshawar.

Area of Specialization

• Ruminant Nutrition & Physiology:
Extensive expertise in designing and leading multi-species animal trials, applying advanced nutritional models (NASEM, CNCPS, Dutch DVE/OEB), and developing strategies for productivity, heat stress management, methane mitigation, and animal health.

• Feed Evaluation & Analytical Techniques:
Skilled in proximate and advanced nutrient analyses, fermentation kinetics, and digestibility assessment using in vitro, in situ, and in vivo methods. Developed rapid FTIR/NIR spectroscopy-based techniques for feed evaluation and biopolymer characterization.

• Forage Science & Silage Optimization:
Led multi-crop silage R&D to enhance forage quality, nutrient preservation, aerobic stability, and methane reduction. Innovated cereal straw silage technologies by integrating fungal/enzyme bioprocessing with microbial inoculants for value-added ruminant feeds.

• Biotechnological Pretreatments & Circular Feeds:
Pioneered scalable solid-state fermentation and ligninolytic fungi/enzyme-based pretreatments to convert low-value lignocellulosic residues into digestible, nutrient-rich feeds; co-developing next-generation microbial bioconversion platforms.

• Data Science & Predictive Modeling:
Proficient in R, SAS, and machine learning for predictive analytics of milk yield, feed efficiency, and health risks in large dairy systems.

• Scientific Leadership & Global Collaboration:
Principal Investigator of 9+ international R&D projects with Canada, China, and Europe; supervised 100+ MSc/PhD researchers; co-developed commercial feed solutions (enzymes, probiotics, mineral premixes, rumen-protected nutrients); and contributed to global initiatives in sustainable intensification, circular economy, and low-emission livestock systems.

Professional Responsibilities

Teaching Academic Courses:

1. Ruminant Nutrition (Introductory & Advanced – DVM, MSc, PhD)
2. Nutrition, Physiology & Biochemistry
3. Advanced Animal Feed Industry
4. Protein Metabolism & Bioenergetics
5. Mineral Nutrition
6. Feeds & Feeding Practices
7. Animal Feed Resources, Forage Production & Conservation
8. Rumen Fermentation & Microbial Reactions
9. Veterinary Dietetics
10. Advanced Analytical Techniques in Animal Nutrition
11. Research Methods & Scientific Communication in Animal Nutrition

Supervision:
Supervised 10 PhD and 83 MSc students to successful thesis completion, with 8 PhD and 24 MSc students currently under supervision. This ongoing commitment reflects my dedication to nurturing the research capabilities and leadership potential of the next generation of researchers, empowering them to make meaningful contributions and drive innovation in animal nutrition

Editor:

1. Associate Editor, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (IF: 3.3)
2. Academic Editor, Biomed Research International (IF: 2.6)
3. Academic Editor, International Journal of Microbiology (IF: 2.8)
4. Guest Editor, Frontiers in Plant Science (IF: 4.1)

Peer Review Services
Recognized reviewer for over 25 high-impact international journals, including:

1. Animal Feed Science and Technology
2. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
3. Biomed Research International
4. British Journal of Nutrition
5. Bioresource Technology
6. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery
7. Cereal Chemistry
8. Field Crops Research
9. Frontiers in Animal Science
10. Frontiers in Microbiology
11. Frontiers in Plant Science
12. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
13. Frontiers in Veterinary Sciences
14. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
15. Journal of Agronomy
16. Journal of Applied Animal Research
17. Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences
18. Journal of Dairy Science
19. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture
20. Livestock Science
21. LWT – Food Science and Technology
22. Sarhad Journal of Agriculture
23. Small Ruminant Research
24. Tropical Animal Health and Production
25. Veterinary Medicine and Science

Thesis and Proposal Evaluation
External reviewer for Postdoctoral, PhD, and MSc theses and research proposals at:

1. Wageningen University, The Netherlands
2. Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia
3. University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan
4. Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan
5. University of Peshawar, Pakistan

Research Grant Review Panellist
Invited reviewer for competitive funding proposals at national and international levels:

1. Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan
2. Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC)
3. USAID–Science and Technology Cooperation Program
4. Punjab Agriculture Research Board (PARB)

Contribution to Statutory Academic Bodies and Committees

1. Member, Pakistan Academy of Sciences
2. Member, Senate, University of Agriculture Peshawar
3. Member, Academic Council, University of Agriculture Peshawar
4. Member, Board of Faculty
5. Member, Board of Studies in various departments and universities
6. Member, Postgraduate Admission Committee
7. Member, Student Grievance Committee
8. Member, Departmental Technical Review Committees across universities

Research Projects

1. Project Title: "Optimizing the nutritive value of maize silage in relation to dairy cow performance and milk quality" funded by Pakistan Agriculture Research Council, under the Agriculture Linkage Program (PKRs 3.49 million).
   
   
2. Project Title: "Optimizing the utilization of maize silage in smallholders and commercialization dairy and fattening rations in relation to feed-use efficiency, animal performance and farm profitability" funded by USAID under the Agriculture Innovation Program for Pakistan, Competitive Research Grants (PKRs 3.311 million).
   
   
3. Project Title: "Exploiting the genetic diversity of traditional and novel cultivars/germplasm of wheat to optimize the nutritional value of wheat forage and wheat straws for ruminant livestock in Pakistan". Funded by International Livestock Research Institute (PKRs 1.1523 million).
   
   
4. Project Title: "Quantifying the nutrient and fatty acid composition of forages to improve milk yield and composition of dairy cows” funded by Higher Education Commission Pakistan. (PKRs 0.50 million).

Awards

1. PhD from Wageningen University, The Netherlands, and Post-doctorate from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada the world top-ranked Universities in Agriculture Sciences.
2. Won high Citation Awards: Multiple top 100 most-cited publications, highlighting enduring impact on dairy nutrition, forage quality, and applied livestock research.
3. Won 5 research grants: Received funding as Principal Investigator from different local and international research funding agencies.
4. Postdoctoral Fellowship: Awarded by University of Saskatchewan, Canada (2013-14)
5. Junior Research Fellowship: Awarded by Wageningen Institute of Animal Science, Wageningen University, The Netherlands (2012)
6. Overseas PhD Fellowship: Awarded by Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan, on basis of strong academic performance and international GRE score (2007-2011)
7. PhD Thesis Distinction: My thesis chapters were evaluated as “very good” by the academic board of Wageningen University, The Netherlands
8. Gold Medal: Awarded by The University of Agricultural Peshawar, Pakistan, on basis of excellent academic performance during BSc (2004)
9. Gold Medal: Awarded by The University of Agricultural Peshawar, Pakistan, on basis of excellent academic performance and research project during MSc (2006)
10. Member of the Academic Council: Elected member of the Academic Council of the University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan (2013-2015)

CV

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Publications

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