Md. Rafiul Islam Ranga :: Faculty Profile

Biography

I am Md. Rafiul Islam Ranga, currently serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Mainly, I have been working on the molecular genomics of various RNA and DNA viruses, including foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), SARS-CoV-2, and DENV, with the overarching goal of developing vaccines. I am ...

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Degree Name	Group/Major Subject	Board/Institute	Country	Passing Year
Masters	Microbiology	University of Dhaka	Bangladesh	2018
Bachelor	Microbiology	University of Dhaka	Bangladesh	2017

Title	Organization	Location	From Date	To Date
Assistant Professor (Teaching and Research)	Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka	Bangladesh	Mar 2024	Present
House Tutor	Shahid Serjeant Zahurul Huq Hall, University of Dhaka, University of Dhaka.	Bangladesh	Jun 2022	Present
Lecturer (Teaching and Research)	Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka	Bangladesh	Jan 2021	Mar 2024
Research officer	Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA)	Bangladesh	Aug 2020	Jan 2021
Expert Member	National Expert Pool for COVID-19 Pandemic Response in Bangladesh	Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR)	Jun 2020	Dec 2020
Volunteer	Genome Centre, Jashore University of Science and Technology	Jashore, Bangladesh	Apr 2020	May 2020
Graduate Student with Research Assistantship	Microbial Genetics and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka	Bangladesh	Jun 2018	Dec 2020

Research Interest

Subject	Description	Research Interest (Goal, Target Indicator)
Bioinformatics	Multi-omics and Host-microbiome-disease associations.
Molecular Microbiology	Emerging antimicrobial resistance and novel antimicrobials.
Virology	Emerging RNA and DNA viruses, virus-host-environment interaction, antiviral vaccines and therapeutics, viral evolution and genomics.

Project/Research Supervision

Level of Study	Title	Supervisor	Co-Supervisor(s)	Name of Student(s)	Area of Research	Current Completion
No project/research supervision is found

Project/Research Work

Subject	Project Name	Source of Fund	From Date	To Date	Collaboration
Mosquito-borne viruses	Molecular characterization of mosquito-borne viruses (Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika, and Japanese Encephalitis) circulating in Dhaka city.	Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)	01-11-2025
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)	Implementing water quality monitoring and purification technologies to mitigate health risks for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the Dhaka Metropolitan area.	SATREPS Project of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA, BDT 500 million)	01-07-2025		PIs: Prof. Kozo Watanabe (Ehime University, Japan) and Prof. Anwar Hossain (University of Dhaka, Bangladesh).
Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV)	Development of effective vaccines for emerging lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) in Bangladesh.	University Grants Commission (UGC) and University of Dhaka (BDT 10,00,000)	01-07-2024
Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV)	Molecular characterization of emerging lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) circulating in Bangladesh.	Research and Development Grants (R&D), MOST	01-07-2023
IBD and IBS	Gut microbiome dynamics in IBD and IBS patients in Bangladesh.	University of Dhaka	01-07-2023
SARS-CoV-2	Post-vaccinal immune profiling against SARS-CoV-2 for strategic vaccination policy in Bangladesh.	University Grants Commission, Bangladesh	01-07-2022
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)	Genomic insights into antibiotic resistance for novel drug targets.	MOST	01-07-2022
Environmental Metagenomics	Metagenomic investigation of environmental (soil, water and sediment) niches.	MOST	01-07-2021
Dengue virus (DENV)	Genomic and metatranscriptomic investigations of DENV		01-07-2020	01-06-2021	Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR)
Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV)	Development of vaccine and diagnostic kit for FMDV in Bangladesh.	World Bank’s Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project	01-01-1970
Bovine mastitis	Metagenomic investigation of bovine mastitis for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Role: Graduate Research Student.	Ministry of Education	01-01-1970

Invited Talk

SL	Invited Talk
1	Delivered a day-long hands-on training on Bioinformatics in FMD Vaccine Research to the scientists of the FMD Vaccine Production Section, Livestock Research Institute (LRI), Mohakhali, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh, 06 May 2024.
2	Delivered lectures and training on Application of Bioinformatics Tools in Infectious Disease Research at the 1st

SL	Collaboration & Membership Name	Type	Membership Year	Expire Year
1	Life Member, Bangladesh Society of Microbiologists (BSM)	Professional Organization	2024	Life Time
2	Publicity Secretary, Dhaka University Microbiology Alumni Association (DUMAA)	Alumni Association	2021	2024

Journal Article
1	: Priom, D.M., Mondol, S.M., Ema, N.T., Islam, M.R. and Rahaman, M.M., 2025. Complete genome analysis of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium strain K79 isolated from the Buriganga river sediment in Bangladesh. Microbiology Resource Announcements, pp.e00600-25. httpdoi.org/10.1128/mra.00600-25., , 2025 .
2	: Mondol, S.M., Islam, M.R., Mia, M.E., Hassan, M.H., Farhad, F., Akter, K., Shakil, S.K., Islam, I., Rakhi, N.N., Mustary, J.F., Amiruzzaman and Rahaman M.M., 2025. Molecular and genomic insights into multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa causing burn wound infections in Bangladesh. Scientific Reports, 15(1), p.25445. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11614-6., , 2025 .
3	: Islam, M.R., Mondol, S.M., Hossen, M.A., Khatun, M.P., Selim, S., Amiruzzaman, Gomes, D.J. and Rahaman, M.M., 2025. First report on comprehensive genomic analysis of a multidrug-resistant Enterobacter asburiae isolated from diabetic foot infection from Bangladesh. Scientific Reports, 15(1), p.424. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84870-7. , , 2025 .
4	: Siam, M.H.B., Mondol, S.M., Shakil, M.S.K., Islam, M.R., Islam, I., Saha, O., Amiruzzaman, Datta, R., Ahmed, T., Gomes, D.J. and Rahaman, M.M., 2025. A whole-genome metagenomic approach to explore the gut microbiome of inflammatory bowel disease patients in Bangladesh. Microbiology Resource Announcements, 14(1), pp.e00738-24. https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.00738-24., , 2024 .
5	: Akter, S., Rahman, M.S., Islam, M.R., Akther, M., Anjume, H., Marjia, M., Rahaman, M.M., Hossain, M.A. and Sultana, M., 2024. Development of Recombinant Proteins for Vaccine Candidates Against Serotype O and A of Foot and Mouth Disease Virus in Bangladesh. Access Microbiology, pp.000713-v1. https://doi.org/10.1099/acmi.0.000713.v4., , 2024 .
6	: Mondol, S.M., Islam, I., Islam, M.R., Shakil, S.K., Rakhi, N.N., Mustary, J.F., Amiruzzaman, Gomes, D.J., Shahjalal, H.M. and Rahaman, M.M., 2024. Genomic landscape of NDM-1 producing multidrug-resistant Providencia stuartii causing burn wound infections in Bangladesh. Scientific Reports, 14(1), p.2246. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-51819-9., , 2024 .
7	: Mondol, S.M., Islam, M.R., Rakhi, N.N., Shakil, S.K., Islam, I., Mustary, J.F., Shahjalal, H.M., Gomes, D.J. and Rahaman, M.M., 2024. Unveiling a high-risk epidemic clone (ST 357) of ‘Difficult to Treat Extensively Drug-Resistant’(DT-XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a burn patient in Bangladesh: A resilient beast revealing coexistence of four classes of beta lactamases. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 36, pp.83-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgar.2023.11.014., , 2023 .
8	: Hossain, K.A., Anjume, H., Akther, M., Alam, K.M., Yeamin, A., Akter, S., Islam, M.R., Sultana, M. and Hossain, M.A., 2023. Epidemiological Surveillance and Mutational Pattern Analysis of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Outbreaks in Bangladesh during 2012–2021. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/8896572., , 2023 .
9	: Sarkar, M.M.H., Rahman, M.S., Islam, M.R., Rahman, A., Islam, M.S., Banu, T.A., Akter, S., Goswami, B., Jahan, I., Habib, M.A. and Uddin, M.M., 2023. Comparative phylogenetic analysis and transcriptomic profiling of Dengue (DENV-3 genotype I) outbreak in 2021 in Bangladesh. Virology Journal, 20(1), p.127. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12985-023-02030-1., , 2023 .
10	: Mark Mondol, S., Das, D., Priom, D.M., Shaminur Rahman, M., Rafiul Islam, M. and Rahaman, M.M., 2022. In Silico Identification and Characterization of a Hypothetical Protein From Rhodobacter capsulatus Revealing S-Adenosylmethionine-Dependent Methyltransferase Activity. Bioinformatics and Biology Insights, 16, p.11779322221094236. https://doi.org/10.1177/11779322221094236., , 2022 .
11	: Rahaman, M.M., Sarkar, M.M.H., Rahman, M.S., Islam, M.R., Islam, I., Saha, O., Akter, S., Banu, T.A., Jahan, I., Habib, M.A. and Goswami, B., 2022. Genomic characterization of the dominating Beta, V2 variant carrying vaccinated (Oxford− AstraZeneca) and nonvaccinated COVID‐19 patient samples in Bangladesh: A metagenomics and whole‐genome approach. Journal of Medical Virology, 94(4), pp.1670-1688. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.27537. , , 2021 .
12	: Rahman, M.S., Hoque, M.N., Puspo, J.A., Islam, M.R., Das, N., Siddique, M.A., Hossain, M.A. and Sultana, M., 2021. Microbiome signature and diversity regulates the level of energy production under anaerobic condition. Scientific Reports, 11(1), pp.1-23. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99104-3. , , 2021 .
13	: Saha, O., Islam, M.R., Rahman, M.S., Hoque, M.N., Hossain, M.A. and Sultana, M., 2021. First report from Bangladesh on genetic diversity of multidrug-resistant Pasteurella multocida type B: 2 in fowl cholera. Veterinary World, 14(9), p.2527. https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.2527-2542. , , 2021 .
14	: Hoque, M.N., Akter, S., Mishu, I.D., Islam, M.R., Rahman, M.S., Akhter, M., Islam, I., Hasan, M.M., Rahaman, M.M., Sultana, M. and Islam, T., 2021. Microbial co-infections in COVID-19: Associated microbiota and underlying mechanisms of pathogenesis. Microbial Pathogenesis, p.104941. (review article) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2021.104941., , 2021 .
15	: Rahman, M.S., Hoque, M.N., Islam, M.R., Islam, I.*, Mishu, I.D., Rahaman, M.M., Sultana, M. and Hossain, M.A., 2021. Mutational insights into the envelope protein of SARS-CoV-2. Gene Reports, 22, p.100997. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genrep.2020.100997., , 2020 .
16	: Rahman, M.S., Islam, M.R., Alam, A.R.U., Islam, I., Hoque, M.N., Akter, S., Rahaman, M.M., Sultana, M. and Hossain, M.A., 2021. Evolutionary dynamics of SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleocapsid protein and its consequences. Journal of Medical Virology, 93(4), pp.2177-2195. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.26626., , 2020 .
17	: Hoque, M.N., Istiaq, A., Rahman, M.S., Islam, M.R., Anwar, A., Siddiki, A.Z., Sultana, M., Crandall, K.A. and Hossain, M.A., 2020. Microbiome dynamics and genomic determinants of bovine mastitis. Genomics, 112(6), pp.5188-5203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.09.039., , 2020 .
18	: Rahman, M.S., Islam, M.R., Hoque, M.N.*, Alam, A.S.M.R.U., Akther, M., Puspo, J.A., Akter, S., Anwar, A., Sultana, M. and Hossain, M.A., 2021. Comprehensive annotations of the mutational spectra of SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein: a fast and accurate pipeline. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 68(3), pp.1625-1638. https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.13834., , 2020 .
19	: Islam, M.R., Hoque, M.N., Rahman, M.S.*, Alam, A.R.U., Akther, M., Puspo, J.A., Akter, S., Sultana, M., Crandall, K.A. and Hossain, M.A., 2020. Genome-wide analysis of SARS-CoV-2 virus strains circulating worldwide implicates heterogeneity. Scientific Reports, 10(1), pp.1-9. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-70812-6., , 2020 .
20	: Rahman, M.S., Hoque, M.N., Islam, M.R., Akter, S., Alam, A.R.U., Siddique, M.A., Saha, O., Rahaman, M.M., Sultana, M., Crandall, K.A. and Hossain, M.A., 2020. Epitope-based chimeric peptide vaccine design against S, M and E proteins of SARS-CoV-2, the etiologic agent of COVID-19 pandemic: an in silico approach. PeerJ, 8, p.e9572. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.9572., , 2020 .
21	: Al Amin, M., Ali, M.R., Islam, M.R., Alam, A.R.U., Shill, D.K., Rahman, M.S., Siddique, M.A., Sultana, M. and Hossain, M.A., 2020. Development and serology based efficacy assessment of a trivalent foot-and-mouth disease vaccine. Vaccine, 38(32), pp.4970-4978. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.05.079., , 2020 .
22	: Islam, M.R., Rahman, M.S., Amin, M.A., Alam, A.R.U., Siddique, M.A., Sultana, M. and Hossain, M.A., 2021. Evidence of combined effect of amino acid substitutions within G‐H and B‐C loops of VP1 conferring serological heterogeneity in foot‐and‐mouth disease virus serotype A. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 68(2), pp.375-384. https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.13687., , 2020 .
23	: Alam, A.R.U., Islam, M.R., Rahman, M.S., Islam, O.K. and Hossain, M.A., 2021. Understanding the possible origin and genotyping of the first Bangladeshi SARS‐CoV‐2 strain. Journal of Medical Virology, 93(1), pp.1-4. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.26115., , 2020 .

Award Type	Title	Year	Country	Description
Local	Research Award	2025	Bangladesh	DU Research Excellence Recognition, University of Dhaka.
Local	Dean’s Research Award	2024	Bangladesh	Dean’s Research Award (Lecturer Category), Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka.
Local	Fellowship	2022	Bangladesh	Research and Development (R
Local	Best Paper Award	2021	Bangladesh	Awarded by the Dhaka University Microbiology Alumni Association (DUMAA) for outstanding scientific publication.
Local	Merit Award	2020	Bangladesh	Secured Merit Award (3rd Position) from the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) for outstanding performance in the 45-day Foundation Training.
Local	Merit Scholarship	2020	Bangladesh	Merit Scholarship, University of Dhaka, for excellence in BS (Hons) and MS Exams.
National	National Science and Technology (NST) Fellowship	2019	Bangladesh	NST Fellowship offered by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh for conducting thesis works in Masters level.
Local	Merit Scholarship	2018	Bangladesh	Merit Scholarship, University of Dhaka, for excellence in BS (Hons) and MS Exams.
Local	Outstanding Academic Performance Award	2018	Bangladesh	For securing the highest CGPA in the MS Examination 2018 in the Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka.
Local	Outstanding Academic Performance Award	2017	Bangladesh	From the Department of Microbiology, University of Dhaka, for securing the 2nd highest CGPA in the BS Examination 2017.
Local	Dean’s Award	2017	Bangladesh	Dean’s Award (2017) in recognition of outstanding academic performance in the Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
International	Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship	2014	Japan	Awarded the Sumitomo Corporation Scholarship (Japan) throughout my BS for consistent academic excellence.
Local	Education Board Scholarship	2013	Bangladesh	For outstanding results in Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC-12 years of education) Examination 2013.
Local	Education Board Scholarship	2011	Bangladesh	For outstanding results in Secondary School Certificate (SSC-10 years of education) Examination 2011.
Local	Scholarship	2008	Bangladesh	Secured 1st position in the Junior School Certificate (JSC) Examination (2008) in Rangpur District.
Local	Primary Education Scholarship	2005	Bangladesh	For outstanding performace in Primary School Certificate (PSC) Exam 2005 (5 years of Education).

Name & designation Md. Rafiul Islam Ranga Assistant Professor

Department Department of Microbiology Faculty of Biological Sciences

Email rafiul@du.ac.bd

Phone 01609583134