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Mohd Azam, Ph.D. Research Fellow

Department of Microbiology, J. N. Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, A.M.U, Aligarh- INDIA PIN-202002

Mobile No: 91-9410801771 E-mail I.D: mdazam25@gmail.com, mdazam25@hotmail.com

Research Interest

Immuno-pathogenesis, Gene expression, Protein expression, Molecular drug resistance analysis, Cytokines analysis, Molecular diagnosis & Epidemiology of :- HIV-1, Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, Dengue virus, Influenza, TTV, SEN & gram positive/ negative bacteria & Candida albicans.

Education

2014

2004

2000

PhD in Microbiology, J. N. Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh & at National Centre for Disease Control, New Delhi, India.

MSc in Biotechnology, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, India.

BSc (Hons.) in Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India.

Professional Experience

2014-till date

2011-2014

2008-2011

2007(Feb to Nov)

Research Associate (Post doctorate), D/O Microbiology, J. N. Medical College, A.M.U, Aligarh.

Senior Research Fellow, D/O Microbiology, J. N. Medical College, A.M.U, Aligarh.

Senior/Junior Research Fellow, D/O Microbiology, J. N. Medical College, A.M.U, Aligarh.

Research Fellow, College of Medicine, Inha University, South Korea.

Award/Fellowship

2012

2011

2011

2011

HIV SCIENCE 2012 Scholarship to attend the International conference, Chennai.

Senior Research Fellowship awarded for 3 years by ICMR, New Delhi.

Asicon 2011 Scholarship to attend Asicon 2011-Lucknow, AIDS Society of India.

Secured First prize in Poster presentation, J. N. Medical college A.M.U. Aligarh.

Laboratory skills

Molecular biology:

Proteomics:

Cell Culture:

Bioinformatics:

Software: (basic knowledge of)

DNA Sequencing, RFLP, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)- Multiplex, Nested, Semi-nested, Hemi-nested; DNA/ RNA extraction, Reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), mRNA expression.

Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), SDS-PAGE, Western Blot, ELISA, Protein Extraction & Estimation & Protein Expression.

Generation of Murine Osteoclast cells, Culture of Bone marrow mono nuclear cells (BMMNC), Maintaining and characterization of Cell lines (i.e. Raw 264.7 murine machrophages), cell culture of Candida albicans & its cell counts by haemocytometer.

Sequence alignment, DNA sequence analysis, Phylogenetic analysis, Genotyping.

MEGA, Bio Edit version 7.0.9.0, SPSS v17, Med Calc, REGA v2.0 subtyping tool

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Publications

2014

2014

2013

2013

2013

2013

2013

2012

2012

2012

2011

2011

2016

2016

2014

2012

Rizvi M*, Azam M*, Sultan A, Shukla I, Malik A, Ajmal MR, Khan F, Sami H. Prevalence of genotype D in chronic liver disease patients with occult HBV infection in northern region of India. Indian Journal of Pathology and Microbiology. 57(4): 537-541.

Azam M, Malik A, Rizvi M, Rai A. Zero prevalence of primary drug resistance associated mutations to protease inhibitors in HIV-1 drug naive patients in and around Aligarh, India. Journal of Infection in Developing Countries. 8(1): 79-85.

Azam M, Malik A, Rizvi M, Rai A. Trends of drug resistance-associated mutations in the reverse transcriptase gene of HIV type 1 isolates from North India. Archives of Virology. 159(4): 719-25.

Azam M, Malik A, Rizvi M, Singh S, Gupta P, Rai A. Emergence of drug resistance-associated mutations in HIV-1 subtype C protease gene in north India. Virus Genes. 47(3): 422-428.

Sami H*, Rizvi M*, Azam M*, Mukherjee RM, Shukla I, Ajmal MR, Malik A. Emergence of hepatitis B virus genotype f in aligarh region of north India. Advances in Virology. doi: 10.1155/2013/846849.

Rizvi M*, Jahan S*, Azam M*, Ajmal MR, Shukla I, Malik A. Prevalence and assessment of role of SEN Virus in acute and chronic hepatitis in India. Tropical Gastroenterology. 34(4): 227–234.

Rizvi M*, Azam M*, Sami H, Shukla I, Malik A, Ajmal MR, Khan F, Sultan A. Role of IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IFN- γ and TNF-α in the Immunopathogenesis of Acute Hepatitis B Virus Infection. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Research 2(6): 646-651.

Azam M, Malik A, Rizvi M, Singh S, Ram H, Singhal M, Gupta P. Prevalence of drug resistance mutation in HIV-1 protease gene from North India. BMC Infectious Diseases 12(suppl 1):P84.

Rizvi M*, Azam M*, Sultan A, Khan F, Shukla I, Malik A, Ajmal MR. Assessment of interleukin 10 in Leptospira Associated Acute Hepatic Syndrome. Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology: 6(spl Edn): 01-07.

Rizvi M*, Azam M*, Sami H, Shukla I, Malik A, Ajmal MR. Assessment of IFN-Gamma and IL-10 in Acute HBV Patients. Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology. 6(spl Edn): 45-50.

Rizvi M*, Azam M*, Ajmal MR, Shukla I, Malik A. Prevalence of leptospira in acute hepatitis syndrome and assessment of IL-8 and TNF-alpha level in leptospira hepatitis. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology. 105(7): 499-506.

Rizvi M*, Azam M*, Shukla I, Malik A, Ajmal MR. “Leptospirosis: an emerging disease in cryptogenic Hepatitis patients in North India.” Biology and Medicine. Special Issue 3(2): 176-181.

Note: *Authors contributed equally

Fatima Khan, Md. Mahtab, Nadeem Ahmad, Indu Shukla, Meher Rizvi, Mohd. Azam, Asfia Sultan, Saif Quaiser. Rapid diagnosis of leptospirosis by IgM ELISA in resource poor settings. International Journal of Health Sciences & Research. 6(3): 73-79. Sami Hiba, Rizvi Meher, Azam Mohd, Ajmal MR, Shukla Indu, Khan Haris M. Viral Etiology and Assessment of HBV Genotypes in Fulminant Hepatic Failure: The Present Scenario. Annals of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. 3(1): A22-A28. Rizvi M, Azam M, Sultan A, Khan F, Shukla I, Malik A, Ajmal MR. Role of IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α levels in pathogenesis of leptospiral acute hepatitis syndrome. Annals of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. 1(2): A10-A17.

Rizvi M, Malik A, Khan K, Azam M, Parvez A, Khan H.M., Shukla I. Evaluation of Prevalence and Associated Symptoms of Chikungunya in a Tertiary Care Centre in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology. 6 (spl Edn): 63-66.

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2012

2012

Rizi M, Azam M, Ajmal MR, Malik A, Shukla I, Afroz N. Role of Interferon- gamma and Interleukin-12 in the Immunopathogenesis of hepatitis B virus infections. Euroasian Journal of Hepato-Gastroenterology. 2(1): 5-9.

Jahan S, Rizvi M, Azam M, Ajmal MR, Shukla I, Malik A. Prevalance of Torque Teno Virus (TTV) infection in liver disease patients. Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology. 6(spl Edn): 8-12.

2011

Haider M, Rizvi M, Malik A, Azam M, Rabbani MU. Acute and chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and inflammatory markers in coronary artery disease patients. Journal of Infection in Developing Countries. 5(8):580-586.

Conference Attended (selected)

2012

2011

2010

2007

Prevalence of drug resistance mutations in HIV-1 protease gene from North India: presented poster at Chennai-INDIA (20th-22nd January)

Analysis of HIV drug resistance mutations in HIV-1 protease gene of drug naive patients from North India: Oral presentation at Lucknow-INDIA (16th-18th December)

Study of IL-12 and IFN-gamma in immunopathogenesis of acute and chronic HBV infection: presented poster at AIIMS, New Delhi-INDIA (17th -18th April)

Taurine Chloramine Induces Heme Oxygenase-1 Expression in Raw 264.7 Murine Macrophages: presented poster at Seoul, SOUTH KOREA (18th -19th, October)

Gene Sequences submitted to NCBI

2012

2013

2013

Azam M et al. Genotypic alterations in the protease gene of HIV-1 clinical isolates from ART naive and treated subjects at a tertiary care hospital of northern India. Accession Number- JX256193 to JX256245 (53 sequences) Azam M et al. Molecular analysis of drug resistance-associated mutations in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase gene from North India. Accession Number- KC820518 to KC820620 (103 sequences) Azam M et al. Prevalence of primary drug resistance-associated mutations to protease inhibitors in HIV-1 infected patients. Accession Number- KC879721 to KC879733 & KC764421 to KC764458 (51 sequences)

English Language Proficiency

2005

2005

GRE on 27th April (Scored-1140/ 1600).

TOEFL on 28th December (Scored-217/300).

Details of Research Experience

Research Associate ship (Post Doctoral): (2014-till date ) Brief summary:

Working from 2 years on various microbiological topics like bacteriological, viral and fungal infection. Bacteriology: I - Molecular detection of MRSA by mec A and Luk-PV genes in gram positive clinical isolates. II - Molecular diagnosis of metallo beta lactamases (MBL’s) genes like VIM, IMP, NDM-1 genes in gram negative clinical isolates and genotyping of NDM-1 gene was carried out by DNA sequencing. III- Molecular detection of ESBL & AmpC genes in ICU patients. Virology: I- Molecular diagnosis of HBV, HCV, HIV-1 viruses by PCR.

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PhD. Thesis: (2011-2014)

Brief summary:

Research project: (2008-2011)

Brief summary:

Research project: (Feb-Nov, 2007)

Brief summary:

Master’s dissertation: (Jan- June, 2004)

Brief summary:

Fungus: I- Molecular diagnosis of Candida albicans by detecting ALS-1 & HWP-1 genes in HIV-1 clinical isolates. II- Effect of Silver Nano particles on ALS-1 & HWP-1gene expression in overnight cultured C. Albicans cells. “Molecular analysis of drug resistance in HIV-1 infected patients in North India”

The main aim of the proposed study was to identify the drug resistance associated mutations in HIV-1 protease and reverse transcriptase region of polymerase gene among North Indian population and assess the phylogenetic relatedness of these patients to known HIV-1 strains. My Ph.D. thesis research work involved the PBMC extraction from whole blood, pro-viral DNA extraction, PCR for Protease and Reverse transcriptase gene of HIV-1genome, DNA sequencing of amplified products, DNA sequence analysis by MEGA, version 4.0 and Bio Edit version 7.0.9.0 software, genotypic drug resistance interpretation was done by different HIV algorithms and finally HIV-1 genotyping was done by REGA v2.0 and constructed the phylogenetic tree by MEGA v4 software.

“Occult hepatitis B virus infection: diagnosis, immunological profile and clinical implication in patients with chronic liver disease”

Amplified PCR products of particular gene regions of HBV were sequenced to find out the HBV genotypes circulating in this region and detected mutations in pre-core gene of HBV. We quantified the Th-1 and Th-2 cytokines by using ELISA and correlated with the clinical outcomes. We also detected the SEN and TTV viruses by using PCR in patients who were serologically negative for HBV and HCV.

“Effect of Taurine chloramine on heme oxygenase-1 expression in murine macrophages (Raw 264.7 cell line)”

Heme oxygenase-1 is a stress response & antioxidant enzyme. To know the effect of Taurine Chloramine on HO-1 activity in macrophages, We were studying mRNA expression of HO-1 gene, iNOS gene and some other genes, protein expression (by Western blot) of HO-1 & other proteins, Nuclear translocation of NrF2 transcriptional factor and NrF2 & ARE binding by EMSA (Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay). Finally, we wanted to know that what specific mechanism involves in Heme oxygenase-1 induction in macrophages by Taurine Chloramine.

“Molecular subtyping of HIV isolates by partial nucleotide sequencing of integrase gene”

Amplified products of HIV-1 Integrase gene were sequenced. Nucleotide sequences were edited & phylogenetic trees were constructed for molecular subtyping of HIV isolates. Study revealed majority of isolates to be of HIV-I Subtype C.

References

Prof. (Dr.) Abida Malik (MD) PhD mentor

Ex-Dean and Chairperson, Department of Microbiology,

J.N. Medical College, A.M.U., Aligarh-202002 (INDIA)

E-mail: abidamalik2k@gmail.com Mobile No: +91-9897007606

Dr. Arvind Rai (PhD) PhD co-mentor

Joint Director & Head Division of Biochemistry &

Biotechnology National Centre for Disease Control

New Delhi- 110054 (INDIA) E-mail: hodbio@hotmail.com Mobile No: +91-9810385357

Dr. Meher Rizvi (MD) Project supervisor

Assistant Professor (Senior) Department of Microbiology,

J.N. Medical College, A.M.U., Aligarh-202002 (INDIA)

E-mail: rizvimeher@gmail.com Mobile No: +91-9837160124