Dr Muhammad Saeed Joined LUMS in 2014 as an Associate Professor. He established the Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry (BMC) group in The Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Originally trained as synthetic organic chemist, he has extensive postdoctoral research experience at the interface of chemistry and biology. He is interested to address the modern challenges in biological sciences and medicinal chemistry by using the tools of organic chemistry. More specifically, he pursues rational antiviral and anticancer drug designing and discovery by using modern day techniques of computational modeling, protein dynamics and simulations, supported by the conventional wet-chemistry of organic synthesis and high-throughput screening of synthetic compounds and natural products.
Dr Saeed received his PhD degree in organic chemistry from Eberhard-Karls University of Tuebingen, Germany under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Dr (hc mult) Wolfgang Voelter, after accomplishing total syntheses of several natural products and medicinal analogs using the chirality and topology of abundant carbohydrates. After PhD, he joined the research group of Prof. Ercole Cavalieri, DSc at the Eppley Cancer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, USA, where he participated as chemical biologist in mechanistic investigation of cancer initiation by estrogens and related carcinogenic compounds. Before joining LUMS, he has also spent some time in the Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, where he worked as a visiting assistant professor as well as conducted research as postdoctoral scholar with Prof. Amnon Kohen, DSc in the area of development of radiopharmaceuticals as positron emission tomography (PET) tracers. He has published around 50 research articles in reputed international journals, such as J. Biol. Chem., Int. J. Cancer, Free Rad. Biol. Med. Chem. Res. Toxicol., and Tetrahedron Lett. His is currently investigating proteases of different viruses (COVID-19, dengue, HCV) as drug targets for designing efficient direct-acting antivirals (DAAs).
Click here to view Dr. Saeed’s research group webpage
| Title | Publication | Author | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synthesis, mechanistic insights, and anticancer evaluation of novel 2-aroylbenzo[b]thiophen-3-ols: A DFT and Hirshfeld surface analysis | Journal of Molecular Structure | Mukhtar A., Iftikhar A., Maqbool M., Faisal A., Ayub K., Yousuf S., Saeed M., | 2025 |
| Fabrication of CuWO<inf>4</inf>@MIL-101 (Fe) nanocomposite for efficient OER and photodegradation of methylene blue | Heliyon | Khan M., Ahmed M.M., Akhtar M.N., Sajid M., Riaz N.N., Asif M., Kashif M., Shabbir B., Ahmad K., Saeed M., Shafiq M., Shabir T., | 2024 |
| Optimization study and application of box-behnken model for probing eggshell supported transition metals based catalysts to synthesize hydrazone & dihydropyrimidinones | Scientific Reports | Perveen R., Latif F., Abbas M., Ayub K., Sarfaraz S., Saeed M., Rana S., Al-Rashida M., Nawaz M.A., Hameed A., | 2024 |
| rt Synthesis of 3-methyl-N-((4???-(3-methylbenzamido)-[1,1???-biphenyl]-4-yl)carbamothioyl)benzamide, X-ray structural analysis, DFT-guided investigation, Hirshfeld analysis and docking to jack bean urease | Journal of Molecular Structure | Younas F., Saeed A., Hokelek T., Schulzke C., Tahira S., Elvers B.J., Saeed M., | 2024 |
| Iron-catalysed C???H ortho-arylation of edaravone, a promising monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor | Tetrahedron | Asghar S., Manzotti M., Atkins A., Tailor S., Sparkes H.A., Saeed M., Bedford R.B., | 2024 |
| Facile synthesis of substituted 2-aroylbenzo[b]thiophen-3-ols to form novel triazole hybrids using click chemistry | RSC Advances | Mukhtar A., Hussain A., Younas F., Yousuf S., Saeed M., | 2024 |
| Ring opening of epoxides: a facile approach towards the synthesis of polyketides and related stereoenriched natural products: a review | Molecular Diversity | Hanif M., Mansha A., Ali K.G., Saeed M.A., Mahmood S., Chaudhry A.R., Irfan A., Mushtaq A., Zahoor A.F., | 2024 |
| Repurposing of investigational cancer drugs: Early phase discovery of dengue virus NS2B/NS3 protease inhibitors | Archiv der Pharmazie | Saleem H.N., Kousar S., Jiskani A.H., Sohail I., Faisal A., Saeed M., | 2023 |
| Synthesis, Cytotoxic, and Computational Screening of Some Novel Indole???1,2,4-Triazole-Based S-Alkylated N-Aryl Acetamides | Biomedicines | Zahoor A.F., Saeed S., Rasul A., Noreen R., Irfan A., Ahmad S., Faisal S., Al-Hussain S.A., Saeed M.A., Muhammed M.T., Muhammad Z.A., Zaki M.E.A., | 2023 |
| The photocatalytic and antibacterial potential of highly efficient S-scheme binary S-gC<inf>3</inf>N<inf>4</inf>@Co-zinc ferrite nanocomposite | Optical Materials | Hassan S.S., Javed M., Akhtar M.N., Qamar M.A., Ahmed N., Saeed M., Aroosh K., Khan S., Asif S., | 2023 |
| Exploring chromone sulfonamides and sulfonylhydrazones as highly selective ectonucleotidase inhibitors: Synthesis, biological evaluation and in silico study | Bioorganic Chemistry | Younus H.A., Saeed M., Mahmood A., Jadoon M.S.K., Hameed A., Asari A., Mohamad H., Pelletier J., Sevigny J., Iqbal J., al-Rashida M., | 2023 |
| Plasma-based ozonolysis of lignin waste materials for the production of value-added chemicals | Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery | Muazzam R., Hafeez A., Uroos M., Saeed M., Rehman F., Muhammad N., | 2023 |
| Part-II: an update of Schiff bases synthesis and applications in medicinal chemistry-a patent review (2016-2023) | Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Patents | Younus H.A., Saleem F., Hameed A., Al-Rashida M., Al-Qawasmeh R.A., El-Naggar M., Rana S., Saeed M., Khan K.M., | 2023 |
| Validation of a Cost-Effective RP-HPLC Method for Quantitative Investigation of Daclatasvir Dihydrochloride in Pharmaceutical Formulations | Journal of Chemistry | Sarfraz S., Saeed M., Javed M., Hussain N., Iqbal S., Amin S., Bahadur A., Jawhari A.H., Althobiti R.A., Alzahrani E., Farouk A.-E., Aljazzar S.O., Elkaeed E.B., | 2023 |
| Endophytic bacteria of Fagonia indica Burm. F revealed to harbour rich secondary antibacterial metabolites | PLoS ONE | Rahman L., Mukhtar A., Ahmad S., Rahman L., Ali M., Saeed M., Shinwari Z.K., | 2022 |
| Synthesis, X-Ray crystallography and HF/DFT analysis of N(diethylcarbamothioyl) furan-2-carboxamide, analyzed by experimental and theoretical methods | Journal of Molecular Structure | Saeed A., Ashraf S., Shabir G., Hokelek T., Florke U., Mukhtar A., Saeed M., | 2022 |
| Effects of pH and Ionic Salts on the Emulsifying and Rheological Properties of Acorn Protein Isolate | Molecules | Khan N.M., Saeed M., Khan F.A., Ahmad S., Nawaz M.A., Khan Z.U., Shafique M., Almehmadi M., Abdulaziz O., Ullah A., | 2022 |
| Novel Carboxylic Acid-Capped Silver Nanoparticles as Antimicrobial and Colorimetric Sensing Agents | Molecules | Irfan M.I., Amjad F., Abbas A., Ur Rehman M.F., Kanwal F., Saeed M., Ullah S., Lu C., | 2022 |
| Postharvest shelf life enhancement of peach fruit treated with glucose oxidase immobilized on ZnO nanoparticles | Food Chemistry | Batool R., Kazmi S.A.R., Khurshid S., Saeed M., Ali S., Adnan A., Altaf F., Hameed A., Batool F., Fatima N., | 2022 |
| Synthetic flavonoids as potential antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2 main protease | Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics | Batool F., Mughal E.U., Zia K., Sadiq A., Naeem N., Javid A., Ul-Haq Z., Saeed M., | 2022 |
| Minocycline-derived silver nanoparticles for assessment of their antidiabetic potential against alloxan-induced diabetic mice | Pharmaceutics | Kazmi S.A.R., Qureshi M.Z., Sadia, Alhewairini S.S., Ali S., Khurshid S., Saeed M., Mumtaz S., Mughal T.A., | 2021 |
| Catalytic C???O bond cleavage in a ??-O-4 lignin model through intermolecular hydrogen transfer | Inorganica Chimica Acta | Ahsan Usman M., Naeem M., Saeed M., Zaheer M., | 2021 |
| Schiff-Based Metal Complexes of Lamotrigine: Design, Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Evaluation | ACS Omega | Najm S., Naureen H., Sultana K., Anwar F., Khan M.M., Nadeem H., Saeed M., | 2021 |
| Facile synthesis and in vitro activity of n-substituted 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-ones against dengue virus NS2BNS3 protease | Pathogens | Batool F., Saeed M., Saleem H.N., Kirschner L., Bodem J., | 2021 |
| Sulfonylhydrazones: Design, synthesis and investigation of ectonucleotidase (ALP & e5???NT) inhibition activities | Bioorganic Chemistry | Younus H.A., Hameed A., Mahmood A., Khan M.S., Saeed M., Batool F., Asari A., Mohamad H., Pelletier J., Sevigny J., Iqbal J., al-Rashida M., | 2020 |
| Erratum: Catechol-O-methyltransferase expression and 2-methoxyestradiol affect microtubule dynamics and modify steroid receptor signaling in leiomyoma cells (PLoS ONE (2013) 8:1 DOI: 10.1371/annotation/8c8c0cae-7f2f-4f37-9807- 2d02b6c14db1) | PLoS ONE | Salama S.A., Kamel M.W., Botting S., Salih S.M., Borahay M.A., Hamed A.A., Kilic G.S., Saeed M., Williams M.Y., Diaz-Arrastia C.R., | 2013 |
| Effect of Tumour Necrosis Factor-Alpha on Estrogen Metabolic Pathways in Breast Cancer Cells | Journal of Cancer | Kamel M., Shouman S., El-Merzebany M., Kilic G., Veenstra T., Saeed M., Wagih M., Diaz-Arrastia C., Patel D., Salama S., | 2012 |
| Mechanism of DNA depurination by carcinogens in relation to cancer initiation | IUBMB Life | Cavalieri E., Saeed M., Zahid M., Cassada D., Snow D., Miljkovic M., Rogan E., | 2012 |
| Formation of dopamine quinone-DNA adducts and their potential role in the etiology of Parkinson's disease | IUBMB Life | Zahid M., Saeed M., Yang L., Beseler C., Rogan E., Cavalieri E.L., | 2011 |
| Formation of diethylstilbestrol-DNA adducts in human breast epithelial cells and inhibition by resveratrol | Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | Hinrichs B., Zahid M., Saeed M., Ali M.F., Cavalieri E.L., Rogan E.G., | 2011 |
| The effect of tamoxifen and raloxifene on estrogen metabolism and endometrial cancer risk | Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | Williams-Brown M.Y., Salih S.M., Xu X., Veenstra T.D., Saeed M., Theiler S.K., Diaz-Arrastia C.R., Salama S.A., | 2011 |
| Resveratrol and N-acetylcysteine block the cancer-initiating step in MCF-10F cells | Free Radical Biology and Medicine | Zahid M., Saeed M., Beseler C., Rogan E.G., Cavalieri E.L., | 2011 |
| N-acetylcysteine blocks formation of cancer-initiating estrogen-DNA adducts in cells | Free Radical Biology and Medicine | Zahid M., Saeed M., Ali M.F., Rogan E.G., Cavalieri E.L., | 2010 |
| Benzene and dopamine catechol quinones could initiate cancer or neurogenic disease | Free Radical Biology and Medicine | Zahid M., Saeed M., Rogan E.G., Cavalieri E.L., | 2010 |
| Catechol-O-methyltransferase expression and 2-methoxyestradiol affect microtubule dynamics and modify steroid receptor signaling in leiomyoma cells | PLoS ONE | Salama S.A., Kamel M.W., Botting S., Salih S.M., Borahay M.A., Hamed A.A., Kilic G.S., Saeed M., Williams M.Y., Diaz-Arrastia C.R., | 2009 |
| NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 Arg139Trp and Pro187Ser polymorphisms imbalance estrogen metabolism towards DNA adduct formation in human mammary epithelial cells | Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | Singh S., Zahid M., Saeed M., Gaikwad N.W., Meza J.L., Cavalieri E.L., Rogan E.G., Chakravarti D., | 2009 |
| Depurinating naphthalene-DNA adducts in mouse skin related to cancer initiation | Free Radical Biology and Medicine | Saeed M., Higginbotham S., Gaikwad N., Chakravarti D., Rogan E., Cavalieri E., | 2009 |
| Mechanism of metabolic activation and DNA adduct formation by the human carcinogen diethylstilbestrol: The defining link to natural estrogens | International Journal of Cancer | Saeed M., Rogan E., Cavalieri E., | 2009 |
| Prevention of estrogen-DNA adduct formation in MCF-10F cells by resveratrol | Free Radical Biology and Medicine | Zahid M., Gaikwad N.W., Ali M.F., Lu F., Saeed M., Yang L., Rogan E.G., Cavalieri E.L., | 2008 |
| Resveratrol prevents estrogen-DNA adduct formation and neoplastic transformation in MCF-10F cells | Cancer Prevention Research | Lu F., Zahid M., Wang C., Saeed M., Cavalieri E.L., Rogan E.G., | 2008 |
| Inhibition of catechol-O-methyltransferase increases estrogen-DNA adduct formation | Free Radical Biology and Medicine | Zahid M., Saeed M., Lu F., Gaikwad N., Rogan E., Cavalieri E., | 2007 |
| Estrogen metabolism and formation of estrogen-DNA adducts in estradiol-treated MCF-10F cells. The effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin induction and catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibition | Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | Lu F., Zahid M., Saeed M., Cavalieri E.L., Rogan E.G., | 2007 |
| Formation of depurinating N3Adenine and N7Guanine adducts by MCF-10F cells cultured in the presence of 4-hydroxyestradiol | International Journal of Cancer | Saeed M., Rogan E., Fernandez S.V., Sheriff F., Russo J., Cavalieri E., | 2007 |
| Formation of depurinating N3adenine and N7guanine adducts after reaction of 1,2-naphthoquinone or enzyme-activated 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene with DNA. Implications for the mechanism of tumor initiation by naphthalene | Chemico-Biological Interactions | Saeed M., Higginbotham S., Rogan E., Cavalieri E., | 2007 |
| The greater reactivity of estradiol-3,4-quinone vs estradiol-2,3-quinone with DNA in the formation of depurinating adducts: Implications for tumor-initiating activity | Chemical Research in Toxicology | Zahid M., Kohli E., Saeed M., Rogan E., Cavalieri E., | 2006 |
| Development of monoclonal antibodies to 4-hydroxyestrogen-2-N- acetylcysteine conjugates: Immunoaffinity and spectroscopic studies | Chemical Research in Toxicology | Markushin Y., Kapke P., Saeed M., Zhang H., Dawoud A., Rogan E.G., Cavalieri E.L., Jankowiak R., | 2005 |
| Novel spiro-quinone formation from 3???-hydroxydiethylstilbestrol after oxidation with silver oxide | Tetrahedron Letters | Saeed M., Rogan E., Cavalieri E., | 2005 |
| Synthesis of the catechols of natural and synthetic estrogens by using 2-iodoxybenzoic acid (IBX) as the oxidizing agent | Steroids | Saeed M., Zahid M., Rogan E., Cavalieri E., | 2005 |
| Slow loss of deoxyribose from the N7deoxyguanosine adducts of estradiol-3,4-quinone and hexestrol-3???,4???-quinone.: Implications for mutagenic activity | Steroids | Saeed M., Zahid M., Gunselman S.J., Rogan E., Cavalieri E., | 2005 |
| Formation of the depurinating N3adenine and N7guanine adducts by reaction of DNA with hexestrol-3???,4???-quinone or enzyme-activated 3???-hydroxyhexestrol: Implications for a unifying mechanism of tumor initiation by natural and synthetic estrogens | Steroids | Saeed M., Gunselman S.J., Higginbotham S., Rogan E., Cavalieri E., | 2005 |