Students from the University of Management and Technology (UMT) Lahore, have secured first position in a Punjab government-sponsored Youth Innovation Competition by developing a method designed to make DNA testing more affordable without compromising quality.
UMT Department of Life Sciences students Fatima Azhar and Ariha Akbar won the competition’s top prize of Rs1 million for their proposed DNA testing method. The project was selected from 154 innovative entries submitted by students from 51 universities across Punjab.
The students presented their research at a meeting chaired by Punjab Provincial Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique. Following the presentation, the government decided to pursue the initiative further, with the students set to be attached to the Punjab Forensic Science Authority (PFSA) to support the development and potential implementation of their research.
The proposed method aims to reduce the cost of DNA testing while maintaining high-quality results, potentially improving access to DNA testing and supporting further research in forensic science and related fields.
UMT President Ibrahim Hasan Murad congratulated Fatima Azhar and Ariha Akbar, saying their achievement reflected their research capabilities, hard work and commitment to innovation. He said the success demonstrated the potential of young researchers to develop solutions with practical benefits for society.
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Murad also reaffirmed UMT’s commitment to strengthening student research and supporting innovative projects that can move beyond academic work into practical applications.
