#219 From Immunology to Structural Biochemistry — The Research Journey: Hasan Al Banna

Hasan Al Banna is a researcher in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and is currently pursuing PhD research in the Department of Chemistry (specializing in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), USA. He completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Dhaka and later earned a Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology from North South University. He began his professional career as a Quality Control Officer at ACI Limited and subsequently worked as a Research Officer at icddr,b, where he was involved in various infectious disease research related to Immunology and Vaccinology. Currently, his main research fields are viral RNA structure, viral life cycles, and immune responses in humans. He has published several international research articles and is actively working on research related to viral RNA and immune responses. Profile

💬 Q&A Session:

Question: First, please tell us about yourself.
Answer: My interest in science and research developed in childhood, inspired by my father. Though my father was a student and researcher of theoretical physics, my main interests lay in biochemistry and genetics. In 2015, I completed my honors and master’s degrees from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Dhaka. Early in my career, I worked in the Quality Control Department of a pharmaceuticals company. Later, driven by my passion for research, I joined icddr,b in 2016 and worked for about five years in the Immunology and Mucosal Vaccinology lab. In 2021, I moved to the USA and began my PhD research in Structural Biochemistry at UMBC.

Question: What is the focus of your research?
Answer: My research mainly focuses on pathogenic viruses and bacteria in humans, how they elicit immune responses after entering the body, and how they establish control over host cells. While at icddr,b, I worked on cholera and COVID-19 research. Currently, in my PhD, I am working on the RNA structure of enteroviruses and mechanisms of their life cycles. Additionally, I have developed a new antibody-based method for specific RNA imaging inside cells.

Question: How do your research contributions benefit, or could benefit, society?
Answer: Research on enteroviral RNA structures can aid in the development of new antiviral drugs. These viruses share a common RNA structure, so targeting this structure could lead to drugs effective against multiple viruses in the group. On the other hand, the RNA imaging method I developed will make RNA research inside cells easier and create new opportunities for studying diseases like cancer.

Question: What message do you have for young students in Bangladesh?
Answer: For success in science, hard work and patience are extremely important. If you want to get involved in research, it’s important to participate in lab work or research projects from the beginning. Focus on developing your own skills rather than comparing yourself to others. Through research, Bangladeshi students can also establish themselves on the international stage.

Contact information:
Email: [email protected]

🔗 Profile Link:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hbnnbd/
Website: www.hasanalbanna.org
Research: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7475-6706

Hasan Al Banna’s research is adding new knowledge to the fields of infectious diseases, viral RNA structure, and immune responses. His work could play an important role in the future for developing new antiviral drugs and advancing RNA-based research methods. The biggani.org team expresses its gratitude for his dedication and contributions to research. We hope his work will inspire young students in Bangladesh to pursue science, and we wish him success in his future research endeavours.

From Immunology to Structural Biochemistry — The Research Journey of Hasan Al Banna

Hasan Al Banna is a researcher in biochemistry and molecular biology and currently a PhD candidate in Chemistry (specializing in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), USA. He completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Dhaka and later obtained a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from North South University. He began his professional career as a Quality Control Officer at ACI Limited before joining icddr,b as a Research Officer, where he worked on immunology, vaccinology, and infectious disease research. His current research focuses on viral RNA structures, viral life cycles, and host immune responses. He has published several international research articles related to viral RNA biology and infectious disease immunology. Profile

💬 Q&A Session:

Question: First, please tell us about yourself.
Answer: My interest in science and research began in childhood, inspired by my father. Although he was a theoretical physics researcher, my main interests developed in biochemistry and genetics. I completed my undergraduate and master’s degrees in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Dhaka in 2015. I initially worked in the quality control department of a pharmaceutical company but later shifted toward research. In 2016, I joined icddr,b and worked for nearly five years in immunology and mucosal vaccinology research. In 2021, I moved to the United States and began my PhD research in structural biochemistry at UMBC.

Question: What is your main research focus?
Answer: My research primarily focuses on disease-causing viruses and bacteria, examining how they trigger immune responses and how they control host cells. During my time at icddr,b, I worked on cholera and COVID-19 research. Currently, my PhD research focuses on enteroviruses, particularly the structure of viral RNA and mechanisms related to viral life cycles. I have also created a new antibody-based method to image specific RNA molecules inside cells.

Question: How do your research works benefit society?
Answer: My research on enteroviral RNA structures may help develop new antiviral drugs that could target multiple viruses within this group through a shared RNA mechanism. Additionally, the RNA imaging method I developed will allow scientists to study RNA functions inside living cells more effectively, which could support research in cancer and other diseases.

Question: What message would you give to young Bangladeshi students interested in science?
Answer: Success in science requires hard work and patience. Students should try to become involved in research early and focus on developing their own skills rather than comparing themselves with others. Research provides opportunities for Bangladeshi students to reach top international institutions and contribute globally.

Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

🔗 Profile Link:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hbnnbd/
Website: www.hasanalbanna.org
Research: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7475-6706

Hasan Al Banna’s research contributes to advancing knowledge in infectious diseases, viral RNA structure, and host immune responses. His work has the potential to support the development of new antiviral therapies and improved RNA research methodologies. The biggani.org team appreciates his dedication to scientific research and hopes his work inspires young Bangladeshi students to pursue careers in science. We wish him continued success in his future research endeavors.