Dr. Muhammad Akbar Shahid did DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) and Masters in Veterinary Microbiology from University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan in 2004 and 2006, respectively. He remain involved in poultry disease diagnostics for more than two years in Poultry Research Institute, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Dr. Shahid was awarded a highly prestigious scholarship "Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan's Overseas PhD Scholarship". He completed his PhD from the University of Melbourne, Australia in 2014. His PhD project entitled "Molecular basis of attenuation of Mycoplasma synoviae” encompassed comparative genomics, functional genomics and proteomic studies to underpin the pathogenicity determinants of an economically important poultry pathogen. Dr. Shahid's PhD research was focused on understanding the genetic factors that rendered the MS-H strain, the only commercially available temperature-sensitive, avirulent vaccine. Complete genome sequences of various M. synoviae strains, differing in pathogenicity and tissue tropism, were obtained using high throughput next generation DNA sequencing technologies (SOLiD and Illumina) and compared to discover the putative genetic lesions. For the first time, plasmid based expression vectors were developed and used to genetically manipulate this mycoplasma. Shahid characterised the role of missense mutation(s), mapped in an essential GTP binding protein Obg, implicated in temperature sensitivity phenotype of MS-H strain. He also developed a number of molecular tools for rapid diagnosis and differentiation of the vaccine strain from field strains of M. synoviae. His PhD research work has provided basis for the development of novel recombinant vaccines for M. synoviae. He published his doctoral research work in international, peer reviewed, impact factor journals and also presented research findings in international conferences held in Australia and France. Dr. Shahid aims to join academia, in the field of microbiology, to train more manpower and to enhance quality of education and research. He tends to work on the development of vaccines against economically important pathogens of animals. He is also interested in deciphering the molecular basis of pathogenicity of different important animal and human pathogens.