Irfana Saleem

Enthusiastic and driven RNA biologist with experience in RNA structure, RNA-protein interactions, and post-transcriptional gene regulation. My expertise spans next-generation sequencing (NGS), molecular biology, and biochemistry, with a strong publication record. Highly organized, initiative-taking, and collaborative, I thrive in multidisciplinary research environments and am eager to contribute to innovative discoveries in RNA biology.

• NCI Scholarship Recipient, Keystone Protein-RNA Interactions, Canada (2023) – Oral & Poster Presentation
• Outstanding Poster Presentation, Dept. of Biochemistry, UNMC (2018)
• RNA Society PhD Fellowship Winner, Bermuda Principles: Impact on Splicing (2018) – Oral Presentation
• Graduate Research Fellowship, UNMC (2017-2019)
• INSPIRE Fellowship, Ministry of Human Resource Development, India (2010-2015)
• Award of Excellence, IISER Mohali (2013-2014)

• Mohsin Raza, Asher Rajkumar Rajan, Achyuth Kalluchi, Irfana Saleem, Benjamin B. Kennedy, Kishor K. Bhakat, Hamid Band, M. Jordan Rowley, Vimla Band. ECD functions as a novel RNA-binding protein to regulate mRNA splicing. (Submitted to NAR)
• Irfana Saleem, Thomas Miller, Lucas Kearns, David Mitchell, Ritwika Bose, Chase Weidman, Anthony Mustoe. Simultaneous mapping of RNA secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure in living cells by multi-site DMS probing. (Co-first author, under review in Molecular Cell)
• Ritwika Bose, Irfana Saleem, Anthony Mustoe. Causes, functions, and therapeutic possibilities of RNA secondary structure ensembles and alternative states. Cell Chem Biol, Jan 18, 2024. (Co-first author, review article)
• Mitchell III, David, Jennifer Cotter, Irfana Saleem, and Anthony M. Mustoe. Mutation signature filtering enables high-fidelity RNA structure probing at all four nucleobases with DMS. Nucleic Acids Research, 2023.
• Bhopal C. Mohapatra, Sameer Mirza, Aditya Bele, C. B. Gurumurthy, Irfana Saleem, et al. Ecdysoneless overexpression in breast cancer is an independent prognostic marker, regulating Myc and Wnt signaling pathways. Molecular Cancer Research, 2022.
• Samuel W. Olson, Anne-Marie W. Turner, J. Winston Arney, Irfana Saleem, et al. Large-scale allosteric switch in the 7SK RNA regulates transcription in response to growth and stress. Molecular Cell, 2022.
• Mirza, S., A. Kalluchi, M. Raza, Irfana Saleem, et al. Ecdysoneless Protein Regulates Viral and Cellular mRNA Splicing to Promote Cervical Oncogenesis. Molecular Cancer Research, 2021.
• Irfana Saleem, S. Mirza, A. Sarkar, M. Raza, et al. The Mammalian Ecdysoneless Protein Interacts with RNA Helicase DDX39A To Regulate Nuclear mRNA Export. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 2021.
• Appolinaire A. Olou, Aniruddha Sarkar, Irfana Saleem, et al. Mammalian ECD Protein Is a Novel Negative Regulator of the PERK Arm of the Unfolded Protein Response. Molecular and Cellular Biology, 2017.