Ashiq Hussain

Ashiq Hussain

Dr. Ashiq Hussain
Fields Neuroscience
Institutions Center for Applied and Molecular Biology,
University of Cologne,
Harvard University
Yale University,
Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology
Alma mater

University of Cologne

Yale University
Doctoral advisor Sigrun Korsching
Known for

Ageing

Olfaction
Influences

Richard Axel

Eric Kandel
Notable awards

2014-: Ambassador, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology-Open access research.

2006–2010: IGS-GFG Fellowship, Institute of Genetics, University of Cologne, Germany.

2006: ICCS Prize, Distinguished Young Scientist Award, International Centre of Chemical Sciences.

2004–2006: Dr. I. H Usmani Gold Medal.

2004–2006: Capital Award.

Ashiq Hussain (Doctor rerum naturae) is a neuroscientist best known for his research on the olfactory system and aging associated Neurodegeneration.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]


Education and early life

Born in Rajanpur to Khilji family, Hussain received his BSc (Hons.) in Genetics with distinction of magna cum laude from University of Agriculture, Faisalabad and M.Phil in Molecular Biology from the prestigious Center for Applied and Molecular Biology, with summa cum laude and Prof. Ishrat Hussain Usmani memorial research gold medal. [8] He received PhD (Neuroscience) with highest distinction of summa cum laude form University of Cologne [11] while conducting his research both at University of Cologne and Harvard University [12] [13] Hussain persuaded his post-doctoral research at Yale University and Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology[14] [15]

Research and career

Hussain studies gastric colonization of helicobacter pylori at CEMB. He showed that the urease of the human pathogen, Helicobacter pylori, is essential for pathogenesis. The ammonia produced by the enzyme neutralizes stomach acid; thereby modifying its environment. The dodecameric enzyme complex has high affinity for its substrate, urea. He compared urease sequences and derivative 3D homology model structures from all published Helicobacter genomes and an equal number of genomes belonging to strains of another enteric bacterium, Escherichia coli. He found that the enzyme’s architecture adapts to fit its niche. His finding, coupled to a survey of other physiological features responsible for the bacterium’s acid resistance, suggests how it copes with pH changes caused by disease onset and progression.

In his PhD research, he studies a new class of olfactory receptors named Trace Amine-Associated Receptors (TAARs) using zebrafish (Danio rerio) as model organism. He delineated the taar gene family in jawless, cartilaginous, and bony fish and concluded that taar genes are evolutionary much younger than the related olfactory receptors (ORs) and olfactory receptors class A (ORA/V1R) receptor families, which are present already in lamprey, a jawless vertebrate. He also showed that a whole new clade, class III, of taar genes originated even later, within the teleost lineage. Class III comprises three-fourths of all teleost taar genes and is characterized by the complete loss of the aminergic ligand-binding motif, stringently conserved in the other 2 classes. He showed that Taar genes from all 3 classes were expressed in subsets of zebrafish olfactory receptor neurons, supporting their function as olfactory receptors. Additionally, he identified that highly conserved TAAR1 (shark, mammalian, and teleost orthologs) was not expressed in the olfactory epithelium and may constitute the sole remnant of a primordial, non-olfactory function of this family. [16] Furthermore, he identified a zebrafish olfactory receptor, TAAR13c that detects polyamines (cadaverine) with high sensitivity. Structure-activity analysis indicates TAAR13c to be a general diamines sensor, with pronounced selectivity for odd chains of medium length. This receptor can also be activated by decaying fish extracts, a physiologically relevant source of diamines. He showed that Cadaverine and related diamines activate sparse olfactory sensory neurons and trigger robust avoidance behavior in zebrafish. The identification of a sensitive and specific zebrafish olfactory receptor for these diamines provides a molecular basis for studying neural circuits connecting sensation, perception and innate behaviour.[17]

He studied Immunogenomics of inflammatory diseases at Yale University as a postdoctoral research associate and showed differential expression of genes involved in causing these inflammatory diseases. He then moved to Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology and is following his long-term interest to combine olfaction and ageing research to understand ageing-associated neurodegenerative diseases.Hussain is currently working at Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology[14] Germany.

Since 2014, Dr. Hussain is Open Access Ambassadors of Max Planck Society.[18]

Media Reports

Dr. Hussain's research is frequently echoed in international media.

1. BBC Science News: Rotting flesh receptor discovered in zebrafish http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24874173

2. Harvard University Gazette: http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2014/01/something-doesnt-smell-right/

3. ScienceNews:Why death smells so deadly https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/gory-details/why-death-smells-so-deadly

4. Popular Science PopSci:Found: A Receptor For The Smell Of Rotting Flesh http://www.popsci.com/article/science/found-receptor-smell-rotting-flesh

5. DiePresse.com:Das Facebook der Hyänen http://diepresse.com/home/science/1475642/Das-Facebook-der-Hyaenen

6. Improbable Research:“Zebrafish... also find these scents disgusting” http://www.improbable.com/2013/11/20/zebrafish-also-find-these-scents-disgusting/

7. Inkfish Science:Found: A Rotten-Smell Button in the Brain http://inkfish.fieldofscience.com/2013/11/found-brains-rotten-smell-button.html

8-Top 10 Overseas Pakistanis That are Taking the World by Storm http://www.parhlo.com/top-10-overseas-pakistanis-that-are-taking-the-world-by-storm/

9-Footprints: A Pakistani in Cologne http://www.dawn.com/news/1198878

10- People of Pakistan: Ashiq Hussain, a neuroscientist, making a difference in Germany http://globalperspect.com/people-of-paksitan-ashiq-hussain-a-neuroscientist-making-a-difference-in-germany/

References

  1. ↑ http://www.pnas.org/content/106/11/4313.long
  2. ↑ THE OLFACTORY NERVOUS SYSTEM OF TERRESTRIAL AND AQUATIC VERTEBRATES
  3. ↑ POSITIVE DARWINIAN SELECTION AND THE BIRTH OF AN OLFACTORY RECEPTOR CLADE IN TELEOST FISH
  4. ↑ http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/11/05/1318596110.full.pdf+html
  5. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24874173
  6. ↑ http://www.improbable.com/2013/11/20/zebrafish-also-find-these-scents-disgusting/
  7. ↑ http://www.popsci.com/article/science/found-receptor-smell-rotting-flesh
  8. 1 2 http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ashiq_Hussain5
  9. ↑ http://www.parhlo.com/top-10-overseas-pakistanis-that-are-taking-the-world-by-storm/
  10. ↑ http://www.dawn.com/news/1198878/
  11. ↑ http://www.genetik.uni-koeln.de/groups/Korsching/
  12. ↑ https://liberles.med.harvard.edu/node/8
  13. ↑
  14. 1 2 http://www.neuro.mpg.de/325834/employee_page?employee_id=8651
  15. ↑ http://directory.yale.edu/phonebook/index.htm?Query=ashiq+hussain&btnG.x=0&btnG.y=0
  16. ↑ http://www.pnas.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=19237578
  17. ↑ http://www.pnas.org/content/110/48/19579.long
  18. ↑ http://oambassadors.mpdl.mpg.de/?page_id=348
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