Shahid M. Mukhtar

Shahid M. Mukhtar is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), holding a secondary faculty appointment in the Department of Surgery at the UAB School of Medicine. He is also affiliated with the Nutrition and Obesity Research Center and the Program of Immunology. With a Ph.D. in Genetics from the Max-Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany, and postdoctoral training under Dr. Jeff Dangl at the University of North Carolina, his research focuses on systems biology, network science, and bioinformatics applied to plant and animal models.

Dr. Mukhtar’s education includes a Ph.D. at the Max Planck Institute and postdoctoral work at UNC, where he pioneered the Arabidopsis-pathogen interactome. His research integrates computational methods with experimental biology to study molecular networks in stress responses and pathogen interactions. He has secured NSF grants totaling over $1.8 million, including studies on sugar regulatory networks and AI-driven analysis of plant nutrients.

His teaching accolades include the 2021 UAB President’s and CAS Dean’s Excellence in Teaching Awards. He mentors students who have won scholarships and awards, emphasizing interdisciplinary education through programs like PlantGIFT. Collaborations span dermatology, neurobiology, and immunology at UAB, with over 60 peer-reviewed publications in systems biology and plant pathology.

Dr. Mukhtar’s lab explores plant immune systems, microbiome dynamics, and computational tools for disease resistance. Recent work includes studies on soybean microbiomes, SARS-CoV-2 interactome analysis, and nanobiotechnology for cold adaptation. He transitioned to Clemson University in 2024 while maintaining his UAB adjunct role.