Plant Technician

Abdul Ahad (Ph.D.)

*** **** *** ****** ***. 604-***-****

Vancouver, BC, V5T 1L5 ************@*****.***

HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS

• Advance research experience in Plant Cell & Molecular Biology, Plant biochemistry, Plant physiology, Functional genomics and Bioinformatics.

• Expert for gene cloning, vector construction, both monocot and dicot transformation, sequencing, complex data analysis, editing and interpreting.

• Proficiency in writing reports, articles, proposal, newsletter and publications for communities and academia.

• Highly competent computer skills including Excel, Photoshop, Power Point, Picture publishers and Bioinformatics analysis for complex data.

• Advanced microscopic skills (fluorescence and confocal/SEM/TEM).

• Enjoy working within a team and also independently in a laboratory with high degree of accuracy (maintenance of lab equipment, experimental materials, lab safety and note book).

• Organize and project coordinate social awareness and environmental sustainability workshop/public awareness.

HIGHLIGHTS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Company Based Experience

Managing director of CanGreen, Canada Nov/10-till now

Professional Research Experience

Research Associate/ Senior technician Feb/08-June/10

Department of Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

• Seed coat development and isolation of new mutant either defected in mucilage production or secondary cell wall formation in Arabidopsis

• Seed coat specific microarray data analysis and candidate gene selection and characterization of mutant by using various standard biological techniques (i.e. HPLC, chemical analysis of cell wall, Promoter fusion, GUS assay, SEM and TEM sectioning etc.).

Visiting Researcher Nov/2007 – Jan/2008

Forest Science Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC

• Scots pine TILLING and comparative evolutionary gene mapping of white spruce and loblolly pine

Research Technician Aug/2007-Jan/2008

Dept. of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Umea, Sweden

• studied the Scots pine gene family evolution by using gene cloning and sequencing technique.

Research Associate Oct/06 – March/07

Dept. Mathematics and Natural Science, Stavanger University, Stavanger, Norway

• Identification of novel plastid division proteins in Arabidopsis and their functional characterization by using a range of molecular and cell biological techniques including yeast two hybrid interactions, advanced microscopy, constructing different overexpression/ RNAi vectors for Arabidopsis, transformation and BIFC technique based localization studies

Visiting Researcher August/2005

Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, MI, USA

• Tobacco mosaic virus movement protein (TMV-MP) role in activation tagged herbicide resistance tobacco mutant with altered cytoskleton dynamics.

Research Technician April/2004 – Sept/2006

Dept. of Plant Physiology, Umea Plant Science Centre, Umea University, Sweden

• Comparative functional genomics approach to elucidate dark induced Arabidopsis leaf senescence by using Micro-array based transcriptional profiling and GC-MS based metabolic profiling.

• Cell cytoskeleton and mitochondrial involvement during leaf senescence.

• Confocal microscopy based localization studies/ Real Time-PCR expression analysis.

Research Technician Nov/2000 – March/2004

Institute for Biology II, Botany, Albert-Ludwigs University, Freiburg, Germany

• Protoplast based transformation and isolation of T-DNA activation tagged tobacco mutant defected in cytoskeleton dynamics (anticytoskeletal herbicide/cold/ heavy metal aluminum and characterize their involvement either assembly/disassembly or depolimarization of plant microtubules).

Research Assistance Jan/1997 – Oct/2000

Institute for Biology II, Cell Biology, Albert-Ludwigs University, Freiburg, Germany

• Protoplast based transformation and isolation of T-DNA activation tagged tobacco mutant in calcium signaling pathway, isolating tagged gene by using plasmid rescue technique.

Post Graduate Researcher July/1995 – Dec/1996

Dept. of Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland

• Agrobacterium T-DNA and Particle Inflow Gun (PIG) mediated genetic transformation of rice/tobacco and their integration studies for better transformable rice lines: with Prof Ingo Potrykus.

Assistant Professor/ Institute Fellow Oct/1993 – June/1994

Institute of Biological Sciences, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

• Taught Plant Biology advance courses for M.Phil. researcher.

Assistant Researcher Oct/1992 – Sep/1993

Bangladesh Sericulture Research and Training Institute, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

• Established of mulberry tissue culture and production of fertile (Morus alba) clones and their field trials including soil chemical analysis.

Master of Science with Research Oct/1990 – Sep/1992

Dept. of Botany, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

• In vitro culture of watermelon, field establishment and maintenance.

• In vitro culture of Agel mamelos and their chemical analysis.

EDUCATION

Ph.D. in Plant Cell and Molecular Biology 2001

Institute for Biology, Cell Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

M.Phil. in Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology 1995

Institute of Biological Sciences, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Post Graduate Diploma in Sericulture 1993

Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Master of Science in Botany 1992

Dept. of Botany, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Bachelor of Science in Botany

Dept. of Botany, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh 1990

Attained advanced practical courses

2006: Methods and techniques in chemomatrix- Advance metabolomics data analysis, Chemistry Dept. Umea University, Sweden

2004: Methods and techniques in microarray -Advance data analysis- organize by Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.

1999/2000: Fluorescence microscopy: method used in cell biology- organized by Cell biology Institute, Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany.

1999: Crop protection and management- organized by NOVARTS, Basel, Switzerland.

1996: Analysis of Transgenic Plants- organized by ETH, Zurich, Switzerland.

List of Publications

Bhargava A, Ahad A, Wang S, Mansfield S D, Haughn G, Douglas C J and Ellis E B (2012) Interaction between MYB and KNOX transcription factors is involved in regulating secondary cell wall deposition in the Arabidopsis inflorencence stem and seed coat (MS submitted to Plant Phys).

Ahad, A., Jansson, S. And Gardeström, P and Møller, S.M. (2011) Field study of ARC mutants: A Metabolomics and echophysiological study under various environmental conditions (MS).

1. Dean G., Y. Cao, D Xiang, N.J. Provart, L. Ramsay, Ahad A., R. White, G. Selvaraj, R. Datla and G. Haughn (2011). Analysis of gene expression patterns during seed coat development in Arabidopsis. Mol. Plant 4: 1074–1091

2. Ouko M.O., Sambade, A., Brandner, K., Niehl, A., Pena, E., Ahad A., Heinlein M and Nick P. (2010) Tobacco mutants with reduced microtubule dynamics are less susceptible to TMV. P. Journal 62(5), 829-839.

3. Keech O, Pesquet E, Laurent, G., Ahad A., Bellini, C., Smith, S.M. and Gardeström P (2010) Insight into the early destabilization of the microtubule cytoskeleton during leaf senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana Plant Phys. 154, 1710-1720.

4. Ahad A, Keech, O., Sjödin, A., Moris, T., Jansson, S. And Gardeström, P. (2012) Leaf metabolism during dark-induced senescence in Arabidopsis: integration of metabolomics and transcriptomics (process for P Journal).

5. Keech, O., Edouard P, Ahad, A., Anna A, Nordvall, D., Vodnala, S.M., Tuominen, H., Hurry,V., Dizengremel, P., and Per Gardeström (2007) The different fate of mitochondria and chloroplasts during dark-induced senescence in Arabidopsis leaves Plant Cell and Environment. 30(12), 1523-1534.

6. Ahad, A. and Nick, P. (2007) Actin is bundled in activation-tagged tobacco mutants that tolerate aluminum. Planta. 225, 451-468.

7. Ahad, A., Wolf, J. and Nick, P. (2003) Activation tagged tobacco mutants that are tolerant to antimicrotubular herbicides are cross-tolerant to chilling stress. Trans. Res. 12, 615-629.

8. Ahad, A., Wolf, J. and Nick, P. (2002) Isolation of tobacco mutants with increased tolerance to low temperature and anticytoskeletal herbicides by activation tagging. Plant and Fungal Cytoskeleton, GRC, Andover, New Hampshire, USA: 8.

9. Ahad, A. 2001. Isolation and characterization of activation tagged tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) mutants in calcium signaling pathway. Ph.D. thesis submitted at the Cell Biology Institute, Biology II, Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

10. Sonia, Jaiwal, P.K., Ahad, A. and Sastry, K.U. (1999) Biodegradable plastics: an alternative to synthetic plastics. Everyman’s Science. XXXIV(2): 80-85.

11. Islam R., Haque, A. Rahman, M.H. and Ahad, A. (1999) Plant regeneration from hypocotyl explants of Citrullus lanatus Thunb. Pak. J. Bot. 31(1): 31-35.

12. Ahad, A. and Zahan, S.K.(1999) Biodegradable polythene from plants: Current Science 76(7): 863.

13. Sonja, Jaiwal, P.K., Ahad, A. and Sahoo, L. (1998) Green fluorescent protein: a nobel reporter gene. Current Science 74(5): 402-405.

14. Islam. R., Ahad, A., Rahman, S.M., Hossain, M. and Joarder, O.I. (1996) High frequency adventitious plant regeneration from radical explants of Aegle marmelos Corr. Pak. J. Bot. 28(2): 203-206.

15. Naderuzzaman. A.T.M., Zahan, S.K. and Ahad, A. (1996) Moringa cocanensis. A new angiosparmic record for Bangladesh. Bangladesh J. Bot. 25(1): 111-112.

16. Islam. R., Ahad, A., Reza, M.A., Mamun, A.N.K and Joarder, O.I. (1995) In vitro plant regeneration from zygotic embryos of Citrullus lanatus Thunb. Pak. J. Sci. Ind. Res. 38: 445-447.

17. Zaman. A., Islam, R., A. Ahad, A., Joarder, O.I. (1994) Plant regeneration from hypocotyl explants in mulberry (Morus alba L.) Bult. Sericult. 5:112-113.

18. Naderuzzaman. A.T.M., Roy, A.K., Zahan, S.K. and Ahad, A. (1994) Role of some leaf characters in the taxonomy of Morus alba L. cultivated in BSRTI, Rajshahi. Bult. Sericult. 5: 47-50.

19. Ahad. A., Islam, R., Hossain, M., Khalekuzzaman, M., Haque, A. and Joarder, O.I. (1994) Plant regeneration from immature and mature embryo axes of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb.). Plant Tissue Culture. 4(1): 39-44.

20. Zaman. A., Islam, R., Barman, A.C. Ahad, A., Quader, A. and Joarder, O.I. (1994) Effect of sucrose, pH and temperature on in vitro rooting of mulberry microshoot (Morus alba L.) Bult. Sericult. 4: 10-13.

21. Zaman. A., Islam, R., Hossain, M., Joarder, O.I. Ahad, A. and Bari, M.A. (1993) In Vitro morphogenic behavior of Mulberry (Morus alba L.) seedling shoot tip explants. J. Biosciences. 1: 49-53.

22. Zaman. A., Islam, R., Hossain, M., Ahad, A and Joarder, O.I. (1992) Clonal propagation through in vitro shoot proliferation of nodal explants of seven mulberry (Morus alba L.) genotypes. Plant Tissue Culture. 2(2): 71-74.

23. Ahad, A. (1992) Rapid propagation of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb.) through in vitro technique. Masters thesis submitted at the Department of Botany, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

Popular Article:

24. Ahad A and Zahan, S.K (1999) New technology can radically change the global food scenario. The Independent (www.independent-bangladesh.com), 7th & 8th January, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

25. Ahad A and Zahan, S.K (1999) Terminator technology: a promise to farmers or a hoax? The Independent (www.independent-bangladesh.com), 6th October, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

26. Ahad A and Zahan, S.K (1999) Genetic engineering for agriculture development. News from Bangladesh ‘NFB’ (www.bangladesh-web.com/news), 29th September, Dhaka,

Bangladesh.

27. Ahad A (1999) Enhanced nutrition with golden rice. The weekly Holiday (www.holiday.com), 28th August, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

28. Ahad, A and Zahan, S.K (1998) Mammals cloning technology. The Daily Star (www.dailystarnews.com) 17th November, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Abstracts/Poster presentation:

1. Ahad, A., Dean G, Cao Y, Xiang D, Selvaraj G, Datla R, Haughn G (2009) Functional genomics of Arabidopsis seed coat development. 7th Canadian Plant Genomics Workshop, Saskatoon, Canada.

2. Ahad, A., Dean G, Cao Y, Xiang D, Selvaraj G, Datla R, Haughn G (2008) Probing the Brassicaceae seed coat developmental program. Canola Industry Meeting & 5th Applying Genomics to Canola Improvement Workshop, Saskatoon, Canada.

3. Ahad, A., Dean G, Cao Y, Xiang D, Selvaraj G, Datla R, Haughn G (2008) Probing the Brassicaceae seed coat developmental program. Cell Wall Meeting, Asilomer, USA.

4. Ahad, A., Olivier, K., Sjödin, A., Pesquet, E., Askne, A., Nordvall, D., Vodnala, S., Stelund, H., Hannele, T., Vaughan, H., Pierre, D., Moritz, T., Jansson S., and P. Gardeström (2007) Mitochondria and leaf senescence. Proc. Int. Congress on Plant Mitochondrial Biology, Nara, Japan. L15.

5. Oliver, K., E. Pesquet, Ahad, A., Askne, A., Nordvall, D., Vodnala, S.M., Hannele, T., Vaughan, H., Pierre, D. and P. Gardeström (2007) The different fate of mitochondria and chloroplasts during dark-induced senescence in Arabidopsis leaves. Proc. Int. Congrss on Plant Mitochondrial Biology, Nara, Japan. P40.

6. Ahad, A., J. Maple and Møller, S.M. (2006) Functional characterization of ARC5. Proc. 5th National Congress in Arabidospis, Trondhaim, Norway (30th November).

7. Ahad, A., Olivier, K., Sjödin, A., Pesquet, E., Askne, A., Nordvall, D., Vodnala, S., Stelund, H., Moritz, T., Jansson S., and P.Gardeström (2006) Leaf metabolism during dark induced senescence in Arabidopsis. Proc. Plant Biol. Leon, France pp:73.

8. Ahad, A., A., Tromas, A., Sjödin, O., Skogström, S., Jansson and P.Gardeström, (2005) The involvement of mitochondria during leaf senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana. Proc. Intl. Plant Mitochondrial Biology Conf., Strassbourg, France. pp:01

9. Olivier, K., Askne, A., Ahad, A., Nordvall, D. and P.Gardeström, (2005) Energy metabolism during leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. Proc. Intl. Plant Mitochondrial Biology Conf., Strassbourg, France. pp:54

10. Ahad, A. and P. Nick. 2002. Microtubular stability and cold resistance in tagged mutants of tobacco. Proc. XXII, Scandinavian Society for Plant Physiology, Umeå, Sweden. pp: 18.

11. Ahad, A., A., Tromas, A., Sjödin, O., Skogström, S., Jansson and P.Gardeström, (2005) The involvement of mitochondria during leaf senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana. Proc. XXII, Scandinavian Society for Plant Physiology, Umeå, Sweden. pp: 22.

12. Ahad, A., A., Sjödin, O., Skogström, D., Nordvall, S., Jansson and P.Gardeström, (2005) Transcriptome and fluorescence analyses reveals individually covered leaf senescence in arabidopsis is different than whole plant in darkness. Proc. XXII, Scandinavian Society for Plant Physiology, Umeå, Sweden. pp:23

13.Tromas, A., A., Ahad, and P.Gardeström, (2005) Individually darkened leaf senescence and regreening in Arabidopsis: Transcription analysis in relation to physiological effects. Proc. XXII, Scandinavian Society for Plant Physiology, Umeå, Sweden. pp: 23.

14.Olivier, K., A. Askne, A. Ahad, D. Nordvall and P.Gardeström (2004) Energy metabolism during dark induced senescence in Arabidopsis leaves. 7th Nordic Photosynthesis Conf. in Turku, Finland. pp: 29

15. Ahad, A., J. Wolf and P. Nick. 2002. Isolation of tobacco mutants with increased tolerance to low temperature and anticytoskeletal herbicides by activation tagging. German Botanical Congress, Freiburg, Germany.

16. Wolf, J., A. Ahad and P. Nick. 2002. Tobacco in the rocks-Characterization of cold resistant mutants in respect of mictrotubules, German Botanical Congress, Freiburg, Germany.

17. Ahad, A., M. Rodriguez-Franco and G. Neuhaus. 1999. Cloning and Characterization of Calcium Regulatory Proteins from Plants via T-DNA Activation Tagging. Proc. 3rd Intl. Plant Tissue Culture Conf., pp-65 (No.100), March, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

18. Ahad, A., M. Rodriguez-Franco and G. Neuhaus. 1998. Isolation and characterization of Ca2+ regulatory proteins from plants via T-DNA activation tagging approach. Proc. German Botanical Congress, Bremen, Germany. pp.-275.

19. Neuhaus, G. T. Markle, O. Petr, M. Rodriguez-Franco, M. Ralf, and A. Ahad. 1998. Signaling pathways in Plants: Calcium and heterotrimeric G Proteins- state of art. Proc. Int. Cong. Plant Tissue and Cell Culture. Jerusalem, Israel.

20. Rodriguez-Franco M, A. Ahad and G. Neuhaus. 1997. Approaches to clone & characterize genes involved in Calcium signaling in plants. Proc. 5th Int. Cong. Plant Mol. Biol. Singapore.

Cover Letter

780 East 6th Avenue E-mail: ************@*****.***

Vancouver, BC, V5T 1L5

Tel. 604-***-**** Cell. 604-***-****

To, August 11, 2012

G-Con Biotherapeutics

College Station, Texas

Subject: Research Associate- Molecular Biology

Dear Sir,

In reference to your advertisement for “Research Associate- Molecular Biology” in your company interests me, as my expertise in the area of Plant Cell and Molecular Biology (i.e. gene discovery, gene expression analysis, Real Time CR etc.) as well as knowledge of lab maintenance has equipped me a possible contributor to your company.

During my work in the department of Botany at University of British Columbia, I focused on Canola and Arabidopsis seed coat development and analysis. This project has funded from Genome Alberta and Genome Canada via DOTM (Designing oil seed for tomorrow’s market) and screened for seed coat synthesize mucilage and secondary cell wall deposited collumela defected mutants and their analysis by using various biological techniques. Therefore, a huge number of mutants were grown either control environments or a field conditions and maintenance plant growth and development, seed harvesting and other materials collection for further molecular analysis.

During my research work at Germany, I focused on the function of microtubules in the plant response to stress (low temperature, herbicides, aluminum toxicity) and developed a novel approach (completely independently) to search for genes controlling microtubule dynamics in plants, by combining T-DNA activation tagging with a screen for resistance to microtubule-assembly blockers and, in parallel, tolerance to abiotic stresses that affect microtubules such as low temperature or a metal ion aluminum. For this project I employed a broad repertory of methods ranging from tissue culture, protoplast cultivation, plant transformation, immunofluorescence, fluorescence microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, subcellular fractionation, Western, Northern and Southern analysis, quantitative image analysis, classical plant physiology, plasmid rescue, inverse PCR and various cloning strategies. I adapt these methods to the system and used them with a high degree of care, skillfulness and competence.

During my research work at Umea Plant Science Centre, Sweden I extended the above mentioned methodological repertory by high-throughput genetic approaches such as expression profiling and metabolomics, and utilizes these techniques competently and efficiently on Arabidopsis dark induced leaf senescence process.

Actually, I started my European research life in the lab of Prof. Ingo Potrykus on Rice transformation at ETH, Zurich, Switzerland. Then I changed for my Ph. D. to Prof. Gunther Neuhaus at the University of Freiburg, Germany using T-DNA activation tagging to isolate calcium signaling mutants in tobacco.

Along with my education and experience, you will also find me as an enthusiastic team player and a quick learner. I am enclosing my resume herewith for your consideration. I would appreciate the opportunity to have a personal interview with you so that I will be able to explain more about my skill and qualification. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Abdul Ahad

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