Shifa Clinical Research Center Team
Dr. Gul Nowshad
Associate Director
Dr. Gul Nowshad is a highly accomplished clinical researcher with over two decades of experience in healthcare quality improvement, research innovation, and evidence-based management. As the Associate Director of Research at the Shifa Clinical Research Center in Islamabad, Pakistan, she plays a pivotal role in overseeing SCRC’s operations while leading initiatives in clinical research quality enhancement, policy development, strategic partnerships, and mentorship for research teams.
She holds a Ph.D. in Health Economics and Health Services Research, along with an MPH in Health Services Organizations, from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. Her career highlights include directing the NIH-funded Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (NIH-RADx) Tech initiative at UMass Chan Medical School, which significantly expanded COVID-19 testing across the United States. At Ayass Bioscience, her leadership was instrumental in securing FDA approval for a laboratory-developed test (LDT) for SARS-CoV-2 and advancing clinical and genomic research for personalized medical care. Additionally, she has contributed to global health as a senior evaluation team leader for USAID in Afghanistan.
Dr. Nowshad’s outstanding contributions have earned her numerous prestigious awards, including the Henry Christian Scholar Award from the American Federation for Medical Research (AFMR), the New Investigator in Global Health Award, and the International Scholars Award—recognizing her impactful work in maternal and child health and global health.
Her career reflects a steadfast commitment to improving healthcare delivery systems, fostering innovation, and enhancing patient outcomes across diverse and complex healthcare landscapes.
Mehwish Rafique
Lead Biostatistics
Mehwish Rafique is a PhD scholar in public health and epidemiology and has done MPhil in Applied Statistics and various international clinical research courses of NIH, USA, focusing largely on biomedical ethics. She is working primarily on International Clinical trials, research facilitation service, Postgraduate trainee research core competency program, research workshop presentation, statistical aspect of cancer registry annual data and data & safety monitoring board. She mainly covers the fundamental principles of application of theories of measurement, statistical inference, proportional incidence and limit the effects of chances to contribute to better clinical decisions and ultimately better prediction of health outcomes and guidance on how to go about the appropriate care of patients.
Dr. Tehreem
Senior Clinical Research Associate
Dr. Tehreem is an experienced clinical researcher with a strong background in managing and leading clinical trials in a high-caliber research setting. Currently serving as a Senior Clinical Research Associate at SCRC, she leads multidisciplinary research teams conducting investigator-initiated and pharmaceutical clinical trials, overseeing regulatory, ethical, financial, and operational aspects from study feasibility to closeout. She is a peer reviewer for Elsevier and supports academic research through mentorship on research methods for students, residents, and consultants. She also has a keen interest in population health, with a focus on maternal and reproductive health.
Dr. Sundus Dadan
Senior Clinical Research Associate
Dr. Sundus Dadan completed her MBBS from Shifa Medical College. She has vast experience in conducting COVID-19 vaccination trials and has been pivotal in enrolling thousands of participants in SCRC’s CanSino and Livzon projects. She has been working on initiation of various clinical trials at SCRC and holds expertise in clinical trials’ administrative, logistical and financial aspects.
Dr. Raja Waseem
Senior Research & Regulatory Pharmacist
Dr. Raja Waseem (R.ph) serves as a Senior Research and Regulatory Pharmacist at SCRC, holding a Doctor of Pharmacy from Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, and pursuing a Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) at the Health Services Academy. Within a JCI-accredited hospital environment, he demonstrates comprehensive expertise in clinical research and regulatory compliance, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), regulatory submissions, clinical trial dossiers, and investigational product (IP) management. His proven capabilities in scientific communications, medical affairs, and project management, combined with innovative problem-solving abilities and meticulous attention to detail, enable him to foster productive relationships across teams. Through his self-directed work ethic, he ensures the successful completion of multiple concurrent projects, whether spearheading departmental initiatives or community events, consistently delivering results within demanding timelines and demonstrating an unwavering commitment to excellence in clinical research.
Maliha Aziz
Biostatistician I
Maliha Aziz is a Ph.D. scholar, having a distinction in her MS (Statistics) degree from the International Islamic University. She provides academic research facilitation to post-graduate students and consultants and assists as a data analyst in the cancer registry. For the Shifa Center of Professional Excellence, she serves as a facilitator for research training sessions and delivers lectures on biostatistics at Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University. As a Data Safety and Monitoring Board member, she plays a key responsibility for data safety and protocol adherence in all clinical trials.
Nimra Altaf
Data Manager
Nimra Altaf holds a Master’s degree in physiology and extensive certifications, including a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) from the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and in Cancer Registry from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, USA. With 9 years of experience at top-tier healthcare institutions such as Aga Khan University Hospital and Indus Hospital and Health Network, she brings unmatched expertise in data management, medical coding, cancer registry, and clinical documentation. In her current role, she oversees the cancer registry database, where she plays a critical role in abstracting, organizing, and categorizing vital patient data. Her work provides invaluable insights to physicians, healthcare administrators, and researchers, ensuring accurate data for clinical decision-making and research analysis. Nimra’s strategic data management not only enhances the accuracy of medical records but also fuels innovative cancer research, positioning her as a key player in shaping the future of healthcare data and patient outcomes.
Sumaira Gulzar
Senior Data Abstractor
Sumaira Gulzar is a PhD scholar. She completed her MS(Biotechnology) from International Islamic University Islamabad. Currently, she assists Tumor Registrar in case finding, data collection, abstraction interpretation and annual report writing of data pertaining to all cancer patients diagnosed or treated at Shifa International Hospital Ltd. She also participates in many International clinical trials.
Dr. Sofia Khan
Clinical Research Associate
Dr. Sofia Khan graduated from Hebei united university China in 2015. She gained clinical experience for three and half years in cardiology department (SIH). Now she is serving as a cardiology clinical research associate in SCRC and supervising and managing all the clinical trials related to cardiology.
Dr. Qasim Mehmood
Clinical Research Associate
Dr. Qasim Mehmood graduated from King Edward Medical University, Lahore in 2023 and is now serving as a clinical research associate at SCRC. He manages the full spectrum of clinical research operations at Shifa International Hospital, including clinical trial initiation, subject recruitment, follow-up, and closeout. In addition to his clinical research responsibilities, Dr. Qasim manages the physician and publication databases, compiles the annual research report, and oversees the maintenance and updates of the SCRC website.
Abdul Mannan Kiani
Clinical Research Coordinator
Abdul Mannan Kiani is currently employed as a Clinical Research Coordinator. He is also in charge of The Research Laboratory of Shifa International Hospitals holds IATA certification provided by the Mayo Clinic, USA. He has obtained numerous specialized research-specific certifications. including Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Introduction to Practices and Principles of Clinical Research (IPPCR), International Airway Traffic Association (IATA), Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP), and Research Ethics, among others from NIH-USA and Mayo Clinic USA. He is currently pursuing an MS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at COMSATS University Islamabad. He possesses extensive knowledge in managing and coordinating clinical trials and has experience in multiple multicenter Phase III and IV international clinical trials. Furthermore, he has expertise in manuscript preparation and publication.
Muhammad Irfan
Office Assistant
Muhammad Irfan has a BA (associate degree) and is currently working as an office assistant. He maintains and keeps records of necessary documents and performs other general office duties and errands. He assists in maintenance activities, including internal networking maintenance in coordination with MIS. He also participates in quality improvement and assurance activities.