AZIZ UL IKRAM
Ph.D. Plant Biology
Postal Address: Village Bedag, P/O Madyan, District Swat, KP, Pakistan
Email: azizikram.qau@gmail.com, azizikram@mail.ustc.edu.cn
Mobile: +92-346-9866864
RESEARCH INTERESTS & CAREER ASPIRATIONS
A highly motivated young Ph.D. with the long term aim of achieving an academic research career. Proficient in molecular biology, CRSIPR/Cas9 genome editing, transgenic plants generation and protein biochemistry. The recent focus of my research is crops improvement using latest genome editing techniques including development of stress tolerant plants, biofortification and hybrid development.
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION
2016.09-2021.12 Ph.D. Plant Biology, University of Science & Technology of China.
2012.09-2014.08 M.Phil. Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
2007.08-2012.01 BS Biotechnology, Gomal University, D.I. Khan, Pakistan.
RESEARCH/WORK EXPERIENCE
2016.09-2021.12 Ph.D. Scholar, University of Science & Technology of China
Ph.D. Dissertation Title: “SWR1 Complex is Involved in Rice Height and Tiller Number”
2014.07-2016.07 Junior Scientific Officer, Qarshi Industries Pvt. Ltd., Haripur, Pakistan.
2012.09-2014.08 M.Phil. Scholar, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad Pakistan
M.Phil. Dissertation Title: “DNA barcoding of Family Apiaceae using conserved gene sequences”.
2011.09-2012.09 Microbiologist, Fozon Pharmaceuticals Peshawar, Pakistan
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SKILLS
·Gene isolation and cloning, Agarose Gel Electrophoresis
·Genome editing of plants (Rice, Wheat, Arabidopsis and Maize) through CRISPR/CAS9
oTarget selection, Cas9 Vector construction, transformation & regeneration through tissue culturing, Genotyping, Heterozygous characterization, Vector free lines selection etc.
oUsing different CRISPR Cas tools e.g., CRISPOR.org, CRISPR-P v2.0, CRISPR-GE (Genome Editing) - Liu YG Lab
oMMEJ-KO, DSDecodeM, IDT Codon Optimization Tool
·T-DNA mutants’ characterization
·Protein expression & purification, Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (PAGE), Wester blotting
·Protein-Protein interaction assays (Pull down, CoIP, Y2H, BiFC etc.)
·Protein-DNA interaction assays (EMSA, ITC etc.)
·RNA extraction, qPCR, Gene expression analysis etc.
·Protoplast isolation and transformation, Florescent and Confocal microscopy,
·Phylogenetic trees construction and interpretation, Searching various databases e.g., NCBI (GenBank, PubMed, Gene, Genome, Protein), arabidopsis.org, RAP-DB, RGAP etc.
·Microsoft office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Windows, Software installation, management & trouble shooting, GraphPad, SPSS etc.
·Clinical Microbiology including pure culture isolation from clinical samples identification and sensitivity testing
·Skills of writing research papers, synopsis and reports
LANGAUGES
·English, Chinese, Urdu, Pashto
PUBLICATIONS
·Ikram A.U., Zhang F, Xu Z, Li E, Xue G, Wang S, Zhang C, Yang Y, Su Y, Ding Y. Chromatin remolding factors OsYAF9 and OsSWC4 interact to promote internode elongation in rice. Plant Physiology (IF 8.340), 188(4), 2199-2214.
·Wang, S., Zhang, F., Jiang, P., Zhang, H., Zheng, H., Chen, R., Xu, Z., Ikram, A. U., Li, E., Xu, Z., Fan, J. #, Su, Y. #, & Ding, Y. # (2021). SDG128 is involved in maize leaf inclination. The Plant Journal (IF 6.417), 108(6), 1597-1608.
·Ikram, A.U., Ding, Y. #, & Su, Y. # (2021). OsARP6 Is Involved in Internode Elongation by Regulating Cell-Cycle-Related Genes. Biomolecules (IF 4.879), 11(8), 1100.
·Jiang, P., Wang, S., Ikram, A.U., Xu, Z., Jiang, H., Cheng, B. #, & Ding, Y. # (2018). SDG721 and SDG705 are required for rice growth. Journal of integrative plant biology (IF 7.061), 60(7), 530-535.
·Ikram, A.U., Zahra, N.B., Shinwari, Z.K. & Qaiser, M. (2015). Ethnomedicinal review of folklore medicinal plants belonging to family Apiaceae of Pakistan. Pak. J. Bot. (IF 0.972), 47(3), 1007-1014.
·Hussain, A., Ahmad, N., Qarshi, I.A., Rashid, M., Shinwari, Z.K. & Ikram, A.U. (2015). Inhibitory potential of nine Mentha species against pathogenic bacterial strains. Pak. J. Bot. (IF 0.972), 47(6).
AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS
·CAS TWAS President Fellowship for Ph.D. in China
·Gold medalist (BS Biotechnology) from Gomal University DI Khan
REFERENCES
