Dr. Naeem Shahid

Address:
Permoserstr. 15
04318 Leipzig
Germany
Building: 6.0
Room: 121
Phone: + 49 341 6025 1495
Research interests
Naeem Shahid is an environmentalist with specialization in ecotoxicology. His research interests include adaptation of macroinvertebrates (physiological/genetic) to pesticides and associated fitness costs. To understand the effects of pesticides under different field scenarios, he is focusing on mixture toxicity, multiple stressors and long term/delayed effects of pesticides. Furthermore, he is working to identify the association between agrochemicals and the risk of a parasitic disease Schistosomiasis.
CV
July 2022 - present | Scientist/Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany |
2020 - 2022 | Project Manager/Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Evolutionary Ecology & Environmental Toxicology (E3T), Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
2019 - 2020 | Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiter/ Research Fellow, Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Germany |
2016 - 2019 | Doctoral Research Fellow, Department System-Ecotoxicology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany & Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Germany |
2013 - 2015 | Research Associate, Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Pakistan |
Research grants and Awards
2024 - 2026 | Chemical impact on Biodiversity – EC-JRC/IPR/2024/LVP/1357. Funded by European Commission, Joint Research Centre - Ispra (JRC-IPR). With Prof. Matthias Liess. |
2023 - 2024 | "MuStField – Impact of Multiple Stressors on aquatic communities in the field" Funded by Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ. With Prof. Matthias Liess, Prof. Martin von Bergin and Prof. Werner Brack. |
2020 - 2024 | "SENTINEL – Freshwater pollution and the links to the distribution of Schistosoma host snails in Western Kenya" Funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), project number 299273352. With Prof. Matthias Liess, Prof. Henner Hollert, Prof. Werner Brack and Prof. Kilian Smith. |
2021 - 2022 | "MuSt – Multiple Stress of pesticides and environmental stressors" Funded by Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ. With Prof. Matthias Liess, Prof. Martin von Bergin and Prof. Dr. Joerg Hackermuller. |
2017 - 2020 | Doctoral Fellowship from DAAD: German Academic Exchange Service. |
2015 | Research productivity award from COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan. |
2014 | Research productivity award from COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan. |

Publications
- Shahid, N., Iqbal, H.H., Ahmad, S.R., Qadir, A., Krauss, M., Finckh, S., Tanui, I., Carmona, E., Brack, W., 2025. Mixtures of toxic organic micropollutants compromise the safety of water resources in urban agglomerations in low- and medium-income countries: The example of Lahore, Pakistan. Environmental Pollution. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125383
- Shah, G.M.; Shabbir, Z.; Rabbani, F.; Rashid, M.I.; Bakhat, H.F.; Naeem, M.A.; Abbas, G.; Shah, G.A.; Shahid, N., 2025. Soil Texture Mediates the Toxicity of ZnO and Fe3O4 Nanoparticles to Microbial Activity. Toxics, 13, 84. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13020084
- Tanui, I.C., Kandie, F., Krauss, M., Piotrowska, A., Finckh, S., Kiprop, A., Hollert, H., Shahid, N., Liess, M., Brack, W., 2025. Occurrence and potential risk of steroid hormones in selected surface water and wastewater treatment plants in western Kenya. Environmental Pollution, 125623. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125623
- Mushtaq, M., Shahid, N., Siddique, A., Liess, M., 2024. Sequential pesticide exposure: Concentration addition at high concentrations - inhibition of hormesis at ultra-low concentrations. Science of The Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176493
- Shahid, N., Siddique, A., Liess, M., 2024. Synergistic interaction between a toxicant and food stress is further exacerbated by temperature. Environmental Pollution. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2024.125109
- Iqbal, H.H., Qadir, A., Ahmad, S.R., Riaz, M.A., Riaz, A., Shahid, N., Arslan, M., 2024. Residual Assessment of Emerging Pesticides in Aquatic Sinks of Lahore, Pakistan. Sustainability 16, 9257. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219257
- Tanui, I.C., Kandie, F., Krauss, M., Piotrowska, A., Kiprop, A., Shahid, N., Liess, M., Brack, W., 2024. Seasonal hot spots of pollution and risks in Western Kenya: A spatial-temporal analysis of almost 800 organic micropollutants. Science of The Total Environment, 175036. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175036
- Shahid, N., Siddique, A., Liess, M., 2024. Predicting the combined effects of multiple stressors and stress adaptation in Gammarus pulex. Environmental Science & Technology. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c02014
- Siddique, A., Shahid, N., Liess, M., 2024. Revealing the cascade of pesticide effects from gene to community. Science of The Total Environment, 170472. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170472
- Iqbal, H.H., Siddique, A., Qadir, A., Ahmed, S.R., Liess, M., Shahid, N., 2024. Human health and ecology at risk: A case study of metal pollution in Lahore, Pakistan. Environmental Sciences Europe. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-023-00824-2
- Ganatra, A.A., McOdimba, F., Kaneno, S., Becker, J.M., Shahid, N., Hollert, H., Liess, M., Agola, E.L., Fillinger, U., 2024. High pesticide tolerance of S. mansoni: implications for the risk of schistosomiasis. Environmental Sciences Europe 36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-024-00856-2
- Shah, G.M., Farooq, U., Shabbir, Z., Guo, J., Dong, R., Bakhat, H.F., Wakeel, M., Siddique, A., Shahid, N., 2023. Impact of Cadmium Contamination on Fertilizer Value and Associated Health Risks in Different Soil Types Following Anaerobic Digestate Application. Toxics 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11121008
- Siddique, A., Fatima, W., Shahid, N., 2023. Association of common BRCA1 variants with predisposition to breast tumors in Pakistan. Annals Of Human Genetics 87, 222-231. https://doi.org/10.1111/ahg.12511
- Shah, G.M., Amin, M., Shahid, M., Ahmad, I., Khalid, S., Abbas, G., Imran, M., Naeem, M.A., Shahid, N., 2022. Toxicity of ZnO and Fe2O3 nano-agro-chemicals to soil microbial activities, nitrogen utilization, and associated human health risks. Environmental Sciences Europe 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-022-00687-z
- Siddique, A., Shahid, N., Liess, M., 2021. Multiple Stress Reduces the Advantage of Pesticide Adaptation. Environmental Science & Technology. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c02669
- Shahid, N., Rolle-Kampczyk, U., Siddique, A., von Bergen, M., Liess, M., 2021. Pesticide-induced metabolic changes are amplified by food stress. Science of the Total Environment 792, 148350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148350
- Liess, M., Henz, S., Shahid, N., 2020. Modeling the synergistic effects of toxicant mixtures. Environmental Sciences Europe 32, 119. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-020-00394-7
- Siddique, A., Liess, M., Shahid, N., Becker, J.M., 2020. Insecticides in agricultural streams exert pressure for adaptation but impair performance in Gammarus pulex at regulatory acceptable concentrations. Science of the Total Environment, 137750. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137750
- Sabeen, M., Mahmood, Q., Ebadi, A. G., Bhatti, Z. A., Irshad, M., Kakar, A., Bilal, M., Arshad, H. M., Shahid, N. Health risk assessment consequent to wastewater irrigation in Pakistan. Soil & Environment 2020, 39 (1). https://doi.org/10.25252/SE/2020/71758
- Ashraf, M.R., Bakhat, H.F., Shah, G., Arshad, H.M., Mahmood, Q., Shahid, N., 2020. Role of Hydrophobicity in Bio-Accessibility of Environmental Pollutants Among Different Organisms. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies. https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/111578
- Sabeen, M., Mahmood, Q., Ahmad Bhatti, Z., Faridullah, Irshad, M., Bilal, M., Hayat, T., Irshad, U., Ali Akbar, T., Arslan, M., Shahid, N., 2019. Allium cepa assay based comparative study of selected vegetables and the chromosomal aberrations due to heavy metal accumulation. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137750
- Shahid, N., Liess, M., Knillmann, S., 2019. Environmental stress increases synergistic effects of pesticide mixtures on Daphnia magna. Environmental Science & Technology. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b04293
- Hayat, A., Hussain, I., Soja, G., Iqbal, M., Shahid, N., Syed, J.H., Yousaf, S., 2019. Organic and chemical amendments positively modulate the bacterial proliferation for effective rhizoremediation of PCBs-contaminated soil. Ecological Engineering 138, 412-419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2019.07.038
- Nguyen, P.M., Afzal, M., Ullah, I., Shahid, N., Baqar, M., Arslan, M., 2019. Removal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products using constructed wetlands: plant-bacteria synergism may enhance degradation efficiency. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05320-w
- Bakhat, H.F., Zia, Z., Abbas, S., Hammad, H.M., Shah, G.M., Khalid, S., Shahid, N., Sajjad, M., Fahad, S., 2019. Factors controlling arsenic contamination and potential remediation measures in soil-plant systems. Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 100263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2019.100263
- Abbas, S., Siddique, A., Shahid, N., Khan, R. T., & Fatima, W. (2018). Breast cancer risk associated with BRCA1/2 variants in the Pakistani population. Breast Cancer. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-018-0932-y
- Shahid N, Becker JM, Krauss M, Brack W, Liess M. 2018. Pesticide body burden of the crustacean Gammarus pulex as a measure of toxic pressure in agricultural streams. Environmental Science & Technology. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.8b01751
- Gulzar, F., Mahmood, Q., Bhatti, Z.A., Zeb, B.S., Shaheen, S., Hayat, T., Shahid, N., Zeb, T. 2018. Industrial Wastewater Treatment in Internal Circulation Bioreactor Followed by Wetlands Containing Emergent Plants and Algae. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-018-2496-6
- Shahid, N., Becker, J.M., Krauss, M., Brack, W., Liess, M., 2018. Adaptation of Gammarus pulex to agricultural insecticide contamination in streams. Science of The Total Environment 621, pp. 479-485. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.220
- Firdous, S., Jin, W., Shahid, N., Bhatti, Z.A., Iqbal, A., Abbasi, U., Mahmood, Q., Ali, A., 2018. The performance of microbial fuel cells treating vegetable oil industrial wastewater. Environmental Technology & Innovation 10, 143-151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2018.02.006
- Khan, R. T., Siddique, A., Shahid, N., Khokhar, S., Fatima, W. 2018. Breast cancer risk associated with genes encoding DNA repair MRN complex: A study from Punjab, Pakistan. Breast Cancer. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-018-0837-9
- Arslan, M., Ullah, I., Müller, J. A., Shahid, N., Afzal, M., 2017. Organic Micropollutants in the Environment: Ecotoxicity Potential and Methods for Remediation. Enhancing Cleanup of Environmental Pollutants. Springer, pp. 65-99. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55426-6_5
- Iqbal, H. H., Shahid, N., Qadir, A., Ahmad, S. R., Sarwar, S., Ashraf, M. R., Arshad, H. M., Masood, N., 2017. Hydrological and Ichthyological Impact Assessment of Rasul Barrage, River Jhelum, Pakistan. Polish Journal of Environ Studies 26 (1) 107-114. https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/63877
- Shah, G., Shah, G., Groot, J., Raza, M., Shahid, N., Lantinga, E., 2016. Maize nitrogen recovery and dry matter production as affected by application of solid cattle manure subjected to various storage conditions. Journal of soil science and plant nutrition 16, 591-603. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-95162016005000030
- Tabassum, S., Shahid, N., Shafiq, M., Mumtaz, M., Arslan, M., Wang, J. 2016. An oxidative stress response of Mirabilis jalapa to exhausted engine oil (EEO) during Phytoremediation. Polish Journal of Environ Studies.. 25 (6) 2581–2587. https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/61960
- Shahid, M., Dumat, C., Pourrutd, B., Abbas, G., Shahid, N., Pinelli, E. 2015. Role of Metal Speciation in Lead-Induced Oxidative Stress to Vicia faba Roots. Russ. J. Plant. Physl., 62(4) 448–454. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1021443715040159
- Shahid, N., Zia, Z., Shahid, M., Siddique, F., Anwar, S., Shah, G. M. and Ashraf, M. R. 2015. Assessing drinking water quality in Punjab, Pakistan. Polish Journal of Environ Studies 24(6) 2597-2606. https://doi.org/10.15244/pjoes/41533
- Shahid, M., Khalid, S., Abbas, G., Shahid, N., Nadeem, M., Sabir, M., Aslam, M., Dumat, C., 2015. Heavy metal stress and crop productivity. Crop Production and Global Environmental Issues. Springer, pp. 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23162-4_1