Zohirul Islam, Ph.D.

Biography

Dr. Zohir Islam received his Ph.D. from Osaka Prefecture University, Japan. There, he characterized the expression and function of an orphan G protein-coupled receptor Gpr137b in osteoclast differentiation and macrophage polarization. He developed an interest in RNA biology research, and in 2020, he joined Dr. Muljo’s Integrative Immunobiology group. Currently, he focuses on identifying RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that regulate retrotransposons such as human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), and long- and short interspersed nuclear elements (LINE and SINE). He uses microscopy, RNA-seq, photoactivatable ribonucleoside-enhanced cross-linking and immunoprecipitation (PAR-CLIP), CRISPR technology and degron technology. In another project, he is interested in identifying microRNAs encoded by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and other coronaviruses.