KAZI RIFAT ANTARA
College Park,USA
Summary
To seek and maintain full-time position in research and education sectors that offers professional challenges utilizing interpersonal and problem-solving skills.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
PhD Student/ Research Assistant
Comparative Biomedical Science, UMD
08.2018 - 12.2023
- Conducted experiments using cutting-edge tools and equipment to test hypotheses and validate theories.
- Participated in regular meetings with project supervisors, providing progress updates and discussing potential challenges or areas for improvement.
- Conducted background research on specific topics, establishing a foundation for project success.
- Reviewed and synthesized relevant research articles to inform the development of research questions and hypotheses.
- Performed statistical, qualitative, and quantitative analysis.
- Planned, modified and executed research techniques, procedures and tests.
- Provided comprehensive research assistance and support when designing and executing experiments.
- Conducted thorough literature reviews to better understand research topics and prepare for studies.
Teaching Assistant
Department Of Microbiology, UMD
01.2019 - 05.2019
Microbial genetics
- Improved overall class participation by implementing group activities and project-based learning.
- Collaborated with fellow teaching assistants to create a consistent and supportive learning environment for students.
- Designed and implemented engaging classroom activities, resulting in higher student interest and motivation for around forty students.
Lecturer
World University
08.2016 - 12.2016
- Managed large class sizes effectively, maintaining an orderly learning environment conducive to student success.
- Participated in professional development opportunities to stay current with industry trends and continuously improve instructional approaches.
- Implemented differentiated instruction methods to address the unique needs of each learner, ensuring academic success for students.
Education
Ph.D. - Comparative Biomedical Science
University of Maryland
College Park, MD, USA05-2024
MS - Microbiology
University of Dhaka
Dhaka, Bangladesh11.2015
BS(Hons.) - Microbiology
University of Dhaka
Dhaka, Bangladesh05.2014
Skills
- Cloning- PCR, gel electrophoresis, restriction digestion, ligation, transformation, sequencing
- Determination of gene expression- DNA/ RNA extraction, cDNA systhesis, quantitative-PCR, RNA-seq
- Microscopy-Confocal, compound microscopy, scanning electron microscopy
- Protein: protein purification and concentration, SDS-PAGE, western-blot, visualization of protein structure, protein quantification
- Protein-protein interaction assay: Far Western, direct and indirect ELISA, co-immunoprecipitation and mass-spectrometry, BLI, chromatography
- Protein-DNA interaction: EMSA, CHIP-seq
- Basic cell culture techniques such as maintaining, harvesting, seeding, and transfection
- Bacterial culture-Identification of bacteria using cultural, microscopic and biochemical techniques, enumeration, maintaining and preserving the bacterial cultures, bacterial acquisition and transmission
- Antibiotic resistance assay: MIC and MBC, anti-biogram of pathogens, antagonism assay in solid and liquid media
- Gene silencing: RNAi
- Polyclonal antibody production
Scholarships And Awards
- Comparative biomedical science departmental fellowship, University of Maryland (2023 and 2020).
- Dean's Award: Department of biological science (Session-2012-2013).
- NST Scholarship: National Science and Technology scholarship for graduate thesis work.
- Undergraduate Scholarship: Scholarship of merit offered by Begum Rokeya Hall, Dhaka University.
RESEARCH Projects
Dissertation: Biological significance of selected Ixodes scapularis transcription factors regulating tick hematophagy and development.
- Identified transcription factor like genes in the Ixodes scapularis genome.
- Identified two major groups of transcription factors which can have significant impact in tick development.
- Identified one major group of transcription factor which has impact in EGF-signaling and have significant impact in cuticle formation.
- Designed primers for the target genes, cloned in the relevant vectors, confirmed clones via DNA-sequencing, checked protein induction via SDS-PAGE, visualized protein structure via Pymol, purified protein, isolated protein fractions via chromatography.
- Checked protein-protein interaction via BLI, far-western, ELISA, Co-IP and mass-spectrometry.
- Measured the gene expression via RNA extraction and qPCR.
- Produced polyclonal antibodies in mice, used antibody specificity via western blot.
- Performed gene knockdown via RNAi, compared the differential expression of the genes in control and knockdown ticks via RNA-seq.
- Identified protein-DNA interaction via EMSA.
Project during research assistantship: Cloning and purification of Ixodes scapularis immunity related genes and proteins.
- Cloned Ixodes scapularis immunity related genes such as SP10, Spitz, Haemolectin, Dome.
- Produced recombinant proteins of the genes mentioned above in different vectors such as pGEX-6P1 and pET-28a.
- Used primer designing, cloning, SDS-PAGE, DNA-seq, protein purification, qPCR and western-blot in this project.
- Produced polyclonal antibodies in mice and checked their specificity via western blot and ELISA.
Project in ICDDR'B: Metagenomic analysis of sewage and river sludge.
- Isolated DNA from the sewage samples.
- Identified the presence of different viral and bacterial isolates through DNA-sequencing.
M.S. Thesis: Detection of genetic variants of hepatitis B virus in multi-transfused patients.
- Collected, isolated and identified different gram positive and gram-negative bacterial isolates from the immunocompromised patients.
- Identified Hep B and Hep C viruses from the blood samples through direct and indirect ELISA.
- Confirmed their presence through DNA-sequencing.
- Prepared various bacterial media and performed MIC and MBC assays.
Undergraduate Internship Project: Detection of fungi spore Aspergillus niger in the food sample.
- Collected the food samples from local restaurants and checked their presence through the growth on fungal media.
- Measured the enzymatic activities of fungi via spectroscopy.
Publications
Biological Significance of Selected Ixodes scapularis Transcription Factors Regulating Tick Hematophagy and Development
. University of Maryland, College Park ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 2023. 30811895.Antara, Kazi Rifat
Timeline
Teaching Assistant
Department Of Microbiology, UMD
01.2019 - 05.2019
PhD Student/ Research Assistant
Comparative Biomedical Science, UMD
08.2018 - 12.2023
Lecturer
World University
08.2016 - 12.2016
MS - Microbiology
University of Dhaka
BS(Hons.) - Microbiology
University of Dhaka
Ph.D. - Comparative Biomedical Science
University of Maryland