1. Nafisa Azmuda, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology,
Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh
Tel: 880-2-7791045-51, Extn: 1566 (Office), 8801733017735 (Cell), E-mail: n_azmuda@hotmail.com
I. SUMMARY:
 Teaching microbiology courses in the Department of Microbiology at Jahangirnagar University
in Bangladesh.
 Strong research background in molecular biology, environmental/aquatic microbiology and
experimental ecology.
 Performed doctoral research in an exchange program between the University of Dhaka,
Bangladesh and University of Bergen, Norway.
 Detected a new phylum and a tentative new Escherichia sp. from environmental surface water.
 Hand on experience in numerous state-of-the-art microbiological, ecological, immunological
and molecular laboratory techniques.
 Experienced with bioinformatics skill.
 Supervisory experience of laboratory personnel.
 Self-motivated, superior analytical, problem solving and integrate well in a multicultural working
environment.
II. DATE OF BIRTH: 21
st
December, 1981
III. LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY:
Bengali: Mother tongue
English: Excellent written and oral communications
IV. EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION:
Name of the
Examination
Subject
Education
Medium
Graduation University/Board Results
Marks
obtained
Ph.D.
Environmental
Microbiology
English
September,
2013
University of Dhaka,
Bangladesh
&
University of
Bergen, Norway
NA NA
M.Sc.
Microbiology
(Environmenta
l Microbiology)
English
2003
(result
published in
2007)
University of Dhaka
1
st
Class
5th
position
73.0%
(Grade A)
B. Sc.
(Honors)
Microbiology English
2002
(result
published in
2006)
University of Dhaka
1st
Class
2nd
position
72.25%
(Grade A)
Higher
Secondary
Certificate
(H.S.C)
Science
English &
Bengali
1998
Viqarunnisa Noon
College
Dhaka Board
1
st
Division*
80.7%
Secondary
School
Certificate
(S.S.C)
Science
English &
Bengali
1996
Agrani Girl’s School
Dhaka Board
1st
Division*
87.9%

2. V. EXPERIANCE IN ACADEMIA
a. Department of Microbiology November, 2012 to till now
Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka
Position: Assistant Professor (Past: Lecturer)
Responsibilities
 Teaching undergraduate and masters courses on basic techniques in microbiology, microbial
ecology, environmental microbiology, medical microbiology, clinical and diagnostic
microbiology, microbial metabolism and extremophiles & their novel products.
 Teaching laboratory courses on basic techniques in microbiology, environmental and applied
environmental microbiology, medical microbiology, clinical and diagnostic microbiology and
microbial metabolism.
 Mentor M.Sc. students.
 Member of academic committees.
 Team member of the HEQEP (Higher Education and Quality Enhancement Project) project
funded by World Bank entitled ‘Improvement Of Classroom And Laboratory Based Teaching-
Learning Facilities In The Department Of Microbiology, Jahangirnagar University’.
 Got two research grants from Jahangirnagar University and University Grants Commission,
Bangladesh and have applied for a grant in Ministry of Education, Bangladesh.
b. Department of Microbiology May, 2007 to September, 2013
University of Dhaka, Bangladesh and University of Bergen, Norway
Position: Ph.D. student under NUFU Research Fellowship (Norwegian Programme for Development,
Research and Education Programme).
Ph.D. Thesis Title: Diversity and survival of Escherichia coli and Shigella-like bacteria in the aquatic
environments of Bangladesh
Responsibilities
 Metagenomic DNA extraction from aquatic samples.
 Isolation of atypical Escherichia coli and Shigella-like bacteria from environmental water
samples by cultural and molecular techniques; e.g. pre-enrichment and enrichment culture
techniques, colony blot hybridization and immunocapturing method.
 Identification of atypical Escherichia coli and Shigella-like bacteria by conventional cultural,
biochemical and molecular techniques like PCR of the virulence genes, Southern blot
hybridization, Ribotyping, O-antigen gene cluster analysis and fliC genotyping.
 Characterization of serologically cross-reactive Shigella-like bacteria by Western blotting and
ELISA of protein and LPS.
 Supervised undergraduate students.

3. c. Department of Biology 2009-2010
University of Bergen, Norway
Position: Ph.D. exchange student under NUFU (Norwegian Programme for Development, Research
and Education) programme.
Title: Diversity and survival of Escherichia coli and Shigella-like bacteria in the aquatic
environments of Bangladesh (Ph.D. thesis)
Responsibilities:
 Bacterial community structure analysis using PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis
(DGGE) and Pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene PCR amplicons.
 Observation of seasonal fluctuation of Escherichia coli-Shigella group in environmental water
through PCR-DGGE of the 16S rRNA gene PCR amplicons and Multiplex PCR assay of the
virulenence genes.
 Identification of new bacterial phylum in environmental water by Pyrosequencing.
 Sequencing of total 16S rRNA gene, Multilocus sequence typing (MLST), DNA-DNA
hybridization for identification of bacteria.
d. Department of Microbiology 2005-2006
University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Position: M. Sc. Student
Title: An immunomolecular approach for the identification of atypical Shigella boydii isolated from
aquatic ecosystem (M. Sc. thesis)
Responsibilities:
 Identification of bacteria by Sequencing of the V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene, Ribotyping,
RAPD, PCR of the virulence genes and O-antigen gene cluster analysis.
 Plasmid profile analysis and antibiogram.
 Detection of cross-reactivity with Shigella- specific antisera by Western blot and ELISA.
 Developement of antibody in rabbit model.
 Measurment of antibody titre by ELISA.
 Detection of immunogenic protein and LPS by Western blot.
e. Department of Microbiology 2003-2004
University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Position: B. Sc. Student
Title: Production and Comparison of Indigenous and Commercial Baker’s Yeasts (B. Sc. mini
project)
Responsibilities:
 Isolation of indigenous yeasts from fruit samples and identification by microscopy, cultural and
biochemical charcteristics.

4.  Optimization of growth conditions.
 Biomass production and fermentaion.
 Pathogenicity tests in animal model.
VI. RESEARCH INTERESTS:
I have a broad interest in environmental microbiology, ecology, molecular biology and phylogeny/evolution
of prokaryotes.
VII. ACADEMIC HONORS:
1. NUFU Research Fellowship: Obtained Ph.D. scholarship under the collaborative research
scheme between the University of Dhaka and University of Bergen, Norway. The scholarship,
NUFU Research Fellow, was announced for doing Ph.D. from 2007-2012.
2. Gold Medal: Faculty of Biological Sciences Dean’s Honor Award in 2005.
3. University Talent pool Scholarship for excellent result in B.Sc. (honors) examination.
VIII. TRAINING:
1. Extracting ecological signal from noise: an introduction to tools for the analysis of high throughput
sequencing data from microbial communities conducted by the Molecular and Computational
Biology Research School, University of Bergen, Norway on September 8-10, 2010.
2. SPSS and Applied Statistics conducted by the Institute of Statistical Research and Training (ISRT),
University of Dhaka from June 2-28, 2007.
3. Expertise in molecular techniques: Metagenomic DNA Extraction and Sequence analysis, PCR,
Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE), 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing and
Pyrosequencing at Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Norway.
IX. COMPUTER SKILLS:
Software: Skilled in using Microsoft Office Program: Word processing, Excel and Power Point, Adobe
Photoshop, Picasa, Flash, Scientific literature search, Database search using information technology
tools, SPSS, Chromas, ClustalX, PHYLIP, Primer designing, BLASTN, EndNote, E-Mail and Browsing.
Hardware: Assemble and trouble shooting of laptop and desktop PC.
X. GRANT APPLICATIONS:
 Got two research grants from Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh and the University Grants
Commission (UGC), Bangaldesh
Summary of the proposals:
The presence of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli virulotypes will be monitored in the freshwater lakes
situated inside the University area for one year period. The aim is to monitor the effect of seasonal
fluctuations on the survival of this pathogenic E. coli in environmental surface water. For this analysis,
the presence of the virulence genes will be detected by PCR from total chromosomal DNA. To recover
the stressed cells of pathogenic E. coli several pre-enrichment and enrichment techniques will be
applied.

5.  Applied for a research grant in Ministry of Education, Bangladesh
Summary of the proposal:
The main focus of the proposed research project will be the development of suitable vaccine
candidates for combating shigellosis. For this analysis, serologically cross-reactive Shigella-like
bacteria will be isolated from aquatic ecosystems. In-depth charcterization on genetical and
immunological properties of the bacterial isolates will be carried out for determining their potency as
vaccine candidates.
XI. PUBLICATIONS:
Thesis:
Azmuda N (2013): Diversity and survival of Escherichia coli and Shigella-like bacteria in the aquatic
environments of Bangladesh (Ph.D. thesis)
Azmuda N (2006): An immunomolecular approach for the identification of atypical Shigella boydii isolated
from aquatic ecosystem (M. Sc. thesis)
International:
1. Rahman MZ, Akter S, Azmuda N, Sultana M, Weill FX, Khan SI, Grimont PAD, Birkeland NK
(2013). Serological cross-reaction between O-antigens of Shigella dysenteriae type 4 and an
environmental Escherichia albertii isolate. Curr. Microbiol. 67(5): 590-595.
2. Akter S, Islam M, Afreen KS, Azmuda N, Khan SI, Birkeland NK (2013). Prevalence and
distribution of different diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli virulotypes in major water bodies in
Bangladesh. Epidemiol. Infect. 141(12): 2516-2525.
3. Azmuda N, Rahman MZ, Madsen M, Khan SI, Birkeland NK (2012): Prevalence of a Novel Division
Level Bacterial Lineage in Lake Dhanmondi, Dhaka, Bangladesh, as Revealed by Deep
Sequencing of 16S rRNA Gene Amplicons. Curr. Microbiol. 65: 356-360.
4. Azmuda N, Rahman MZ, Sultana M, Jenssen EL, Khan SI, Birkeland NK (2012): Evidence of
interspecies O antigen gene cluster transfer between Shigella boydii 15 and Escherichia fergusonii.
APMIS 120: 959-966.
5. Rahman MZ, Azmuda N, Hossain MJ, Sultana M, Khan SI, Birkeland NK (2011): Recovery and
characterization of environmental variants of Shigella flexneri from surface water in Bangladesh.
Curr. Microbiol. 63: 372-376.
6. Bonny TS, Azmuda N, Khan SI, Rahman MZ (2010). Virulence of environemntal
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia serologically cross-reacting with Shigella-specific antisera. Pakistan
J. Bio. Sci. 13(19): 937-945.
Bangladesh:
1. Azmuda N, Jahan N, Khan AR (2006). Production and comparison of indigenous and commercial
Baker’s Yeasts. Bangladesh J. Microbiol 23(2): 89-92.
2. Shah S, Azmuda N, Akhter H, Begum A (2010). Survival potentiality of Shigella boydii 15 ATCC
12034 in laboratory microcosm using water from two sources. Dhaka Univ. J. Bio. Sci. 19(2): 103-
110.

6. 3. Mahbub MM, Azmuda N, Maumud B, Khan SI, Birkeland NK, Akhter H (2011). Drug resistance and
curlifimbrination of Escherichia coli isolated from Bangladeshi patients with urinary tract infections.
Dhaka Univ. J. Biol. Sci. 20(2):123-130.
4. Akhter F, Fakruddin M, Azmuda N, Begum A, Birkeland NK, Khan SI, Akhter H (2011). Detection of
ipaH gene in large plasmid of Escherichia coli isolated from different sources of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh J. Microbiol 28(2):84-87.
5. Jahan N, Azmuda N, Khan AR (2007). Isolation and identification of indigenous Baker’s Yeasts.
Bangladesh J. Microbiol 24(1): 65-66.
6. Towhid ST, Akhter H, Azmuda N, Rahman MZ, Khan SI, Birkeland NK (2009). Comparison of
cultural and molecular characteristics of Escherichia coli Isolates from freshwater of Bangladesh.
Dhaka Univ. J. Bio. Sci. 18(2): 195-199.
Abstracts published in international conferences:
1. Azmuda N, Fakruddin MD, Moniruzzaman M, Akter S, Khan SI, Birkeland NK (2011). Bacterial
community profiling in a tropical freshwater lake in Bangladesh with emphasis on Escherichia coli.
FEMS 4th
Congress of European Microbiologists (FEMS 2011), June 26-30, 2011, Geneva,
Switzerland. Poster area: Microbiology of aquatic ecosystem. Poster #471.
2. Azmuda N, Fakruddin MD, Moniruzzaman M, (2010). Temporal variations of bacterial communities
in two tropical freshwater systems with emphasis on the Escherichia coli–Shigella group. The 13
th
International Symposium on Microbial Ecology, August 22-27, Seattle, USA, Poster #PS.04.003.
3. Akter S, Azmuda N, Rahman MZ, Khan SI, Birkeland NK (2009). Adhesion potential of GFP
marked Escherichia coli from tropical aquatic environment. 5th
American Society for Microbiology
Conference on Biofilm, November 14-19, Cancun, Mexico. Poster #A175.
4. Rahman MZ, Hossain MJ, Azmuda N, Sultana M, Birkeland NK, Khan SI (2009). Tracking of
Shigella in Bangladeshi surface water: A comparative analysis of Shigella species and its close
relatives. FEMS 3
rd
Congress of European Microbiologists, June 28 - July 2. Gothenburg, Sweden,
Abstract #A-151-0060-01245.
5. Rahman MZ, Azmuda N, Akter S, Khan SI, Birkeland NK (2008). Shigella- like bacteria from
Bangladeshi aquatic environments provides possible shigellosis vaccine candidates. The 12th
International Symposium on Microbial Ecology, August 17-22. Cairns, Australia, Poster #0344.
Manuscript (in progress):
1. Bacterial community structure analysis in surface waters in Bangladesh.
2. Seasonal variations of Escherichia coli and Shigella spp. specific bacterial community in freshwater
systems in Bangladesh.
3. Escherichia chowdhuryii, a novel species isolated from a freshwater pond in Bangladesh.
4. Serological cross-reactivity of Enterobacter cloacae and Aeromonas veronii with Shigella-specific
antisera.

7. XII. MAJOR COURSES STUDIED:
Name of the
Examinations
Courses Studied
M. Sc.
(1 Year)
Bioprocess Technology
Environmental Biotechnology
Enzyme and Protein Biotechnology
Extremophiles and Novel Biological Products
Immunopathology & Vaccine Development
Management and Control of Microbiological Safety of Foods
Molecular Genetics
Molecular Virology and Oncology
B. Sc. (Honors)
(4 Years)
Agriculture Microbiology
Analytical Microbiology
Basic Biochemistry
Basic Techniques in Microbiology
Biologically Important Organic Compounds
Biostatistics
Computer Applications
Diagnostic Microbiology
Enzymology
Environmental Microbiology
Environmental Pollution and Bioremediation
Fermentation Technology
Food Microbiology
Fundamentals of Chemistry (Organic, Inorganic and Physical Chemistry)
Genetic Engineering
General Microbiology
General Chemistry
Human Physiology
Immunology
Industrial Microbiology
Microbial Biotechnology
Microbiology of Frozen Food and Fish
Microbial Molecular Genetics
Microbial Metabolism
Medical Microbiology
Microbial Chemistry
Microbial Ecology
Mycology
Pharmaceutical Microbiology
Quality Control of Food, Fish and Beverages
Virology

8. XIII. REFERENCES:
1. Professor Sirajul Islam Khan (Retired)
Department of Microbiology
University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000
Bangladesh
Cell: (880)1713015234
E-mail: sikhan@du.ac.bd
sikhan119@yahoo.com
2. Professor Nils-Kåre Birkeland
Department of Biology
University of Bergen, Bergen
Norway
Tel: 47-555-82657
Fax: 47-555-84450
E-mail: Nils.Birkeland@uib.no
3. Professor Md. Anwar Hossain
Department of Microbiology
University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000
Bangladesh
Tel: (880-2)9661920-73, Extn: 7735/7730
Fax: (880-2)9667222
Cell: (880)1715363753
Email: hossaina@du.ac.bd
anwar5533@yahoo.com
4. Professor Md. Anowar Khasru Parvez
Department of Microbiology
Jahangirnagar University, Savar,
Dhaka-1342
Bangladesh
Tel: (880-2)7791045-51, Extn: 1566
Fax: (880-2)7791052
Cell: (880)1737540940
Email: khasru1973@hotmail.com