Muhammad Asif
Duke University School of Medicine
Durham,USA
5
years of professional experience
Experimental biomedical scientist with a PhD and hands-on expertise in transgenic mouse models, skeletal muscle injury and regeneration, muscle stem cell biology, and extracellular vesicle-mediated inter-organ communication. Experienced in connecting genetic and molecular perturbations to tissue-level phenotypes through mouse studies, primary cell and ex vivo myofiber assays, molecular profiling, advanced imaging, and transcriptomic analysis. Published first author with experience independently developing reporter-mouse platforms, interpreting multidimensional biological data, and collaborating across regenerative biology, metabolism, proteomics, and bioengineering.
Work History
Research Scholar
2 Years 2 Months- Investigated causal mechanisms governing skeletal muscle stem-cell maintenance, tissue regeneration, and systemic metabolism using transgenic mouse models, molecular biology, imaging, and transcriptomic approaches to advance understanding of metabolic health.
- Evaluate PRMT5-dependent mechanisms in obesity-associated metabolic dysfunction under high-fat-diet conditions, linking skeletal muscle biology to whole-body metabolic phenotypes.
- Study SNW1 function in muscle stem-cell maintenance and regenerative responses, integrating in vivo tissue phenotyping with molecular and cellular readouts.
- Investigated extracellular vesicle-mediated communication between skeletal muscle and intestine to define mechanisms of metabolic regulation and inter-organ crosstalk, contributing to knowledge of metabolic disease management.
- Coordinate experimental planning, troubleshooting, sample processing, data interpretation, and communication of findings in a collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment.
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine
Graduate Researcher
4 Years 9 Months- Advanced an interdisciplinary muscle-gut crosstalk project from model development through mechanistic experiments and manuscript preparation, resulting in a first-author manuscript under review.
- Executed mouse genetics workflows, including genotyping, breeding, colony management, and tissue collection, to support skeletal muscle injury and regeneration studies.
- Executed mouse genetics workflows including genotyping, breeding, colony management, tissue collection, and skeletal muscle injury/regeneration studies.
- Applied molecular cloning, qRT-PCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, and tissue clearing to comprehensively quantify molecular and tissue-level phenotypes.
- Applied molecular cloning, qRT-PCR, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, and tissue clearing to quantify molecular and tissue-level phenotypes.
- Advanced interdisciplinary muscle-gut crosstalk project from model development to mechanistic experiments and manuscript preparation, culminating in a first-author manuscript under review.
Education
PhD - Animal Sciences / Cancer Research
Dissertation: Establishing a reporter mouse model of muscle-derived extracellular vesicles to investigate muscle-organ crosstalk
MS - Animal Nutrition
Thesis focus: Mannan-oligosaccharide effects on gut health, immunity, and performance
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
Skills
R programming
Bulk RNA-seq analysis in R
Single-cell RNA-seq analysis in R
Data visualization
Statistical analysis
Mouse models of high-fat diet-induced obesity and barium chloride-induced skeletal muscle injury
Tissue harvest and processing
immunofluorescence
confocal microscopy
and tissue clearing
Skeletal muscle injury
regeneration
satellite-cell biology
and primary myogenic systems
Extracellular vesicle biology
muscle-organ crosstalk
metabolic regulation
and obesity biology
Mouse genetics
genotyping
breeding and colony management
PCR
qRT-PCR
molecular cloning
Western blotting
co-immunoprecipitation
and transduction
Myoblast differentiation
Primary myoblast culture
Single-myofiber isolation
Transcriptomic interpretation
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATION, TEACHING, AND LEADERSHIP
- Graduate Teaching Assistant, Purdue University (2022-2024): taught Fundamentals of Biology I and II and Human Anatomy and Physiology; led laboratory and discussion sessions; mentored students in experimental design and data interpretation.
- Poster presentation: Skeletal muscle PRMT5 regulates systemic lipid metabolism through extracellular vesicle-dependent muscle-gut crosstalk.
- Communicate research through peer-reviewed publications, manuscript development, presentations, interdisciplinary discussions, and trainee mentorship.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
- Asif M, Kim KH, Liu YK, Rather HA, Varghese S, Lee DE, Tao WA, Kuang S. Extracellular vesicles mediate a muscle-gut crosstalk to regulate intestinal lipid uptake and systemic metabolism. Journal of Extracellular Vesicles. Under review, 2026.
- Asif M, Oprescu SN, Shang R, Zhang Z, Yue F, Bi P, Kuang S. ASB5 is a specific marker for muscle satellite cells but dispensable for skeletal muscle development and regeneration. Skeletal Muscle. 2026;16(1):15. doi:10.1186/s13395-025-00409-y.
- Zhang H, He M, Asif M, Deng Y, Huang R, Kuang S. Pharmacological inhibition of N-terminal methyltransferase 1 promotes myogenic differentiation and muscle regeneration in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Stem Cell Research & Therapy. 2026;17(1):139. doi:10.1186/s13287-026-04934-5.
- Quan M, Liu YK, Mahmoodi M, Asif M, Kay M, Yang Y, Huang F, Tao WA, Kuang S. Proteomic and super-resolution analyses of murine brown adipocyte-derived extracellular vesicles. Journal of Extracellular Biology. 2026;5:e70140. doi:10.1002/jex2.70140.
- Asif M, Hayat Z, Rahman A, Qamar MF, Nawaz S, Ijaz M, et al. Effects of mannan-oligosaccharide supplementation on gut health, immunity, and production performance of broilers. Brazilian Journal of Biology. 2024;84:e250132. doi:10.1590/1519-6984.250132.
FELLOWSHIP AND AWARD
US-Pak Knowledge Corridor PhD Fellowship, Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (2021-2026), a national merit-based award supporting doctoral training at leading U.S. research institutions.
Timeline
Research Scholar
Duke University School of Medicine
06.2024 - CurrentRead More
Graduate Researcher
Kuang Laboratory, Purdue University
08.2021 - 05.2026Read More
Bahauddin Zakariya University
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
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University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences
MS from Animal Nutrition
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Purdue University
PhD from Animal Sciences / Cancer Research
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