Research Interest: Dr. Qasim's research focuses on elucidating stress-tolerance mechanisms and promoting the sustainable use of stress-resilient plants on saline/ marginal lands. He has a particular interest in the role of secondary metabolites and their industrial potential. He also integrates nanotechnology and microbiology to develop strategies that enhance crop resilience under climate-induced stresses. His interdisciplinary research connects fundamental plant science with practical, eco-friendly solutions, contributing to sustainable agriculture and the development of high-value plant-based products.

Academic Awards and Honors:His academic distinctions include an HEC Indigenous PhD Scholarship, a prestigious Postdoctoral Fellowship under China’s Talented Young Scientist Program, research experience at the University of Tsukuba and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (Japan), recognition among Pakistan’s Productive and Young Scientists, and several additional competitive awards and honors. He actively contributes to national and international scientific societies, reviews for high-impact journals, supervises M.Phil. and PhD students, presents at global conferences, and maintains strong research collaborations (Pakistan, Japan, USA, China, Germany, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa, Egypt, and Oman).

Publications & Other Credentials:Dr. Qasim has an extensive research portfolio with more than 50 publications and strong scholarly impact, reflected in over 1,600 citations and an h-index of 23.

Research Grants:Dr. Qasim has received multiple competitive research grants, including an ongoing HEC-funded NRPU project on halophyte-based therapeutics, an HEC Start-Up Research Grant, Dean faculty of Science Research Project, and international funding through International Foundation for Science (Sweden) and China Science and Technology Exchange Center (China). He has contributed as a collaborator on multiple HEC-funded projects addressing salinity tolerance and bio-fertilizer development
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• PhD (Botany-ISHU-2015) Antioxidant properties of medicinal plants form coastal Pakistan Adviser: Prof. Dr. M. Ajmal Khan Institute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilization, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
  
  
• M.Sc (Botany- Plant Ecology- 2006) Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan (Stands 3rd) Thesis: "Comparative effect of NaCl, sea salt and PEG on germination of coastal halophytes” Adviser: Prof. Dr. M. Ajmal Khan
  
  
• B.Sc (Botany-2005) Department of Botany University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan

PUBLICATIONS

• Abbasi MW, Sidra, Tariq M., Azeem M, Raza M., Ahmed N, Qasim M*, Mahmood A, Qari SH, Altihani FA, Hashem M. 2025. Catechol-Induced Modulation of Secondary Metabolites Enhances Resistance to Fusarium Rot in Mung Bean: Implications for Biostimulant-Based Sustainable Agriculture. BMC Plant Biology. (Accepted Manuscript).
• Chan MWH, Ibrahim M, Qasim M, Siddiqui MH, Alamri S, Siddiqui PJA, Gulzar S, Azeem M, Handlovic TT, Wahab MF, Alfagham AT, Rasheed M. 2025. Pollution Indices of Brackish Water and Sediments of Major Mangrove Sites Along Arabian Sea Coast of Pakistan. Scientific Reports. Accepted manuscript.
• Ajaib, M., Kamran, S.H., Siddiqui, M.F., Qasim, M., Azeem, M., Abideen, Z., Elnaggar, A. and El-Keblawy, A., 2024. Exploring the phytochemical, antioxidant, antimicrobial and analgesic potentials of Solanum erianthum as an alternative biological feedstock for producing sustainable biochemicals. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology, 58, 103183. doi.org/10.1016/j.bcab.2024.103183.
• Azeem, M., Pirjan, K., Qasim, M., Muhammad, H., Shah, M.A., Mahmood, A., Yang, S., Dong, R. 2023. Salinity stress improves antioxidant potential by modulating physio-biochemical responses in Moringa oleifera Lam. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 1-17
• Sultana, R., Wang, X., Azeem, M., Hussain, T., Mahmood, A., Fiaz, S., Qasim, M. 2022. Coumarin-Mediated Growth Regulations, Antioxidant Enzyme Activities, and Photosynthetic Efficiency of Sorghum bicolor Under Saline Conditions. Frontiers in Plant Science doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.799404
• Qasim, M., Z. Abideen, M.Y. Adnan, S. Gulzar, B. Gul, M. Rasheed, and M.A. Khan. 2017. Antioxidant properties, phenolic composition, bioactive compounds and nutritive value of medicinal halophytes commonly used as herbal teas. South African Journal of Botany, 110: 240-250.