Dr Noorjahan Jagalur Basheer
Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology
I joined the School of Life Sciences in October 2017. I obtained my PhD from Erasmus University Medical Centre from the lab of Professor Dies Meijer in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. My PhD research was focussed on deciphering the role of various transcription factors in Peripheral Nerve Myelination.
My research output highlighted the significance of distant regulatory elements in Schwann cell specific Oct6 gene regulation.
For my postdoctoral research, I worked on the role of NUP98 fusion oncogenes in hematologic malignancy in the group of Dr Michel Zwaan (Sophia Chidlren’s Hospital, The Netherlands) and Dr Maarten Fornerod (Erasmus University Medical Centre, The Netherlands).
I particularly focused on the development of potential targeted therapeutics for patients with chemotherapy resistant NUP98-NSD1 and NUP98- KDM5A rearranged Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML).
I also worked on PIM Kinase inhibition in AML in collaboration with Dr Rene Bernard’s group, Netherlands Cancer Institute.
Teaching
Having worked in various disciplines and capacities and, owing to my broad background in biological sciences, I enjoy connecting the dots across various disciplines. I have a passion for science and enjoy sharing this excitement with others.
As a biologist and a teacher, I believe, it is my responsibility to cultivate an interest in science among students and share wider applications of science in everyday life. I believe in providing a strong theoretical base whilst preparing students for the professional world.
I teach various modules related to Pharmacology and Molecular Biology such as Molecular Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Pharmacology of Disease etc to both Undergraduate and Postgraduate students. In addition, I am also involved in the supervision of PG (taught) research projects.
Qualifications
- PhD in Molecular Biology and Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Centre, The Netherlands
- MSc University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, India
- BSc University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, India
Research Interests
Current research areas are focused broadly on understanding molecular mechanisms that lead to paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). I have particular interest in NUP98 fusion oncogenes that cause paediatric AML and to develop therapeutic strategies for the same using combination of drug assays, primary patient cells and oncogenic cell lines. In addition, I have also expanded my focus to unravel the (epi) genetics and molecular mechanisms underlying drug resistance and therapy failure in AML.
Membership of Professional Bodies
Member of the British Pharmacological Society
Recent Publications
- Brunen, D., García-Barchino, M., Malani, D., Basheer, N., et al. 2016. Intrinsic resistance to PIM kinase inhibition in AML through p38α-mediated feedback activation of mTOR signaling. Oncotarget, 7(25), pp.37407-37419.
- Heynen, G., Nevedomskaya, E., Palit, S., Jagalur Basheer, N., et al. 2016. Mastermind-Like 3 Controls Proliferation and Differentiation in Neuroblastoma. Molecular Cancer Research, 14(5), pp.411-422.
- Kralt, A., Jagalur, N., et al. 2015. Conservation of inner nuclear membrane targeting sequences in mammalian Pom121 and yeast Heh2 membrane proteins. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 26(18), pp.3301-3312.
- Mul, JD, Nadra, K, Jagalur, NB et al. 2011, 'A hypomorphic mutation in Lpin1 induces progressively improving neuropathy and lipodystrophy in the rat', Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 286, no. 30, pp. 26781-93.
- Jagalur, NB, et al. 2011, 'Functional dissection of the Oct6 Schwann cell enhancer reveals an essential role for dimeric Sox10 binding', Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 31, no. 23, pp. 8585-94.
Contact Details
T: +44 (0)1582 743435
E: noorjahan.basheer@beds.ac.uk