Dr. Saima Aftab
School of Automation Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.

Email: saimaaftab2013@gmail.com, saimaaftab2024@uestc.edu.cn

RESEARCH FIELD

Biosensors, electrochemical sensing, bioelectronics, pharmaceutical drug analysis, catalysis, solar cells, nanomaterials, and diagnostic device development. My research focuses on the design and fabrication of advanced nanomaterial-based sensors for real-time detection of infectious diseases, essential biomarkers, and pharmaceutical compounds in physiological environments.

EDUCATION

PhD (Physical Chemistry)
07/09/2015 – 03/06/2019
Quaid-I-Azam University Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.

Master, (Physical Chemistry)
08/02/2013 – 03/03/2015
Quaid-I-Azam University Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.

Bachelor, (M.Sc. Chemistry)
20/09/2010 – 12/12/2012
University of the Punjab Lahore, Pakistan.

• Biosensors
• Electrochemical Sensing
• Bioelectronics
• Pharmaceutical Drug Analysis
• Catalysis
• Solar Cells
• Nanomaterials and Diagnostic Device Development

• Hua, C., Aftab, S., Rahaman, A., Abbas, Z., & Baloch, Z. (2025). siRNA approaches in HBV: From antigen reduction to seroconversion. Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids, 36(4). IF:6.2
• Hua, C., Aftab, S., & Baloch, Z. (2025). HBV-miR-3 and cGAS-STING axis: a new frontier in hepatitis B therapy. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 15, 1662461. IF:4.6
• Shah, A.; Aftab, S.; Nisar, J.; Ashiq, M. N.; Iftikhar, F. J., Nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology 2021, 102426. IF:3.9
• S Khan, J Arshad, I Arshad, Aftab S, SS Shah, S Lee, NK Janjua, Promotional impact of RuO2 on CuO/Al2O3 bifunctional catalyst towards electro-oxidation of hydrazine and water. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 107, 359-368. IF:8.3
• Z Abbas, A Rahman, B Aslam, Aftab S, C Feng, Z Baloch., Precision genome editing offers hope for treatment of β-thalassemia and other genetic disorders. Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids 35 (2). IF:6.2
• Shah, A.; Akhtar, M.; Aftab, S.; Shah, A. H.; Kraatz, H.-B. Gold Copper Alloy Nanoparticles (Au-Cu NPs) Modified Electrode as an Enhanced Electrochemical Sensing Platform for the Detection of Persistent Toxic Organic Pollutants. Electrochim. Acta 2017, 241, 281–290. IF:5.6
• Shah, A.; Sultan, S.; Zahid, A.; Aftab, S.; Nisar, J.; Nayab, S.; Qureshi, R.; Khan, G. S.; Hussain, H.; Ozkan, S. A. Highly Sensitive and Selective Electrochemical Sensor for the Trace Level Detection of Mercury and Cadmium. Electrochim. Acta 2017, 258, 1397–1403. IF:5.6
• Kokab, T.; Manzoor, A.; Aftab, S.; Aslam, F.; Iftikhar, F. J.; Siddiqi, H. M.; Shah, A., A reliable sensing platform based on tribenzamide for sensitive and selective detection of Pb (II) ions. Inorganic Chemistry Communications 2022, 109261. IF:5.4
• S Bilge, Aftab S, YO Donar, B Özoylumlu, A Sınağ., Waste biomass derived carbon-based materials for electrochemical detection of pesticides from real samples. Inorganic Chemistry Communications 171, 113649. IF:5.4
• Mahmood, A.; Shah, A.; Shahzad, S.; Aftab, S.; Latif-ur-Rahman; Nisar, J.; Shah, A. H. Monitoring of an Anti-Ulcer Drug Rabeprazole Using Au-Pt Bimetallic Alloy Nanoscale Electrochemical Sensor. J. Electrochem. Soc. 2017, 164, H413–H419. IF:3.3
• Nimal, R.; Aftab, S.; Rana, U. A.; Lashin, A.; Khan, S. U.-D.; Ali, S.; Kraatz, H.-B.; Shah, A. Redox Mechanism, Antioxidant Activity and Computational Studies of Triazole and Phenol Containing Schiff Bases. J. Electrochem. Soc. 2016, 163, H871–H880. IF:3.3
• S Khan, I Arshad, Aftab S, J Arshad, M Khan, SS Shah, NK Janjua., PdO Reinforced CuO/Al2O3 Mesoporous Nanostructures as High‐Efficiency Electrocatalysts for Hydrazine Oxidation Reaction (HzOR). ChemistrySelect 9 (33), e202402784. IF:2

• Aftab, S., Xie, M., Zhou, J., Cheng, Y., Zhao, D., & Huang, W. (2026). Ultrasensitive, Robust, and Selective Detection of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Enabled by Vertical Organic Electrochemical Transistor. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 118787. IF: 10.5
• Aftab, S.; Kurbanoglu, S.; Ozcelikay, G.; Bakirhan, N. K.; Shah, A.; Ozkan, S. A. Carbon Quantum Dots Co-Catalyzed with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes and Silver Nanoparticles Modified Nanosensor for the Electrochemical Assay of Anti-HIV Drug Rilpivirine. Sens. Actuators, B-Chem. 2019, 285, 571–583. IF: 7.7
• Aftab, S., Zhou, J., Cheng, Y., Zhao, D., Chen, H., & Huang, W. (2025). Functional gate modification for OECT-based sensors. Materials Today Chemistry, 48, 102933. IF:6.7
• Aftab, S., & Bilge, S. (2025). MXene-based electrochemical (bio) sensors for biomolecule detection: A review of recent advances and future perspective. Materials Today Chemistry, 48, 102947. IF:6.7
• Aftab, S., Aslam, B., Khan, S., & Baloch, Z. (2025). Innovative nanomaterials revolutionizing clinical biosensor development: a review. Russian Chemical Reviews, 94, 6. IF:6.2
• Aftab, S.; Shah, A.; Nadhman, A.; Kurbanoglu, S.; Aysıl Ozkan, S.; Dionysiou, D. D.; Shukla, S. S.; Aminabhavi, T. M. Nanomedicine: An Effective Tool in Cancer Therapy. Int. J. Pharm. 2018, 540, 132–149. IF: 5.3
• Aftab, S.; Shabir, T.; Shah, A.; Nisar, J.; Shah, I.; Muhammad, H.; Shah, N. S., Highly Efficient Visible Light Active Doped ZnO Photocatalysts for the Treatment of Wastewater Contaminated with Dyes and Pathogens of Emerging Concern. Nanomaterials 2022, 12 (3), 486. IF:4.3
• Aftab, S.; Shah, A.; Nisar, J.; Ashiq, M. N.; Akhter, M. S.; Shah, A. H., Marketability Prospects of Microbial Fuel Cells for Sustainable Energy Generation. Energy & Fuels 2020, 34, (8), 9108-9136. IF:5.3
• Aftab, S.; Bakirhan, N. K.; Esim, O.; Shah, A.; Savaser, A.; Ozkan, Y.; Ozkan, S. A., NH2-fMWCNT-titanium dioxide nanocomposite based electrochemical sensor for the voltammetric assay of antibiotic drug nadifloxacin and its in vitro permeation study. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry 2020, 113857. IF:4.1
• Aftab, S.; Kurbanoglu, S.; Ozcelikay, G.; Shah, A.; Ozkan, S. A. NH2 -Functionalized Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes Decorated with ZnO Nanoparticles and Graphene Quantum Dots for Sensitive Assay of Pimozide. Electroanalysis 2019, 31, 1-13. IF:2.3
• Aftab, S.; Ozcelikay, G.; Kurbanoglu, S.; Shah, A.; Iftikhar, F. J.; Ozkan, S. A. A Novel Electrochemical Nanosensor Based on NH2-Functionalized Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes for the Determination of Catechol-Orto-Methyltransferase Inhibitor Entacapone. J. Pharm. Biomed. Anal. 2019, 165, 73–81. IF:3.1
• Aftab, S.; Kurbanoglu, S., Advanced nanostructured material-based biosensors in clinical and forensic diagnosis. In Novel Nanostructured Materials for Electrochemical Bio-Sensing Applications, Elsevier: 2024; pp 429-461.
• Aftab, S.; Kurbanoglu, S., Chapter 5: Recent Advancement of Biosensors as Electrodes. Royal Society of Chemistry: 2024; pp 108-164.
• Aftab, S.; Shah, A., Erkmen, C., Kurbanoglu, S., & Uslu, B. Quantum dots: Synthesis and characterizations." In Electroanalytical Applications of Quantum Dot-Based Biosensors. Elsevier 2021, pp. 1-35.
• Sultan, S.; Nimal, R.; Aftab, S.; Kurbanoglu, S.; Shah, A.; Ozkan, S. A., Photoelectrochemical Nanosensors. In New Developm.ents in Nanosensors for Pharmaceutical Analysis, Elsevier: 2019; pp 197-229.
• Nosheen, E.; Shah, A.; Iftikhar, F. J.; Aftab, S.; Bakirhan, N. K.; Ozkan, S. A., Optical Nanosensors for Pharmaceutical Detection. In New Developments in Nanosensors for Pharmaceutical Analysis, Elsevier: 2019; pp 119-140.
• Afzal S, Sundas S, Nisar J, Aftab S, Muhammad Abid Zia., Chapter 18 - On-site electrochemical detection of environmental pollutants. Recent Trends and Perspectives on Electrochemical Sensors for Environmental Monitoring. 2024, Pages 579-615.

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7933-8252