Srinagar, Oct 13: Dr Mohammad Iqbal Yatoo, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Shuhama, has made history as the first veterinary scientist from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) to be featured in Stanford University’s prestigious list of the world’s top 2% of scientists. The recently updated list includes renowned names from the Kashmir valley such as Dr Khuroo, Dr Romshoo, and Dr Koul.
Dr Yatoo’s exceptional achievements are a testament to his dedication and expertise. He completed his Overseas Training at the University of Toledo, Ohio, USA, sponsored under the National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) of SKUAST-K. His contributions to SKUAST-K are noteworthy, having secured four externally funded research projects as Principal Investigator from esteemed agencies like SERB, DST, and BIRAC.
He serves as a Co-Investigator in two external projects funded by SERB and DBT, collectively amounting to approximately 2.2 crores for the university’s research initiatives. Notably, he stands as the sole scientist in the veterinary faculty holding a BIRAC project.
Dr Iqbal’s innovative development of a mycoplasma vaccine for goats received recognition from DST and National Innovation Foundation-India (NIFI) as a Startup for Livelihood during the Kashmir Startup Expo 2022. Dr. Yatoo has established the Mycoplasma Lab at the Division of Veterinary Clinical Complex, designated as a Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2) Lab by DBT.
This facility not only supports research endeavors for students and scholars from SKUAST-K and other universities but also provides diagnostic services for clinical cases. Numerous students have completed their masters and doctorate degree programs in this lab, and the research outcomes have been published in high-impact journals of international repute.
In addition to his outstanding research, Dr Yatoo has been honored as the Best Teacher by the university. His current research focuses on mycoplasma diseases in goats, mastitis, and lumpy skin disease (LSD) in cattle. His mission is to develop technological interventions against livestock diseases, particularly those relevant to the farmers of the valley.
