Medical Research

IMTEYAZ AHMAD

Department of Biochemistry

Kurukshetra University

Kurukshetra, Haryana, India - 136119

Phone: +91-931*******

Email:*********@*****.***

Looking for a faculty (Assistant Professor) position in the field of biochemistry, human genetics and molecular biology with a growth-oriented organisation of repute which can enhance my knowledge by giving a thrust to innovation and implementation where my skills can best be used.

Teaching Statement

Biochemistry is an applied science subject that deals with the chemical reactions occurring in living systems, including those within our own bodies. As a teacher of biochemistry, I consider it my responsibility to make my students learn basic biochemical concepts and develop an aptitude for research in biochemistry. In pursuit of these goals, I shall make all efforts to deliver students the best possible reading material along with problem solving exercises. Some students struggle with the subjects because they believe the material is too difficult to understand. As a teacher, it is my duty to welcome and address the questions during class and to be available to students outside of the classroom. It is my belief that every student is capable of tasting the passion that I feel for biochemistry by becoming collaborators in the exploration of theory, research and practice related this subject. However, as a teacher, I do not just want students to leave my classes with a large amount of information and facts memorized. I want them to leave my class with the ability to see overarching concepts that connect the many different areas of biochemistry.

As a teacher, I have the responsibility of being an advisor and a mentor of my students. I will make myself available not only to answer their questions, but also to help them with academic advice, provide research opportunities, and discuss career options. I shall provide an active learning experience both in the lecture and the laboratory classes. My research program has kept me current with my discipline, and provided me the authoritative voice to convey my subject matter effectively. While pursuing for my doctoral training I developed a strong interest in the fields of medical genetics and cardiometabolic disease and wish to work in frontier areas of these fields. My research interests are somewhat diverse, and I have expertise in some of key molecular biology and biochemical techniques. I believe that students who spend only a few hours a week working on an independent research project will learn more about biochemistry than they did in most formal lecture or laboratory classes. Thus, in addition to learning about biochemistry, students can become involved with research and make a contribution to the scientific community.

Courses taught at postgraduate level: BCH01 – Structure and functions of Biomolecules (4 credits), BCH05 – Laboratory class (practical based on BCH01 & BCH02, 8 hours per week)

BCH16 – Biochemical and Biophysical Techniques (3 credits), BCH19 – Laboratory class (practical based on BCH14 &BCH15, 4 hours per week), BCH09 – Nutritional and Clinical Biochemistry (4 credits), BCH05 – Laboratory class (practical based on BCH05, BCH08 and BCH09, 8 hours per week), BCH21 – Basic Biotechnology (2 credits), Advanced Biochemical and Molecular Biology Technique (3 credits) and BCH25 – Laboratory class (practical based on BCH18, BCH21 and BCH22, 4 hours per week)

Research Interests

Genetic predisposition to quantitative traits that are risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases.

Identification of risk alleles and their association with clinical traits.

Role of inflammation in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease.

Signalling pathways in the progression and development of atherosclerosis and metabolic disease.

Academic Qualification

PhD from Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi in 2011.

PhD Thesis Title: “Paraoxonase and its gene variants in relation to Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)”.

M.Sc. ( Biochemistry) from Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi in 2002, Secured 62%

B.Sc. (Hons) – Chemistry from Magadh University in 1998, Secured 60.8%

Intermediate (10+2) – with Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths and English from Bihar Intermediate Education Council in 1995, Secured 69.2%

Achievements and Accomplishments

Qualified for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and National eligibility Test for Lectureship (NET-LS) jointly conducted by Council for Scientific and Industrial research (CSIR) and University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2002

Qualified Graduate Aptitude Test of Engineering (GATE), Life Science stream in 2002

Teaching Experience

Working as Assistant Professor at Department of Biochemistry, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana since August 2014.

Research Experience /Practical Trainings

Worked as a chief coordinator (2010-2011) at the Apollo Hospitals Educational and Research Foundation in a multi centric Cardiovascular Disease Project. Study Title: Identification of genetic risk factors for myocardial infarction in young Indians.

Worked as ICMR Senior Research Fellow (2009-2010) at Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Worked as CSIR Senior Research Fellow (2004-2007) at Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Worked as CSIR Junior Research Fellow (2002-2004) at Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Summary of Research

PhD Thesis Title: “Paraoxonase and its gene variants in relation to Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)”.

PhD Mentor: Prof. Nibhriti Das

The antioxidant role of HDL has recently been identified. HDL prevents LDL oxidation and destroys the ox-LDL. This property of HDL to a very great extent is because of the enzyme paraoxonase associated with it. The enzyme paraoxonase is present in different isoforms. Of these PON1 is more extensively studied in relation to cardiovascular disorders.

HDL is recognized as the major cardioprotective lipoprotein. In Asian Indians, normal levels of HDL are lower than in other ethnic groups, and this may be one of the reasons for the higher susceptibility of Asian Indians to CAD. The PON1 enzymes and its gene variants are considered as the candidate markers in the assessment of risk of CAD. An interrelationship among the PON1 enzymes, its gene variants (PON1 L55M, Q192R and -108C/T), lipid profiles and CAD is envisaged.

A comprehensive study encompassing all these aspects to gain insight into the role of PON1 in the atheroprotective role of HDL is lacking. In an attempt to fill in these lacunae to an extent, we aimed at elucidating the relationship of paraoxonase-1 (PON1) enzyme and its gene variants with the pathophysiology of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) in the Asian Indians residing in Delhi and surrounding areas.

The experimental objectives are (a) to determine the activity of PON1 and the frequency distribution of PON1 genotypes and alleles (in coding region at codon 55, 192 and in promoter region at position -108), assess their correlations and relationships with the lipid profiles and oxidized LDL in healthy individuals, and (b) to determine the frequency distribution of the above genotypes and alleles in the patients with CAD and to assess the relationship of PON1 gene polymorphisms with the PON1 enzyme activity, lipid profiles, levels of oxidized LDL and severity of CAD.

PON1 arylesterase enzyme emerged as a putative risk marker for CAD and M allele was found associated with the lower activities of this enzyme. The R allele and C allele were associated with CAD but not with arylesterase activity. These alleles however are associated with atherogenic lipid profiles, especially low levels of HDL, high levels of LDL-C, high LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and high ox-LDL/HDL-C ratio.

The haplotype combination of MR, MC, MRT and MQC showed significant association with CAD, though, carried by a small fraction of the study subjects (in total about 11% in patients) are associated with the highest risk for CAD whereas the LQT haplotype confers the highest protection against CAD.

To conclude, this study brought new data and a comprehensive understanding on the PON1 enzyme, its coding region and promoter region polymorphisms, lipid profiles and their correlations, the interrelationship of all these parameters and their overall relationship with CAD. We suggest a complex gene-gene interaction of the PON1 alleles in CAD with lower levels of PON1 enzyme and risk-associated lipid profiles. These interactions ultimately decide the protective or predisposing role of PON1 enzyme and its gene polymorphisms for CAD.

Publications

Ahmad I, Narang R, Venkatraman A, Das N (2011). Frequency distribution of the Single-nucleotide – 108C/T Polymorphism at the promoter region of the PON1 gene in Asian Indians and its relationship. Journal of Community Genetics 2(1):27-32. Epubmed 2011 Feb 7

Ahmad I, Narang R, Venkatraman A, Das N (2012).Two- and three-locus haplotypes of the paraoxonase gene pon1 are associated with coronary artery disease in Asian Indians. Gene 506(1):242-7. Epubmed 2012 Jun 29.

Kanika Miglani, Imteyaz Ahmad, Anita Yadav, Neeraj Aggarwal, Ranjan Gupta (2016). Evaluation of oxidative damage and antioxidant defence potential in charcoal workers exposed to polyaromatic hydrocarbons. International Journal of Current Research 8(7):354**-*****.

Kanika Miglani, Imteyaz Ahmad, Anita Yadav, Neeraj Aggarwal, Ranjan Gupta. A multibiomarker approach to evaluate the effect of polyaromatic hydrocarbon exposure on oxidative and genotoxic damage in tandoor workers (communicated)

Conferences/Presentations/Abstract

Kanika Miglani, Imteyaz Ahmad, Anita Yadav, Neeraj Aggarwal, Ranjan Gupta. To evaluate the effect of polyaromatic hydrocarbon exposure on antioxidant enzymes activity in tandoor workers. International Conference on “Strategies for Environmental Protection and Management” JNU, New Delhi India. 11-13 Dec 2016. (Best Poster Award)

Kanika Miglani, Imteyaz Ahmad, Anita Yadav, Neeraj Aggarwal, Ranjan Gupta. A multibiomarker approach to evaluate the effect of polyaromatic hydrocarbon exposure on oxidative and genotoxic damage in tandoor workers. National Conference on genetic diversity and Therapeutic potential of natural products. MDU, Rohtak, Haryana, India. September 17, 2016. (Best Poster Award)

Ahmad I, Narang R, Venkatraman A, Das N. Paraoxonase (PON1) L55M and Q192R polymorphism and their relationship with CAD in Asian Indian. 22nd Annual Conference of ISAR 0n "Cardiovascular Disease Secondary to Metabolic Disorder: Mechanism and Therapy". University of Mysore, India. 17- 19 Dec 2009 (Oral Presentation)

Ahmad I, Narang R, Lakshmi R, Srivastava K, Venkatraman A, Das N (2007). Association of promoter polymorphism ( 108 cytosine/thymidine) of human paraoxonase (pon1) gene, serum paraoxonase activity and low levels of HDL with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) in Asian Indians. Atherosclerosis 8(1): 232. (Abstract Published)

Selected Technical Expertise

Molecular Biology & Biochemical Techniques

Nucleic Acid Isolation (Genomic DNA, RNA and Plasmid)

PCR-RFLP

Real Time PCR and RT-PCR

DNA Sequencing (Sanger method)

Gel electrophoresis (Agarose; Native and SDS PAGE)

Protein purification and analysis

Western, Southern Blotting and Northern Blotting

Quantitative and qualitative Analysis of Biomolecules

Quantitative estimation of lipids and lipoproteins

Enzyme assays

Cell Biology and Immunological Techniques

Maintenance and handling of mammalian Cell Lines

Generation of stable cell lines

Immunostaining, Immunoblotting, and Immunoprecipitation

ELISA and RIA

Other Skills

Comprehensive knowledge of computer application (MS-Office, Adobe Photoshop etc). Basic knowledge of Bioinformatics (BLAST, Motif search tools, PRIMER design, Haplotype construction, Genetic analysis, Linkage analysis, pedigree analysis) and Statistical Analysis Software (SPSS).

Member/ Affiliation with scientific societies

Life member of Indian Society of Atherosclerosis Research

Member of International Society of Atherosclerosis Research

Life member of The Indian Science Congress Association

Personal Profile

Father’s Name : Md. Yusuf

Date of Birth : 12-01-1977

Nationality : Indian

Sex : Male

Marital Status : Married

Languages Known : English, Hindi and Urdu

Address : P-35, Street No – 6, Batla House

Jamia Nagar, New Delhi - 110025

References:

Dr. Nibhriti Das Dr. Saleem Javed

Ex. Professor Professor

Department of Biochemistry Department of Biochemistry

All India Institute of Medical Sciences Aligarh Muslim University

Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India - 110029 Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India - 202002

Email: ********@*******.*** Email: *************@*****.***

Mobile : +91-981******* Mobile : +91-981*******

Dr. Kalpana Luthra Dr. V K Gupta

Professor Professor

Department of Biochemistry Department of Biochemistry

All India Institute of Medical Sciences &

Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India – 110029 Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences

Email : *************@*****.*** Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra

Tel: +91-112******* Haryana, India - 136119

Email: *********@**********.***

Mobile : +91-989*******

Declaration: The above mentioned information is correct to the best of my knowledge and given a chance I will serve my duty with honesty and sincerity.

Date :- (Imteyaz Ahmad)

Contact this candidate