Mehnaz Qureshi
Summary
A seasoned professional with extensive expertise in molecular biology and virology, demonstrating proficiency in protein expression and purification, genomic extraction, and advanced molecular techniques such as PCR, cloning, and sequencing. Adept at leveraging leadership and communication skills to drive public engagement and foster collaboration across multidisciplinary teams. Skilled in immunological methods including ELISA and monoclonal antibody production, with a strong background in clinical trial design and management adhering to GLP standards. Committed to advancing scientific research through innovative approaches in sequence analysis, phylogenetic analysis, and recombinant protein development. Career goals include contributing to groundbreaking research that enhances understanding of viral mechanisms and improves public health outcomes.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
13
13
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Communication officer
The Pirbright Intitute
2025.12 - Current
- Maintain and update Public Engagement content across the Institute website and internal Bull platform, drafting and publishing event updates, engagement stories and scientific content in response to requests from research teams.
- Contribute to the design and development of branded public engagement interactives, including magnetic virus shakers, handheld virus models for audience interaction and large inflatable virus models for exhibition displays. Review and update existing interactive materials to ensure scientific accuracy and suitability for public audiences.
- Support the organisation and delivery of STEM outreach and stakeholder engagement activities, coordinating school visits, careers events and community outreach sessions. Record and document engagement activities for reporting purposes, including Researchfish submissions.
- Coordinate Public Engagement Group (PEG) meetings by preparing agendas in collaboration with the Chair and Head of Communications, recording meeting minutes and tracking actions and decisions.
- Recruit and coordinate Institute STEM volunteers, supporting DBS clearance and STEM Ambassador accreditation. Maintain a list of trained volunteers available to support outreach and engagement events.
- Provide administrative and operational support for communications and public engagement activities.
Cell Culture Specialist
The Pirbright Institute
2025.09 - Current
- Extensive experience in mammalian cell culture, including hybridoma revival, maintenance, cryopreservation and routine culture procedures.
- Purification of antibodies using Protein G and Protein L affinity chromatography.
- Experience in recombinant antibody production, including construct design, protein expression and upstream processes.
- Experience with automated protein purification using the AKTA system.
- Contributed to antibody and hybridoma projects in collaboration with multiple research groups across the Institute.
- Work in accordance with Institute safety policies, laboratory procedures and regulatory requirements.
- Contributed to the development and testing of the Immunological Toolbox website, including drafting and reviewing scientific content.
- Contribute to science communication and public engagement activities alongside laboratory work.
PhD student
The Pirbright Institute
Pirbright, UK
2020.10 - 2026.04
- Nanobody optimisation for HA antigen of Avian influenza viruses (AIVs).
- Generating camelid antibodies called nanobodies using phage display.
- Fc grafting of various species on to VHH to increase valency and specificity using different isotopes of antibodies.
- Working with full length conventional monoclonal antibodies and scFv.
- The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, Surrey /The Liverpool University
HR and recruitment coordinator
The Pirbright Institute
2025.04 - 2025.09
- Leading and coordinating end-to-end recruitment for scientific and technical roles, ensuring alignment with research priorities and funding streams.
- Shortlisting and screening candidates based on scientific merit, supporting Principal Investigators with candidate evaluations.
- Managing job advertisement workflows, candidate tracking systems (ATS), and onboarding processes for postdoctoral and technical roles.
- Supporting science groups in preparing job descriptions, aligning them with internal structures (science streams, capabilities, and subunits).
- Advising on PPDR (Performance, Planning & Development Reviews) timelines, probation tracking, and staff development planning for science departments.
- Liaising with HR, Finance, and Grants teams to manage the approval and advertisement of new positions.
- Contributing to process optimisation within the recruitment system, including user testing, template building, and workflow design.
- Analysing recruitment and workforce data in Excel and Power BI to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
Post-doctoral scientist
The Pirbright Institute
2024.01 - 2025.03
- Cell culture maintenance, transfection, production and purification of protein antigen. Monitoring virus evolution by tracking genetic mutations and emerging variants through sequencing and bioinformatics.
- Pandemic preparedness by trying new vaccine strategies and diagnostic kit.
- Tracking evolving strains and identifying high-risk mutations for proactive vaccine updates.
- I conduct molecular assays, viral cultures, and genetic analysis.
- Publishing findings and providing insights to support public health strategies and pandemic response efforts.
- Training and guiding junior staff and students.
Cell culture Scientist
The Pirbright Institute
Pirbright, UK
2019.10 - 2020.10
- Skilled in maintaining, propagating, and differentiating various cell lines, including adherent, suspension, and primary cultures (MDCK, Vero, KC, BHK, chicken fibroblast, chicken kidney and thyroid cultures).
EVAg Laboratory virology archivist
The Pirbright Institute
Pirbright, UK
2017.04 - 2019.10
- Leading the 'European Virus Archive Goes Global' (EVAg) international project.
- Offering national capability testing of non-vesicular viruses like the Bluetongue virus operating in compliance with ISO 17025 standards in a biocontainment facility.
- Specializing in the isolation, serotyping, and titration of various animal viruses for EVAg archive, including Bluetongue virus, African horse sickness, Pox virus, African swine fever virus, and Peste des Petits Ruminants virus.
- Engaged in creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and collaborating with various groups for various projects.
Microbiology Analyst
20-30 lab (NHS)
Northampton, UK
2017.01 - 2017.05
- Engaged in a comprehensive range of microbiological services, including Hospital Analysis and Potable Water Testing, with specific expertise in Legionella and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Testing operating under a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 17025).
- Responsibilities encompassed sample reception and data entry into the LIMS system, along with meticulous recordkeeping.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy - Virology
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Liverpool 2020.10 - 2026.04
Master of Veterinary Science (M.V.Sc.) - Veterinary Virology
ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI)
India 2010.08 - 2012.08
Doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) - Veterinary Medicine
Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry
India 2005.08 - 2010.08
Skills
- Leadership and Communication
- Public Engagement
- Collaboration and Networking
- Protein expression and purification
- Molecular Techniques
- In-silico Techniques
- Genomic extraction
- PCR
- Cloning
- Sequencing
- Primer design
- Sequence analysis
- Phylogenetic analysis
- Virus Expertise
- Immunological Methods
- ELISA
- Immuno-diffusion
- Monoclonal antibody production
- Recombinant protein
- Animal handling
- Clinical trial designs and management
- Animal ethics and regulations
- GLP
Websites
Personal Information
- Nationality: British
- Visa status: British
Publications
- The haemagglutinin gene of bovine-origin H5N1 influenza viruses currently retains receptor-binding and pH-fusion characteristics of avian host phenotype., Jiayun Yang, Mehnaz Qureshi, Reddy Kolli, Thomas P. Peacock, Jean-Remy Sadeyen, Toby Carter, Samuel Richardson, Rebecca Daines, Wendy S. Barclay, Ian H. Brown, Munir Iqbal, 2024-09-27, 2025-01-05, 2025-01-27
- The Haemagglutinin Genes of the UK Clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 Avian Influenza Viruses from 2020 to 2022 Retain Strong Avian Phenotype, Jiayun Yang, Rebecca Daines, Pengxiang Chang, Thusitha K. Karunarathna, Mehnaz Qureshi, Jean-Remy Sadeyen, James, Ashley C. Banyard, Marek Slomka, Ian H. Brown, Munir Iqbal, https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.07.09.602706
- Pasteurisation temperatures effectively inactivate influenza A viruses in milk., Jenna Schafers, Caroline J. Warren, Jiayun Yang, Junsen Zhang, Sarah J. Cole, Jayne Cooper, Karolina Drewek, B Reddy Kolli, Natalie McGinn, Mehnaz Qureshi, Scott M. Reid, Thomas P. Peacock, Ian Brown, Joe James, Ashley C. Banyard, Munir Iqbal, Paul Digard, Ed Hutchinson, Nat Commun, 16, 1173, 2025, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56406-8
- Investigation of H9N2 avian influenza immune escape mutant that lacks haemagglutination activity., Thusitha, K. K., S. Jean-Remy, B. Sushant, C. Pengxiang, Y. Jiayun, Q. Mehnaz, E. S. Joshua, D. Rebecca, I. Munir, bioRxiv: 2023.2010.2003.558847, 2023
- Characterization of the haemagglutinin properties of the H5N1 avian influenza virus that caused human infections in Cambodia., Chang, P., J. Yang, T. K. Karunarathna, M. Qureshi, J. R. Sadeyen, M. Iqbal, Emerg Microbes Infect, 12, 2, 2244091, 2023
- Full genome sequence analysis of African swine fever virus isolates from Cameroon., Lynnette, C. G., F. Graham, T. Chandana, J. F. Thomas, Q. Mehnaz, K. D. Linda, B. Carrie, F. Jan Hendrik, W. Abel, L. N. Christopher, bioRxiv: 2023.2010.2011.561033, 2023
- Depletion of CD8(+) T cells from vaccinated goats does not affect protection from challenge with wild-type Peste des petits ruminant's virus., Baron, M. D., S. Hodgson, K. Moffat, M. Qureshi, S. P. Graham, K. E. Darpel, Transbound Emerg Dis, 68, 6, 3320-3334, 2021
- Origin of Bluetongue Virus Serotype 8 Outbreak in Cyprus, September 2016., Rajko-Nenow, P., V. Christodoulou, W. Thurston, H. M. Ropiak, S. Savva, H. Brown, M. Qureshi, K. Alvanitopoulos, S. Gubbins, J. Flannery, C. Batten, Viruses, 12, 1, 2020
- Evidence of reduced viremia, pathogenicity and vector competence in a re-emerging European strain of bluetongue virus serotype 8 in sheep., Flannery, J., B. Sanz-Bernardo, M. Ashby, H. Brown, S. Carpenter, L. Cooke, A. Corla, L. Frost, S. Gubbins, H. Hicks, M. Qureshi, P. Rajko-Nenow, C. Sanders, M. Tully, E. Bréard, C. Sailleau, S. Zientara, K. Darpel, C. Batten, Transbound Emerg Dis, 66, 3, 1177-1185, 2019
- Molecular characterization of H5N1 avian influenza virus isolated in Tripura., M. Qureshi, C. Tosh, S. Nagarajan, H. V. Murugkar, R. Jain, D. D. Kulkarni, The Indian Journal of Animal Sciences, 83, 5, 521-524, 2012
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Communication officer
The Pirbright Intitute
2025.12 - Current
Cell Culture Specialist
The Pirbright Institute
2025.09 - Current
HR and recruitment coordinator
The Pirbright Institute
2025.04 - 2025.09
Post-doctoral scientist
The Pirbright Institute
2024.01 - 2025.03
Doctor of Philosophy - Virology
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
2020.10 - 2026.04
PhD student
The Pirbright Institute
2020.10 - 2026.04
Cell culture Scientist
The Pirbright Institute
2019.10 - 2020.10
EVAg Laboratory virology archivist
The Pirbright Institute
2017.04 - 2019.10
Microbiology Analyst
20-30 lab (NHS)
2017.01 - 2017.05
Master of Veterinary Science (M.V.Sc.) - Veterinary Virology
ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI)
2010.08 - 2012.08
Doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) - Veterinary Medicine
Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry
2005.08 - 2010.08