State University Professional Experience

Zahabiya Husain

*** ******* ******, *** # *** Detroit, MI 48202 361-***-**** ********.********@*****.*** Education

M.Sc., Biological Sciences, Aug 2012

Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202

Thesis: “The Prdm gene apoptix antagonizes programmed cell death in Tribolium castaneum” Advisor: Dr. Markus Friedrich

B.Sc., Biotechnology, Aug 2009

Dr. D. Y. Patil Biotechnology and Bioinformatics Institute, Pune, India Thesis: “Effect of higher concentration of sucrose on growth and acclimatization of tissue-cultured turmeric plants”

Advisor: Dr. C. K. John

Skills

Molecular biology techniques: DNA/RNA extraction and purification, bacterial transformation, blue-white screening, plasmid isolation, restriction/TA cloning, RT-PCR, hot-start PCR, nested PCR, colony PCR, primer design, in vitro transcription, agarose gel electrophoresis, SDS-PAGE, Western blotting

Microscopic techniques: Sample analysis using upright and inverted compound microscopes, phalloidin and HRP fluorescent labeling using confocal microscope

Histological techniques: Pupal/adult beetle tissue dissection under stereo microscope, microinjection, whole mount and embryonic in situ hybridization

Microbiology techniques: Microbial staining, bacterial inoculations, electroporation, replica plating, bacteriophage assays, antibiotic susceptibility testing, motility test, media preparations, serial dilutions

Plant tissue culture techniques: Media preparation, sterilization, micro-propagation of explants in laminar air flow, biochemical analysis, callus culture

Lab Management skills: Ordering and log-book maintenance of lab inventory, stocking supplies, reagent preparation, maintenance of equipment, certified in Laboratory Standard and Hazardous Waste & Emergency Procedures

Bioinformatics and statistics tools: GraphPad Prism, JMP software, OASIS (Online Application for Survival analysis), VectorNTI, Blast, Clustal W, RasMol8

Computer skills: MS office, Lotus note, MS project

Databases: GenBank, NCBI, PBD, PubMed, Wormbase, ModEncode, FlyBase, FlyMine, FlyExpress, BeetleBase

Professional Experience

Research Assistant, Sep 2012-present

Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202

Used genetic, cellular and molecular approaches to identify genes involved in sensory influence on physiology in nematode C. elegans

Performed developmental assays and lifespan experiments that include microscopic and molecular biology techniques

Responsible for overall laboratory maintenance and lab inventory Graduate Teaching Assistant, Aug 2009-Aug 2012

Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202

Microbiology (BIO2200): Demonstrated various techniques, such as microbial staining, bacteriophage assay, bacterial identification, aseptic techniques, as well as supervised laboratory practical exams

Anatomy and Physiology (BIO2870): Detailed description of major systems of the body, using human anatomy models, sheep brain, sheep heart and cow eyes

Methods and Analysis (BIO6020): Demonstrated molecular biology techniques

Gave laboratory lectures, prepared and graded exams, proctored exams Project Mentor, May 2010-Aug 2012

Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202

Designed and assigned projects to research-directed undergraduate students

Supervised and introduced molecular biology techniques

Reported each student’s progress to the Principal Investigator Research Experience

“Elucidating the effects of food types on C. elegans longevity and physiology”, Wayne State University, Sep 2012-present

Studied the role of different genes affecting C. elegans lifespan and physiology in a food type-dependent manner

Performed statistical analysis using JMP software and OASIS

Optimized and performed small molecular fluorescent in situ hybridization (smFISH) on whole worms

Studied genetic interactions and epitases by generating double and triple mutants

“The Prdm gene apoptix antagonizes programmed cell death in Tribolium castaneum”, Wayne State University, Jan 2012-Aug 2012

Studied the role of the novel cell death-regulating transcription factor apoptix

Performed expression pattern analysis of apoptix on embryo and pupal heads by whole mount in situ hybridization

Investigated various embryonic and adult phenotypes by gene knockdowns

Identified the role of apoptix in the programmed cell death pathway of Tribolium eye development

“Functional genomic analysis of eye development and photoreceptor differentiation in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum”, Wayne State University, May 2010-May 2012

Identified candidate eye developmental regulators and genes that are antagonistic to eye determination in the developing Tribolium head using deep RNA sequencing

Validated genes in the wild type versus eye-depleted animals by in situ hybridization

Identified differentially regulated genes in Tribolium photoreceptor cells by sequencing a cDNA SAGE (Serial Analysis of Gene expression) library through the Illumina Solexa platform

Attached Illumina specific adapters to the photoreceptor cDNA library by nested PCR, which were confirmed by cloning and sequencing

Studied the interactions and functions of novel eye regulatory genes

“Effect of higher concentration of sucrose on growth and acclimatization of tissue-cultured turmeric plants”, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, India, Jan 2009-May 2009

Studied the effect of different sucrose concentrations on explants, biomass accumulation and biochemical parameters like sugar accumulation and leaf chlorophyll content

Successfully determined the optimum sucrose concentration required for growth of cultures in vitro and the acclimatization of plantlets on transplantation to ex vivo conditions Achievements

Publications

Patel MV, Hallal DA, Jones JW, Bronner DN, Zein R, Caravas J, Husain Z, Friedrich M, Van Berkum MFA. 2012. Dramatic expansion and developmental expression diversification of the Methuselah gene family during recent Drosophila evolution. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 318B:368–387. Manuscript submitted

Murat Artan, Dae-Eun Jeong, Dongyeop Lee, Young-I Kim, Heehwa G. Son, Zahabiya Husain, Jinmahn Kim, Ozlem Altintas, Kyuhyung Kim, Joy Alcedo, Seung-Jae V. Lee. Food-derived sensory cues modulate longevity via distinct neuroendocrine insulin-like peptides. Poster Presentations

“Functional genomic analysis of eye development in red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum”

Summer Symposium on Transcriptional Dynamics, Evolution and Systems Biology, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, July 2011

53rd Annual Drosophila Research Conference, Chicago, IL, March 2012

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