Researcher Profile

There are nine HIV subtypes and 98 Circulating recombinant forms (CRS) in the world. My research interest is to find the circulating subtypes and CRFs in Bangladeshi strains. So, far we have identified five pure subtypes and ten CRFs. Globally vaccines strategies are based on subtype B. In Bangladesh 98% circulating strains are non B. So, this information will be helpful for the policy makers and vaccine designer for Bangladeshi population. Besides this using genotyping tools we can identify the drug resistant pattern of the circulating strains. We are also working on the available cheaper alternative for HIV infected patient management. We had collaboration with Harvard-MIT to check the efficacy of the portable CD4 microchips instrument.

I worked as a Co-I in a study:” Hepatitis C virus treatment among people who use opioid drugs in Dhaka and are enrolled in the harm reduction program: a pilot study”. We had treated the HCV infected clients with DAA (Sofosvovir and Daklatasvir) to observe sustained virological response (SVR) and adherence to the drug.

• Life member as registered graduate of Dhaka University

• Member of Dhaka University Graduate Biochemist Association.

• Member of the American Society of Microbiology

Selected publications include:

• Khan SI, Md Masud R, Crowe SM, Rahman M, Hellard M, Sarker MS, Chowdhury EI, Rana AM, Sacks-Davis R, Banu S, Ross AG. People who inject drugs in Bangladesh - the untold burden! International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases. 2019; PubMed [journal] PMID: 30928433
• Rahman M, Hossain ME, Afrad MH, Hasan R, Rahman M, Sarker MS, Azim T. Hepatitis C virus infections among clients attending an HIV testing and counseling center in Dhaka, Bangladesh. J Med Virol. 2018 Feb;90(2):383-387. doi: 10.1002/jmv.24955. Epub 2017 Oct 27. PubMed PMID: 28960396.
• Bontell I, Sarker MS, Rahman M, Afrad M.H, Sonnerborg A, Azim T. Molecular dating of HIV-1 subtype C from Bangladesh. PLoS One. 2013 Nov 1;8(11):e79193
• Rahman M, Chowdhury EI, Reza, Alam MS, Sarker MS, Afrad MH, Alam M, Rahman MZ, Pourkarim MR, Azim T. Genetic characterization of hepatitis C viruses in HIV positive people who inject drugs, Dhaka, Bangladesh. J AIDS Clinic Res 2012, 3:7.
• Sarker, M. S., M. Rahman, et al. (2010). "Detection of a Rare HIV Type 1 Strain CRF16_A2D in Bangladesh." AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses, April 2011, 27(4): 435-438
• Sarker, M. S., M. Rahman, D. Yirrell, E. Campbell, A. S. Rahman, L. N. Islam, and T. Azim. 2008.Molecular evidence for polyphyletic origin of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 subtype C in Bangladesh. Virus Res 135:89-94.
• Alam M. S, Sarker M.S, Mahmud A.M, Rahman AKMM ,  Begum J,   Colombani P, Yirrell, D.L ; Sack D.A;  Azim T, “Low HIV infection rates among tuberculosis patients in Dhaka, Bangladesh”. Int J STD AIDS. 2005 ,Jan;16;86-87
• Azim T, Alam MS, Rahman M, Sarker MS, Ahmed G, Khan MR, Rahman S, Rahman AS, Sack DA. Impending concentrated HIV epidemic among injecting drug users in Central Bangladesh. Int J STD AIDS. 2004 Apr;15(4):280-2.
• Azim T, Bogaerts J, Yirrel D.L, Banerjea A.C, Sarker MS,  Ahmed G, Amin MMM, Rahman ASMM, Abu M, Hussain Z, “ Injecting Drug Users in Bangladesh: Prevalance of Syphilis, Hepatitis, HIV and HIV Subtype”, AIDS 2002; 16:121-125
• Azim T, Islam MN, Bogaerts J, Mian MAH, Sarker MS, Fattah KR, Simmonds P, Jenkins C,  ChoudhuryMR, Mathan VI."Prevalence of HIV and syphilis among high-risk groups in Bangladesh." AIDS 2000, Vol 14 , No 2.
• Azim T, Islam LN, Sarker MS, Ahmad SM, Hamadani JD, Faruque SM, Salam MA.“ Immune Response of Bangladeshi Children With Acute Diarrhea Who Subsequently Have Persistent Diarrhea.” J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2000; 31:528-535