January 21, 2026--- Ms. Aiman Zahra, a PhD scholar at the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, has successfully defended her doctoral thesis entitled “Isolation, Characterization, and Cloning of Lipid Transfer Protein (LTP) Gene and Its Role Against Drought Stress in Transgenic Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)”.

Her research was conducted under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Bushra Rashid and Dr. Sameera Hassan. The study contributes valuable insights toward developing climate-resilient cotton varieties, an area of critical importance for sustainable agriculture.

The PhD evaluation was carried out by distinguished external examiners, Prof. Muhammad Usman from the Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, and Dr. Ammara Fatima from the Department of Environmental Sciences, Lahore College for Women University. Both examiners appreciated the scientific rigor, experimental design, and potential applicability of the research.

CEMB extends its congratulations to Ms. Aiman Zahra, her supervisors, and the research team on this significant academic achievement and wishes her continued success in her future scientific endeavours.