Sensors & Diagnostics Lab · School of Chemistry, University of the Punjab

Molecular recognition for chemical sensing and point-of-care diagnostics

From molecularly imprinted materials to wearable devices — engineering selective sensing interfaces for healthcare, environment, and industry.

Directed by Prof. Dr. Adeel Afzal, FRSC — Professor of Chemistry & Head of the School of Chemistry.

Research areas Molecular imprinting· Electrochemical sensing· Point-of-care diagnostics· Wearable devices
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Years of research

Bibliometrics via Google Scholar · Prof. Afzal is listed among the Stanford/Elsevier world top-2% scientists.

Research Themes

From molecular recognition to real-world devices

Our work spans four interconnected themes — from the molecular design of recognition materials to the fabrication of portable, real-world sensing devices. We translate fundamental materials chemistry into affordable diagnostic tools for healthcare, environmental monitoring, and industry.

Chemical Sensors

Electrochemical, optical, and gravimetric sensors for detecting hazardous chemicals, pollutants, and trace analytes.

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Biomedical Diagnostics

Affordable, point-of-care devices for proteins, biomarkers, and disease indicators in blood serum and saliva.

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Imprinted & Functional Materials

Molecularly imprinted polymers and functional nanomaterials engineered for selective molecular recognition.

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Wearable & Portable Devices

Smartphone-compatible and wearable potentiostats for real-time, on-body analyte monitoring.

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Principal Investigator

Prof. Dr. Adeel Afzal, FRSC

Professor of General & Inorganic Chemistry and Head of the School of Chemistry, University of the Punjab.

Prof. Dr. Adeel Afzal (FRSC) earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Vienna, Austria, in 2007, followed by postdoctoral research at the University of Bari, Italy. He has served as Assistant Professor at Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, and COMSATS University Islamabad (Lahore Campus)…

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Full profile Google Scholar
Prof. Dr. Adeel Afzal

Ph.D., University of Vienna (2007) · Postdoc, University of Bari, Italy · Author of DELTA.

Our People

The researchers behind the science

Meet the full team
Muhammad Shahid
Ph.D. Candidate
Biosensors
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MH
Mahreen Hafeez
Ph.D. Candidate
Molecularly imprinted polymers · biomarker detection · clinical diagnostics
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AW
Asim Waqar
Ph.D. Candidate
Gas sensors · metal-oxide nanostructures · environmental monitoring
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IS
Iqra Shahid
Ph.D. Candidate
Electrochemical biosensors · cancer biomarkers · point-of-care testing
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MY
Maryam Yusuf
Ph.D. Candidate
Photoelectrochemical sensors · functional nanomaterials · water-quality monitoring
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TA
Taimur Ali
M.Phil. Scholar
Conducting polymers · flexible sensors · wearable diagnostics
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SA
Shahzeb Asghar
M.Phil. Scholar
Aptamer-based sensors · pathogen detection · rapid biosensing
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SZ
Salma Zafar
M.Phil. Scholar
Voltammetric sensors · heavy-metal analysis · environmental safety
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Publications

Recent publications

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Research Highlights

Schemes & graphical abstracts

Polymer Nanozymes: Electropolymerized Enzyme Mimics for the Detection of Oxidative Stress Biomarkers
Polymer Nanozymes: Electropolymerized Enzyme Mimics for the Detection of Oxidative Stress Biomarkers ACS Applied Bio Materials · 2025 H.K. Maryam, A. Mujahid, A. Afzal* — DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.5c01212
Noninvasive Cholesterol Sensing by Poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) with Ag@MoO₃ Nanorods
Noninvasive Cholesterol Sensing by Poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) with Ag@MoO₃ Nanorods Analysis & Sensing · 2025 K. Ejaz, M. Akhtar, T. Hussain, A. Mujahid, A. Afzal* — DOI: 10.1002/anse.202500034
Group-Selective Recognition of Anionic Dyes in Groundwater
Group-Selective Recognition of Anionic Dyes in Groundwater ACS Sustainable Resource Management · 2025 T. Ali, N. Bashir, T. Hussain, A. Afzal* — DOI: 10.1021/acssusresmgt.4c00538
Hybrid Poly (Methacrylic Acid‐Co‐Acrylamide)‐Polythiophene Nanofibers for Salivary Diagnosis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Hybrid Poly (Methacrylic Acid‐Co‐Acrylamide)‐Polythiophene Nanofibers for Salivary Diagnosis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Macromolecular Bioscience · 2025 M. Akhtar, A. Mujahid, A. Afzal* — DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202400420
Biomimetic Polythiophene: g-C3N4 Nanotube Composites with Induced Creatinine and Uric Acid Specificity for Portable CKD and Gout Detection
Biomimetic Polythiophene: g-C3N4 Nanotube Composites with Induced Creatinine and Uric Acid Specificity for Portable CKD and Gout Detection ACS Applied Bio Materials · 2025 Z. Saddique, N. Shahzad, M. Saeed, A. Afzal* — DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.5c00371
Flexible Plastic Electrodes Based on Thiosulfate-Modified gC3N4 Nanosheets for Simultaneous Handheld Monitoring of Hazardous Cationic Dyes in Drinking Water
Flexible Plastic Electrodes Based on Thiosulfate-Modified gC3N4 Nanosheets for Simultaneous Handheld Monitoring of Hazardous Cationic Dyes in Drinking Water ACS ES&T Water · 2025 N. Bashir, T. Ali, A. Mujahid, A. Afzal* — DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.4c00960
Portable smartphone-enabled dydrogesterone sensors based on biomimetic polymers for personalized gynecological care
Portable smartphone-enabled dydrogesterone sensors based on biomimetic polymers for personalized gynecological care Journal of Materials Chemistry B · 2024 S. Ashraf, T. Hussain, S.Z. Bajwa, A. Mujahid, A. Afzal* — DOI: 10.1039/D4TB00657G
Core-shell niobium (V) oxide@ molecularly imprinted polythiophene nanoreceptors for transformative, real-time creatinine analysis
Core-shell niobium (V) oxide@ molecularly imprinted polythiophene nanoreceptors for transformative, real-time creatinine analysis Nanoscale Advances · 2024 Z. Saddique, M. Saeed, M. Faheem, S.Z. Bajwa, A. Mujahid, A. Afzal* — DOI: 10.1039/D4NA00300D
Electrocatalytic FeFe 2 O 4 embedded, spermine-imprinted polypyrrole (Fe/MIPpy) nanozymes for cancer diagnosis and prognosis
Electrocatalytic FeFe 2 O 4 embedded, spermine-imprinted polypyrrole (Fe/MIPpy) nanozymes for cancer diagnosis and prognosis Journal of Materials Chemistry B · 2024 I. Zaman, A. Liaqat, S. Athar, A. Mujahid, A. Afzal* — DOI: 10.1039/D4TB00190G
Discerning biomimetic nanozyme electrodes based on g-C3N4 nanosheets and molecularly imprinted polythiophene nanofibers for detecting creatinine in microliter droplets of human …
Discerning biomimetic nanozyme electrodes based on g-C3N4 nanosheets and molecularly imprinted polythiophene nanofibers for detecting creatinine in microliter droplets of human … Biosensors and Bioelectronics · 2024 M. Saeed, Z. Saddique, A. Mujahid, A. Afzal* — DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2023.115899
Disposable Saliva Sensors for Early Cancer Diagnosis Using Hyper-Cross-Linked Molecularly Imprinted Polymeric Electrocatalysts
Disposable Saliva Sensors for Early Cancer Diagnosis Using Hyper-Cross-Linked Molecularly Imprinted Polymeric Electrocatalysts ACS Applied Polymer Materials · 2023 S. Athar, I. Zaman, A. Liaqat, A. Afzal* — DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.3c02295
Lab Updates

News & announcements

news

Lab celebrates five years of sensors & diagnostics research

Marking five productive years of the Sensors & Diagnostics Lab at the School of Chemistry, University of the Punjab.

announcement

Supervision applications open for M.Phil. and Ph.D. researchers

Motivated students interested in chemical sensors, diagnostics, and functional materials are invited to apply online.

news

New publications in ACS and RSC journals (2025)

Recent work on polymer nanozymes, noninvasive cholesterol sensing, and salivary diagnostics now in print.

From the PIEssay

Alive, Not Just Living

A scientist's exploration of success, purpose, meaning and contribution — and the question that changes everything: are you alive, or just living?

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Join the Lab

Join the Lab

We welcome motivated students and collaborators interested in chemical sensors, diagnostics, and functional materials. Prospective M.Phil. and Ph.D. researchers can apply for supervision online.

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