Mahdi Moosa, PhD
Assistant Professor
Dr Mahdi Moosa is a biophysicist and bioinformatician who has extensive research experience with disordered proteins and their physicochemical properties. He obtained his BSc (Hons.) and MS from the University of Dhaka, and PhD from the Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California. He got his postdoctoral trainings at the Baylor College Medicine (Texas) and the University at Buffalo (New York). Currently, he is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Mathematics & Natural Sciences (Biotechnology Program).
Address
Level: 4, Room: 4G42
Kha-224 Merul Badda
Dhaka 1212. Bangladesh
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Education
+–• PhD in Biological Sciences, the Scripps Research Institute, California, USA
• MS in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
• BSc (Hons) in Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh -
Publications
+–Book Chapters
Afzal, M. Z., Mahmood, N., Moosa, M. M., Ibrahim, A. K., Chen, S., & Zhang, L. (2022). Comparative genomics and synteny within corchorus species and among malvaceae genomes. In L. Zhang, H. Khan, & C. Kole (Eds.), The Jute Genome (pp. 193–208). Cham: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91163-8_13
Moosa, M. M., Ferreon, J. C., & Ferreon, A. C. M. (2019). Single-molecule FRET detection of early-stage conformations in α-synuclein aggregation. In Methods in Molecular Biology (Vol. 1948, pp. 221–233). Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States: Humana Press Inc. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9124-2_17
Journals
Davis, R. B., Moosa, M. M., & Banerjee, P. R. (2022). Ectopic biomolecular phase transitions: Fusion proteins in cancer pathologies. Trends in Cell Biology, 32(8), 681–695. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcb.2022.03.005
Alshareedah, I., Moosa, M. M., Pham, M., Potoyan, D. A., & Banerjee, P. R. (2021). Programmable viscoelasticity in protein-RNA condensates with disordered sticker-spacer polypeptides. Nature Communications, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26733-7
Davis, R. B., Kaur, T., Moosa, M. M., & Banerjee, P. R. (2021). FUS oncofusion protein condensates recruit mSWI/SNF chromatin remodeler via heterotypic interactions between prion-like domains. Protein Science, 30(7), 1454–1466. https://doi.org/10.1002/pro.4127
Alshareedah, I., Moosa, M. M., Raju, M., Potoyan, D. A., & Banerjee, P. R. (2020). Phase transition of RNA−protein complexes into ordered hollow condensates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117(27), 15650–15658. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1922365117
Moosa, M. M., Ferreon, J. C., & Ferreon, A. C. M. (2020). Ligand interactions and the protein order-disorder energetic continuum. Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology, 99, 78–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semcdb.2018.05.007
Moosa, M. M., & Banerjee, P. R. (2020). Subversion of host stress granules by coronaviruses: Potential roles of π-rich disordered domains of viral nucleocapsids. Journal of Medical Virology, 92(12), 2891–2893. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.26195
Alshareedah, I., Kaur, T., Ngo, J., Seppala, H., Kounatse, L.-A. D., Wang, W., Moosa, M. M., & Banerjee, P. R. (2019). Interplay between Short-Range attraction and Long-Range repulsion controls reentrant liquid condensation of Ribonucleoprotein-RNA complexes. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 141(37), 14593–14602. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.9b03689
Kaur, T., Alshareedah, I., Wang, W., Ngo, J., Moosa, M. M., & Banerjee, P. R. (2019). Molecular crowding tunes material states of ribonucleoprotein condensates. Biomolecules, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/biom9020071
Mitra, S., Kumar, D., Hu, L., Sankaran, B., Moosa, M. M., Rice, A. P., Ferreon, J. C., Ferreon, A. C. M., & Venkataram Prasada, B. V. (2019). Influenza A virus protein NS1 exhibits strain-independent conformational plasticity. Journal of Virology, 93(21). https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.00917-19
Choi, K.-J., Tsoi, P. S., Moosa, M. M., Paulucci-Holthauzen, A., Liao, S.-C. J., Ferreon, J. C., & Ferreon, A. C. M. (2018). A chemical chaperone decouples TDP-43 disordered domain phase separation from fibrillation. Biochemistry, 57(50), 6822–6826. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.biochem.8b01051
Moosa, M. M., Tsoi, P. S., Choi, K.-J., Ferreon, A. C. M., & Ferreon, J. C. (2018). Direct single-molecule observation of sequential DNA bending transitions by the Sox2 HMG box. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19123865
Ren, Z., Lee, J., Moosa, M. M., Nian, Y., Hu, L., Xu, Z., McCoy, J. G., Ferreon, A. C. M., Im, W., & Zhou, M. (2018). Structure of an EIIC sugar transporter trapped in an inward-facing conformation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115(23), 5962–5967. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1800647115
Moosa, M. M., Goodman, A. Z., Ferreon, J. C., Lee, C. W., Ferreon, A. C. M., & Deniz, A. A. (2018). Denaturant-specific effects on the structural energetics of a protein-denatured ensemble. European Biophysics Journal, 47(1), 89–94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00249-017-1260-4
Tsoi, P. S., Choi, K.-J., Leonard, P. G., Sizovs, A., Moosa, M. M., MacKenzie, K. R., Ferreon, J. C., & Ferreon, A. C. M. (2017). The N-Terminal domain of ALS-Linked TDP-43 assembles without misfolding. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 56(41), 12590–12593. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201706769
Banerjee, P. R., Milin, A. N., Moosa, M. M., Onuchic, P. L., & Deniz, A. A. (2017). Reentrant phase transition drives dynamic substructure formation in ribonucleoprotein droplets. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 56(38), 11354–11359. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201703191
Islam, M. S., Saito, J. A., Emdad, E. M., Ahmed, B., Islam, M. M., Halim, A., Hossen, Q. M. M., Hossain, M. Z., Ahmed, R., Hossain, M. S., Kabir, S. M. T., Khan, M. S. A., Khan, M. M., Hasan, R., Aktar, N., Honi, U., Islam, R., Rashid, M. M., Wan, X., … Alam, M. (2017). Comparative genomics of two jute species and insight into fibre biogenesis. Nature Plants, 3. https://doi.org/10.1038/nplants.2016.223
Banerjee, P. R., Moosa, M. M., & Deniz, A. A. (2016). Two-dimensional crowding uncovers a hidden conformation of α-synuclein. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 55(41), 12789–12792. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201606963
Moosa, M. M., Ferreon, A. C. M., & Deniz, A. A. (2015). Forced folding of a disordered protein accesses an alternative folding landscape. ChemPhysChem, 16(1), 90–94. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphc.201402661
Tanmoy, A. M., Alam, M. M., Moosa, M. M., Ghosh, A., Quarni, W., Ahmed, F., Zaman, N. R., Sharmin, S., Islam, M. T., Islam, M. S., Hossain, K., Ahmed, R., & Khan, H. (2015). Corchorus L. and Hibiscus L.: Molecular phylogeny helps to understand their relative evolution and dispersal routes. Bioresearch Communications - (BRC), 1(1), 1–10. https://www.bioresearchcommunications.com/index.php/brc/article/view/164
Mahmood, N., & Moosa, M. M. (2013). In silico analysis of the NBS protein family in Ectocarpus siliculosus. Indian Journal of Biotechnology, 12(1), 98–102. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84878249670&partnerI...
Reza, K. A., Sharmin, S., Moosa, M. M., Mahmood, N., Ghosh, A., Begum, R. A., & Khan, H. (2013). Identification and molecular characterization of a receptor-like protein kinase gene from Corchorus capsularis. Turkish Journal of Biology, 37(1), 11–17. https://doi.org/10.3906/biy-1202-22
Ferreon, A. C. M., Moosa, M. M., Gambin, Y., & Deniz, A. A. (2012). Counteracting chemical chaperone effects on the single-molecule α-synuclein structural landscape. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109(44), 17826–17831. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1201802109
Mahmood, N., Moosa, M. M., Tamanna, N., Sarker, S. K., Najnin, R. A., & Alam, S. S. (2012). In silico analysis reveals the presence of a large number of Ankyrin repeat containing proteins in Ectocarpus siliculosus. Interdisciplinary Sciences – Computational Life Sciences, 4(4), 291–295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12539-012-0134-9
Mahmood, N., Moosa, M. M., Matin, S. A., & Khan, H. (2012). Members of ectocarpus siliculosus F-box family are subjected to differential selective forces. Interdisciplinary Bio Central, 4(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.4051/ibc.2012.4.1.0001
Maruf, A. A., Moosa, M. M., Rashid, S. M. M., Khan, H., & Yeasmin, S. (2012). Culture dependent molecular analysis of bacterial community of Hazaribagh tannery exposed area in Bangladesh MATeRIAlS And MeThodS. Agriculture, Food and Analytical Bacteriology, 2(2).
Moosa, M. M., Ayub, M. I., Bashar, A. E., Sarwardi, G., Khan, W., Khan, H., & Yeasmin, S. (2011). Combination of two rare mutations causes β-thalassaemia in a Bangladeshi patient. Genetics and Molecular Biology, 34(3), 406–409. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1415-47572011005000026
Moosa, M. M., & Ud-Dean, S. M. M. (2011). The role of dominance hierarchy in the evolution of social species. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 41(2), 203–208. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5914.2010.00458.x
Sharmin, S., Moosa, M. M., Islam, M. S., Kabir, I., Akter, A., & Khan, H. (2011). Identification of a novel dehydration responsive transcript from tossa jute (Corcohrus olitorius L.). Journal of Cell and Molecular Biology, 9(1), 21–29.
Ayub, M. I., Moosa, M. M., Sarwardi, G., Khan, W., Khan, H., & Yeasmin, S. (2010). Mutation analysis of the HBB gene in selected bangladeshi β-thalassemic individuals: Presence of rare mutations. Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers, 14(3), 299–302. https://doi.org/10.1089/gtmb.2009.0160
Moosa, M. M., & Ud-Dean, S. M. M. (2010). Danger avoidance: An evolutionary explanation of uncanny valley. Biological Theory, 5(1), 12–14. https://doi.org/10.1162/BIOT_a_00016
Samira, R., Moosa, M. M., Alam, M. M., Keka, S. I., & Khan, H. (2010). In silico analysis of jute SSR library and experimental verification of assembly. Plant OMICS, 3(2), 57–65.
Ahmed, S., Nabi, M. Z., Alam, M. M., Islam, M. S., Samira, R., Moosa, M. M., & Khan, H. (2009). A computational and experimental approach for developing jute ESTs from genomic clones. Australian Journal of Crop Science, 3(6), 322–328.
Minhaz Ud-Dean, S. M., & Moosa, M. M. (2009). Sequence specific dihedral angle distribution: Application in protein structure prediction and evaluation. Plant Tissue Culture and Biotechnology, 19(2), 217–226. https://doi.org/10.3329/ptcb.v19i2.5439
Ud-Dean, S. M. M., & Moosa, M. M. (2008). An equilibrium model for coat protein mediated resistance to viral infection in plants. Bioscience Hypotheses, 1(4), 224–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bihy.2008.07.002
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Professional Activities
+–o 2023- till date: Assistant Professor, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
o 2019-2022: Postdoctoral Associate, University at Buffalo, New York, USA
o 2017-2019: Postdoctoral Associate, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas, USA
o 2010-2011: Research Associate, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh -
Courses Taught
+–o Structural & Functional Genomics Studies
o Bioinformatics
o Human Genome
o Advanced Molecular Biology -
Conferences, Talks, and Speaking Engagements
+–• Moosa, MM, Tsoi, PS, Choi, KJ, Ferreon, ACM, Ferreon, JC. Deciphering complexities in Sox2-DNA interactions using single-molecule spectroscopy (2018). 2018 BMB/Pharm Research Conference, Baylor College of Medicine, The Tremont House, Galveston, Texas.
• Banerjee, PR, Moosa, MM, Deniz, AA. Single-Molecule Spectroscopy Reveals the Role of Two-Dimensional Crowding in Disordered Protein Folding (2017). Platform on Intrinsically Disordered Proteins (IDP) and Aggregates II in 61st Annual Biophysical Society Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana.
• Moosa, MM, Banerjee, PR, Deniz AA. Chaperone Hsp27 uncovers a hidden membrane-bound state of α-synuclein (2016). Symposium on Theory, Experiment and Computations: A Synergistic Approach to Research in the 97th Annual Meeting of the Pacific Division of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, San Diego, California. -
Awards, Honors
+–o NIH T32 Interdisciplinary Translational Cancer Nanotechnology Fellowship (declined), MD Anderson Cancer Center- Rice University Joint Program (2017-2019)
o The Joshi Memorial Prize for Outstanding Research Talk, 2018 BMB/Pharm Research Conference, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas (2018).
o Dean’s Award, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh (2011)
o National Science, Information & Communication Technology Fellowship, Ministry of Science, Information & Communication Technology, Bangladesh (2009-2010)
o SUMITOMO Corporation Scholarship, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh (2009)
o Japan International Co-operation Foundation Scholarship, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh (2004) -
Membership
+–o Biophysical Society
o American Association of Advancement of Sciences (AAAS)
o American Chemical Society (ACS)
o International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) -
Research Areas/Interests
+–o Protein structure & dynamics
o Biomolecular assemblies/aggregates
o Genomic variations
o Bioinformatics