Associate Professor (Study Leave)
Dr. Rifat Ara Begum
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Faculty of Biological Sciences
Research profiles & links
| Degree Name | Group/Major Subject | Board/Institute | Country | Passing Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ph.D. | Plant Biochemistry | Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, The University of Edinburgh | United Kingdom | 2021 |
| Masters | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | University of Dhaka | Bangladesh | 2011 |
| Bachelor | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | University of Dhaka | Bangladesh | 2010 |
| H.S.C | Science | Viqarunnisa Noon College | Bangladesh | 2005 |
| S.S.C | Science | St. Francis Xavier's Girls' High School | Bangladesh | 2003 |
| Title | Organization | Location | From Date | To Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjunct Faculty | North South University | Bashundhara, Dhaka | Oct 2022 | Jan 2023 |
| Visiting Researcher | University of Edinburgh | United Kingdom | Apr 2021 | Aug 2021 |
| Laboratory Demonstrator | University of Edinburgh | United Kingdom | Nov 2016 | Dec 2020 |
| Assistant Professor | Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka | Curzon Hall Campus | Feb 2016 | Apr 2023 |
| Lecturer | Dept. of BIochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka | Curzon Hall Campus | Oct 2012 | Feb 2016 |
| Research Associate | Molecular Biology Lab, Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka | Curzon Hall Campus | Feb 2012 | Oct 2012 |
Research Interest
| Subject | Description | Research Interest (Goal, Target Indicator) |
|---|---|---|
| My Current Research Interest - Climate Change | Climate change has become a major threat for the survival of the mankind on earth. My research interest focuses on reducing the effect of the climate change on agriculture and ensure food security for the growing population. I am currently conducting research on development of biofertilisers and salt-tolerant rice varieties, in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Zeba Islam Seraj, to utilise the southern saline water-submerged lands of Bangladesh for growing rice. In this way, we can ensure both the usage of those lands and produce enough rice to feed the blooming population. |
Project/Research Supervision
| Level of Study | Title | Supervisor | Co-Supervisor(s) | Name of Student(s) | Area of Research | Current Completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters | Rice transporters | Dr. Rifat Ara Begum | Prof. Dr. Zeba Islam Seraj | Puja Saha | Overexpression of two potassium transporters named OcHKT1;5 and OcERCA from halophytic wild rice |
2023 |
| Masters | Rice endophytes | Dr. Rifat Ara Begum | Prof. Dr. Zeba Islam Seraj | Iyasir Arafat | Characterization of endophytic fungus of a wild variety of rice (O. coarctata) and study of the roles of those fungi on salt-stress sensitive rice variety. |
2022 |
| Masters | Rice endophytes | Dr. Rifat Ara Begum | Prof. Dr. Zeba Islam Seraj | Md. Zihad Hasan | Identification of endophytic bacterial isolates and formulation of biofertilizers |
Current Year |
| Masters | Rice Transporter | Dr. Rifat Ara Begum | Prof. Dr. Zeba Islam Seraj | Md. Al Amin | Characterization of OcAKT1;5 and OcERCA transformed plants. |
Current Year |
| Masters | Characterization of genome-edited wild halophytic rice | Dr. Rifat Ara Begum | Dr. Zeba Islam Seraj | Linta Rani Roy | Uridhan genome edited using CRISP/Cas9 technology to improve grain quality. This project is mainly designed for a PhD student, who is being supervised by Prof. Dr. Md. Rakibul Islam and Prof. Dr. Zeba Islam Seraj. |
Current Year |
| Masters | Soil microbes | Dr. Rifat Ara Begum | Dr. Zeba Islam Seraj | Jogesh More | Identification and characterization of plastic-degrading natural microorganisms existing in wasteland soil and plant endophytes. |
Current Year |
Project/Research Work
| Subject | Project Name | Source of Fund | From Date | To Date | Collaboration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice endophytic fungus | Isolation, Characterization, Genotyping and Phenotyping of the Fungi Associated with the Halophyte (Porteresia coarctata) for Their Plant Growth-Promoting Effects under Salt Stress | Ministry of Science and Technology, Bangladesh | 01-08-2022 | 31-07-2023 | N/A |
| Rice endophytes | Isolation of endophytes from wild halophytic rice Oryza coarctata and their characterization for the implementation as biofertilizer formulation to increase salt tolerance in commercial rice. | UGC - DU Centennial Research Grant 2021-2022 | 01-07-2022 | 30-06-2023 | N/A |
Invited Talk
| SL | Invited Talk |
|---|---|
| No invited talk is found | |
| SL | Collaboration & Membership Name | Type | Membership Year | Expire Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Global Network of Bangladeshi Biotechnologists (GNOBB) | Life Member | 2022 | Life Time |
| Book Section | |
|---|---|
| 1 |
Begum R.A., Chowdhury E.K. and Shekhar H.U. "Management of Stress Through Dietary Modifications."
Adaptation under Stressful Environments through Biological Adjustments and Interventions. Tulsawani R. and Vohora D. Singapore: Springer SIngapore, 2024 377-388 .
|
| Journal Article | |
| 1 |
Jewaria P.K., Aryal B., Begum R.A., Wang Y., Sancho-Andrés G., Baba A.I., Yu M., Li X., Lin J., Fry S.C., Verger S., Russinova E., Jonsson K. and Bhalerao R.P. : Reduced RG-II pectin dimerization disrupts differential growth by attenuating hormonal regulation,
Science Advances (impact factor:11.7) , vol.11 , no.7 American Association for the Advancement of Science , 2025
.
|
| 2 |
Chowdhury A., Arafat M.I., Airin A.A., Azim T., Begum R.A., Islam M.R., Rahman M.S. and Seraj Z.I. : Sustainable improvement of rice growth under salinity stress using an endophytic fungus-based biofertilizer,
Bioresearch Communications , vol.10 , no.2 Graduate Biochemists Association (GBA) Bangladesh , pp.1474-1481 , 2024
.
|
| 3 |
Khan M.I., Begum R.A., Frankova L. and Fry S.C. : Allelochemical root-growth inhibitors in low-molecular-weight cress-seed exudate,
Annals of Botany (impact factor:3.6) , vol.133 , no.3 The Oxford University Press , pp.447–458, , 2023
.
|
| 4 |
Begum R.A. and Fry S.C. : Arabinogalactan-Proteins as Boron-Acting Enzymes, Cross-Linking the Rhamnogalacturonan-II Domains of Pectin,
Plants (impact factor:4.0) , vol.12 , no.23 MDPI , pp.3921 , 2023
.
|
| 5 |
Airin, A.A., Arafat, M.I, Begum, R.A., Islam M.R. and Seraj Z.I. : Plant growth-promoting endophytic fungi of the wild halophytic rice Oryza coarctata.,
Annals of Microbiology (impact factor:3.4) , vol.73 :36 BMC Springer Heidelberg , 2023
.
|
| 6 |
Begum, R.A.,, Messenger, D.J. and Fry, S.C. : Making and breaking of boron bridges in the pectic domain rhamnogalacturonan-II at apoplastic pH in vivo and in vitro.,
The Plant Journal (impact factor:7.091) , vol.113 Wiley-Blackwell for the Society for Experimental Biology , pp.1310-1329 , 2023
.
|
| 7 |
Begum R.A. and Fry S.C. : Boron bridging of rhamnogalacturonan-II in Rosa and arabidopsis cell cultures occurs mainly in the endo-membrane system and continues at a reduced rate after secretion.,
Annals of Botany (impact factor:4.2) , vol.130 , no.5 , pp.703-715 , 2022
.
|
| 8 |
Sanhueza D., Begum R.A., Albenne C., Jamet E. and Fry S.C. : An Arabidopsis thaliana arabinogalactan-protein (AGP31) and several cationic AGP fragments catalyse the boron bridging of rhamnogalacturonan-II.,
Biochemical Journal (impact factor:3.766) , vol.479 , no.18 , pp.1967–1984 , 2022
.
|
| 9 |
Sarker P.K., Karmoker D., Shohan M.U.S., Saha A.K., Rima F.S., Begum R.A., Islam M.R. and Seraj Z.I. : Effects of multiple halotolerant rhizobacteria on the tolerance, growth, and yield of rice plants under salt stress.,
Folia Microbiologica (impact factor:2.629) , vol.68 , pp.55-72 , 2022
.
|
| 10 |
Panter P.E., Kent O., Dale M., Smith S.J., Skipsey M., Thorlby G., Cummins I., Ramsay N., Begum R.A., Sanhueza D. and Fry S.C. : MUR1‐mediated cell‐wall fucosylation is required for freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.,
New Phytologist (impact factor:10.323) , vol.224 , no.4 , pp.1518-1531 , 2019
.
|
| 11 |
Ashraf M.A., Khatun A., Sharmin T., Mobin F., Tanu R.A., Morshed T., Fakir T.A., Begum R.A. and Nabi A.H.M.N. : MPDB 1.0: a medicinal plant database of Bangladesh,
Bioinformation , vol.10 , no.6 , pp.384–386 , 2014
.
|
| 12 |
Reza K.A., Sharmin S., Moosa M.M., Mahmood N., Ghosh A., Begum R.A. and Khan H. : Identification and molecular characterization of a receptor-like protein kinase gene from Corchorus capsularis,
Turkish Journal of Biology (impact factor:3.245) , vol.37 , pp.11-17 , 2013
.
|
| Award Type | Title | Year | Country | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International | Commonwealth Scholarship | 2016 | United Kingdom | For Ph.D. |
| National | NSICT Fellowship | 2011 | Bangladesh | For MS thesis project. |
Name & designation
Dr. Rifat Ara Begum
Associate Professor (Study Leave)
Department
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty of Biological Sciences
Email
rifatab18@du.ac.bd