
Nazmiara Sabnam
Assistant Professor

About-
Assistant Professor | Plant Biotechnologist | Molecular Plant-Pathogen Interactions
» I am a passionate Plant Biotechnologist with a dynamic blend of expertise—from cutting-edge molecular research to mentoring the next generation of scientists. My career has shaped me into a multidimensional researcher, seamlessly integrating diverse fields within Plant Biotechnology.
» My research journey started with Magnaporthe oryzae, the notorious cereal killer responsible for rice blast disease. During my Ph.D., I contributed novel insights into the role of G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) in this devastating plant pathogen, unraveling its intricate molecular mechanisms.
§ Currently, my research focuses on decoding the Magnaporthe-rice pathosystem—identifying key pathogenicity genes, characterizing novel effectors, and dissecting the complex signaling networks driving blast disease. Beyond this core research, my goal is to develop eco-friendly strategies to protect rice crops, ensuring food security.
Research Domains:
§ Molecular Plant-Pathogen Interactions – Understanding host-pathogen dynamics at the molecular level
§ Pathogen Informatics – Leveraging bioinformatics to study virulence factors and signaling pathways
§ Biocontrol Strategies – Exploring sustainable solutions to combat plant diseases
Opportunities to Join My Research Team:
§ Ph.D. Aspirants: CSIR/UGC-NET qualified candidates with an interest in molecular plant-pathogen interactions are encouraged to apply. Please send your CV and research interests to nazmiara.dbs@presiuniv.ac.in.
§ Internships & Research Projects: Motivated B.Sc./M.Sc. students seeking hands-on training in molecular biology, bioinformatics, and wet-lab techniques can apply for summer internships, short-term projects, and dissertation work.
For more details, feel free to contact me!
√ Let’s work together to unlock the molecular secrets of plant-pathogen interactions and innovate sustainable disease management solutions!
Qualifications+
Ph.D. Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur (January 2018)
- Thesis: Functional Characterization of Putative G-protein Coupled Receptor Genes in Rice Blast Fungus
M.Tech. Biotechnology, West Bengal University of Technology (2009)
M.Sc. Bioinformatics, Allahabad Agricultural Institute-Deemed University (2006)
B.Sc. Major in Biological Techniques & Specimen Preparations, University of Burdwan (2004)
Biography+
Work Experience
» Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata (Since March 2019 to Present)
» Junior Research Fellow (JRF) & Senior Research Fellow (SRF) in the Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur (NITD) [2011 to 2018]
» Assistant Professor, Postgraduate Department of Biotechnology, Oriental Institute of Science & Technology, Dewandighi, Burdwan, Affiliated to Vidyasagar University (November 2009 to June 2010)
Awards and Achievements
- » Best Oral Presentation Award at the "Green Biomerge 2024" an International Conference organized by Department of Biotechnology, Brainware University, Kolkata (22nd-24th February, 2024)
- » Awarded Start-up Research Grant by Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB), DST, Government of India - 2019 in Plant Sciences
- » Qualified West Bengal State Eligibility Test (SET) - 2017 in Life Sciences
- » Qualified National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by The Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB), ICAR - 2015 in Agricultural Biotechnology
- » Awarded UGC Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF), 2010-11
- » Awarded Merit certificate for scoring the highest DGPA in M.Tech.
Research / Administrative Experience+
§ Current Research Activities:
1. An ongoing CRG project entitled "Functional inter-connection between WISH and cell-wall biosynthesis / remodelling pathway in rice blast fungus" Dr. Subhankar Roy Barman (PI), Dr. Utpal Adhikari (Co-PI), Dr. Nazmiara Sabnam (Co-PI), DST-SERB, Govt. of India, 2022-2025.
2. Principal Investigator of SRG project entitled "Functional characterization of novel secreted effectors in Magnaporthe oryzae", DST-SERB, Govt. of India, 2019-2022. (Completed)
§ Administrative Responsibilities:
1. Member of Colloquium Committee (2022)
2. Member of Library Committee (2022)
3. Member of Shared Equipment and Core Facility Maintenance Committee (2022)
4. Co-ordinator of subjects such as Bioinformatics, Molecular Biology, etc.
5. Co-ordinator of a major paper 'Biostatistics and Bioinformatics - BT0703' for M.Sc Biotechnology with two specializations in Plant Biotechnology and Microbial Biotechnology courses (2019).
6. In-charge of the establishment of Bioinformatics laboratory (2019-2020).
7. Member of the Biosafety Committee of the School of Biotechnology, Presidency University, Rajarhat, Newtown, Kolkata (2019-2020).
Teaching / Other Experience+
Teaching: Nurturing Minds, Inspiring Innovation
Teaching is not just a profession; it is a journey of discovery—both for my students and myself.
† Over the years, I have had the privilege of guiding young minds through the intricate world of Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Bioinformatics, blending core concepts with cutting-edge research to make learning both rigorous and exciting.
◊ I began my academic teaching career as an Assistant Professor in the Postgraduate Department of Biotechnology at the Oriental Institute of Science & Technology, affiliated with Vidyasagar University, Dewandighi, Burdwan. During this tenure, I mentored postgraduate students in M.Sc. Biotechnology and M.Sc. Biochemistry, shaping their understanding of cutting-edge advancements in life sciences.
◊ Expanding my teaching portfolio, I also taught Plant Biotechnology and Microbial Biotechnology at the School of Biotechnology, Rajarhat Newtown Campus (2019–2020), introducing advanced concepts to postgraduate students.
‡ Currently, as a Biotechnologist and Educator, my teaching spans across specialized subjects, including:
¤ Recombinant DNA Technology
¤ Advanced Molecular Biology
¤ Plant Biotechnology & Microbial Technology
¤ Bioinformatics
¤ Bioprocess Engineering
# Specialized Module:
Molecular Plant-Pathogen Interactions – a focused exploration of host-pathogen dynamics at the molecular level, bridging genetics, microbial interactions, and plant immune responses.
◊ Teaching, for me, is about inspiring curiosity, fostering research enthusiasm, and preparing the next generation of biotechnologists to push the frontiers of science.
* Let’s embark on this journey of scientific discovery together!
Post Graduate Supervision+
- 1. Priyanka Das, UGC-JRF (Enrolled in PhD)
- 2. Debabrata Mondal (JRF, SERB, DST, CRG, 2024-25)
- 3. Debrup Sarkar (Project Assistant, SERB, DST, SRG, 2020-22)
- 4. Anwesha Chakraborty (SSR Student Intern, SERB, DST, SRG, Sept-Nov 2021)
- 5. Debosmita Ghosh (M.Sc. Life Sciences, Dissertation, PU, Kolkata, 2020-21)
- 6. Kuntal Patra (M.Sc. Life Sciences, Dissertation, PU, Kolkata, 2021-22)
- 7. Sayed Wahid Raja (M.Sc. Life Sciences, Dissertation, PU, Kolkata, 2023-24)
Academic Memberships+
* Life Member of Indian Mycological Society (https://imskolkata.org/)
* DNA Life Organization, Bangaluru, Karnataka
Publications+
1. Anwesha Chakraborty, Afzal Hussain, and Nazmiara Sabnam. “Uncovering the Structural Stability of Magnaporthe oryzae Effectors: A Secretome-Wide In Silico Analysis.” Journal of Biomolecular Structure & Dynamics (2023): 18:1-22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2023.2292795 [IF: 4.4, *Corresponding Author]
2. Nazmiara Sabnam, Afzal Hussain, and Pallabi Saha. "The secret password: Cell death-inducing proteins in filamentous phytopathogens-As versatile tools to develop disease-resistant crops." Microbial Pathogenesis (2023): 106276. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106276 [IF: 3.848, *Corresponding Author]
3. Afzal Hussain, Ashfaq Hussain, Nazmiara Sabnam, Chandan Kumar Verma, and Namita Shrivastava. "Insilico exploration of the potential inhibitory activity of DrugBank compounds against CDK7 kinase using structure-based virtual screening, molecular docking, and dynamics simulation approach." Arabian Journal of Chemistry 16, no. 2 (2023): 104460. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arabjc.2022.104460 [IF: 6.212]
4. Debrup Sarkar, Satyabrata Majumder, Kalyan Giri, and Nazmiara Sabnam, In silico characterization, molecular docking, and dynamic simulation of a novel fungal cell-death suppressing effector, MoRlpA as potential cathepsin B-like cysteine protease inhibitor during rice blast infection, Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, 41(18): 9039-9056 (2022), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07391102.2022.2139763 [IF: 5.235, *Corresponding Author]
5. Pallabi Saha, Atrayee Sarkar, Nazmiara Sabnam, Meghana D Shirke, H B Mahesh, Aman Nikhil, Anantharamanan Rajamani, Malali Gowda, and Subhankar Roy-Barman, Comparative analysis of secondary metabolite gene clusters in different strains of Magnaporthe oryzae, FEMS Microbiology Letters, Volume 368, Issue 1 (2021), fnaa216, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/femsle/fnaa216 [IF: 2.82]
6. Nazmiara Sabnam and Subhankar Roy Barman. "WISH, a novel CFEM GPCR is indispensable for surface sensing, asexual and pathogenic differentiation in rice blast fungus." Fungal Genetics and Biology 105 (2017): 37-51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fgb.2017.05.006 [IF: 3.883]
7. Subhankar Roy-Barman, Ravindra A. Raut, Atrayee Sarkar, Nazmiara Sabnam, Sanjukta Chakraborty, and Pallabi Saha. "Recent advances in the development of transgenic crop plants, biosafety aspects, and future perspectives." Plant Biotechnology (2017): 271-411. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781771885812 - Cat# N11896.
Address
Presidency University,
86/1 College Street,
Kolkata - 700073,
West Bengal, India
Email: nazmiara.dbs at presiuniv.ac.in
alternate E-mail: nazmiara.sabnam at gmail.com
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