• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Departments of Oncology and Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2015)
• PhD, University of Maryland – National Institutes of Health (NIH) Graduate Partnerships Program (2009)
• BS, Brandeis University (2003)

Peer-Reviewed Articles in Biological Sciences:

Hossain MZ, Patel K, Kern SE. “Salivary α-amylase, serum albumin, and myoglobin protect against DNA-damaging activities of ingested dietary agents in vitro.”Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2014. 70(2014): 114-119.

Hossain MZ, Healey MA, Lee C, Poh W, Yerram SR, Patel K, Azad NS, Herman JG, Kern SE. “DNA-intercalators Causing Rapid Re-expression of Methylated and Silenced Genes in Cancer Cells.” Oncotarget. 2013. 4(2): 298-309.

Hossain MZ, Gilbert SF, Patel K, Ghosh S, Bhunia AK, Kern SE. “Biological clues to potent DNA-damaging activities in food and flavoring.” Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2013. 55(2013): 557-567.

Hossain MZ, Yu Q, Xu M, Sen JM. “ICAT expression disrupts β-catenin-TCF interactions and impairs survival of thymocytes and activated mature T cells.”International Immunology. 2008. 20(7): 925-935.

Kim D, Hossain MZ, Nieves A, Gu L, Ratliff TS, Oh SM, Park A, Han S, Yang NB, Qi J, Taube JM, Kang S, Garza LA. “To Control Site-Specific Skin Gene Expression, Autocrine Mimics Paracrine Canonical Wnt Signaling and Is Activated Ectopically in Skin Disease.” American Journal of Pathology. 2016. 186(5): 1140-1150.

Ghosh S, Hossain MZ, Borges M, Goggins MG, Ingersoll RG, Eshleman JR, Klein AP, Kern SE. “Analysis of polymorphisms and haplotype structure of the human thymidylate synthase genetic region: a tool for pharmacogenetic studies.” PLoS One. 2012. 7(4): e34426.

Xu M, Sharma A, Hossain MZ, Wiest DL, Sen JM. “Sustained Expression of Pre-TCR Induced β-Catenin in Post β-Selection Thymocytes Blocks T Cell Development."Journal of Immunology. 2009. 182(2): 759-765.

Ohta Y, Goetz W, Hossain MZ, Nonaka M, Flajnik MF. “Ancestral Organization of the MHC Revealed in the Amphibian Xenopus.” Journal of Immunology. 2006. 176(6): 3674-3685.

Nelson AM, Reddy SK, Ratliff TS, Hossain MZ, Katseff AS, Ratliff TS, Zhu AS, Chang E, Resnik SR, Page C, Kim D, Whittam AJ, Miller LS, Garza LA. “TLR3 activation links tissue damage to epimorphic regeneration in the skin.” Cell Stem Cell. 2015. 17(2): 139-151.

Yu Q, Sharma A, Oh SY, M HG, Hossain MZ, Salay T, Leeds K, Du H, Wu Beibei, Waterman M, Zhu Z, Sen JM. “TCell Factor-1 Initiates Th2 Fate by Inducing GATA-3 and Repressing IFNg.” Nature Immunology. 2009. 10(9): 992-999.

Ghosh S, Sur S, Yerram SR, Rago C, Bhunia AK, Hossain MZ, Paun BC, Ren YR, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Azad NA, Kern SE.“Hypersensitivities for Acetaldehyde and Other Agents Among Cancer Cells Null for Clinically Relevant Fanconi Anemia Genes.”American Journal of Pathology. 2014. 184(1): 260-270.

Peer-Reviewed Articles in Social Sciences:

Hossain MZ, Kabir ER, Hossain MZ. “A Novel Health Insurance Scheme for Cancer Care in Bangladesh.” Review of Integrative Business and Economics Research. 2016. 5(3): 183-223.

Hossain MZ. “New Economy in India: New Hope for Equality?” Bard Journal of Social Sciences. Spring 2002. IX(II): 48-50.

Commentary:

Hossain MZ, Garza LA. “Hairy Math: Addition of Wnt-3a to Multiply Bulge Cells.” Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2015. 135: 1481-1483.

Book:

Hossain MZ. β-Catenin, TCF, and ICAT: Novel Roles in T Cell Development, Function, and Aging. 2010. Lambert Academic Publishing.

Leadership/Service Experience:

Committees at BRAC University

• Serves on the Self-Assessment Committee, Syllabus Committee, the Examination Committee, the Committee for Laboratory Courses, the Seminar Committee, and the Newsletter Committee of the Department of Pharmacy at BRAC University. Played a critical role in update of the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum and development of new graduate programs.
• Serves on a Committee to review and further improve the curriculum of the widely acclaimed residential semester program of BRAC University on its Savar campus.

Reviewer, Journal of Genes and Cells

• Reviews submitted manuscripts to determine suitability for publication. June 2015 - Present.

Dermatology Department Representative, Johns Hopkins University

• Served as the department representative for a new initiative by the Associate Dean for Postdoctoral Affairs to enhance networking and collaboration opportunities at Hopkins. October 2014 - October 2015.

Observer, Institutional Biosafety Committee, Brandeis University

• As a Schiff Fellow, attended meetings of the Institutional Biosafety Committee and participated in the proceedings. August 2002 - May 2003.

College Cultural Prefect, Mirzapur Cadet College, Tangail, Bangladesh

• Had overall responsibility for all cultural events on campus. Initiated and directed plays, cultural shows, musical evenings, debates, and cultural competitions. Edited the school magazine. Led the school team in Inter Cadet College Literary and Cultural Meet. July 1997 - June 1998.

Professional Network

• Active Member, American Association for Cancer Research since 2016
• Associate Member, American Association for Cancer Research. 2012-2015

Medicinal Chemistry, Cell Biology, Biostatistics, Pharmaceutical Management, and Introductory Biology for majors and non-majors.

Conference Papers:

Hossain MZ, Kabir ER, Hossain MZ. “A Novel Health Insurance Scheme for Cancer Care in Bangladesh.” Proceedings of the Conference on Interdisciplinary Business and Economics Research. 2016.

Hossain MZ and Hossain MZ. “Copyright Protections as Legal Impediments in Knowledge Globalization: The Case of Eldred v. Reno.” Proceedings of the International Conference on Knowledge Globalization. 2010. 199-201.

Selected Abstracts:

Hossain MZ, Gilbert SF, Patel K, Ghosh S, Bhunia AK, Kern SE. “Biological clues to potent DNA-damaging activities in food and flavoring.” Poster Presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting. Washington, DC. April 2013.

Hossain MZ, Healey MA, Yerram SR, Patel K, Azad NS, Herman JG, Kern SE. “DNA-intercalators Causing Rapid Re-expression of Methylated and Silenced Genes in Cancer Cells.” Poster Presentation on the Fellow Research Day, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD. May 2012.

Hossain MZ, Yu Q, Xu M, Sen JM. “ICAT expression disrupts β-catenin-TCF interactions and impairs survival of thymocytes and activated mature T cells.” Poster presentation at the NIH Graduate Partnerships Program Retreat. Cumberland, MD. July 2008.

Hossain MZ, Newton E, Simister NE. “Quantification and Comparison of FcRn α-Chain mRNA Level in Tissues from Myotonic Dystrophy Patients and Normal, Healthy Humans.” Poster Presentation at the Howard Hughes Summer Fellowship Mini-Symposium at Brandeis University. Waltham, MA. August 2001.

Kim D, Hossain MZ, Chen R, Dubee P, Young S, Sierra C, Qi J, Taube JM, Kang S, Garza LA. “dsRNA induces ectopic KRT9 expression via WNT/β-catenin-mediated signaling.” Poster Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology. Scottsdale, AZ. May 2016.

Kim D, Hossain MZ, Nieves A, Gu L, Yang N, Oh S, Han S, Qi J, Taube JM, Kang S, Garza LA. “Regulation and disruption of the site-specific skin gene KRT9.”Poster Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Investigative Dermatology. Atlanta, GA. May 2015.

Yu Q, Hossain MZ, Salay T, Xu M, Du H, Waterman M, Sen JM. “TCF and β-Catenin Act Downstream of the T Cell Receptor to Cooperatively Regulate Gata-3 Expression and Initiate Th2 Differentiation.” Poster presentation at the NIH Immunology Interest Group Retreat. Gettysburg, PA. October 2008.

Yu Q, Sharma A, Oh SY, M HG, Hossain MZ, Leeds K, Wu Beibei, Waterman M, Zhu Z, Sen JM. “T Cell Factor-1 Initiates T Helper 2 Fate by Inducing GATA-3 and Repressing IFNg.” Poster presentation at the WNT Meeting. Washington, DC. June 2009.

Ghosh S, Sur S, Yerram SR, Rago C, Bhunia AK, Hossain MZ, Paun BC, Ren YR, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Azad NA, Kern SE. “Acetaldehyde and drug hypersensitivities ofFanconi anemia defects: Implications for cancer initiation, prevention, and therapy.”Poster Presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting. Washington, DC. April 2013

Selected Oral Presentations:

Hossain MZ*, Resnik SR*, Kim D, Zhu AS, Dubee P, Ratliff TS, Garza LA. “Double-stranded RNA Induces Ectopic KERATIN 9 Expression by Up-regulating β-Catenin.” Presented on the Department of Dermatology Annual Research Day at Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD. April 2015. *Equal contribution.

Hossain MZ, Newton E, Simister NE. “Mutational Studies on the Transmembrane Domain of FcRn.” Presented at the Howard Hughes Summer Fellowship Mini-Symposium at Brandeis University. Waltham, MA. August 2002.

Hossain MZ, Newton E, Simister NE. “Regulation of FcRn α-Chain Expression in Myotonic Dystrophy.” Presented at the Wien Alumni Network Reception at Brandeis University. Waltham, MA. September 2001.

Workshop Conducted:

Conducted  workshop, titled,“Introduction  to  Self-Assessment  and  Team  Building” at  the Department of Pharmacy, BRAC University as part of the World Bank-funded Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project (HEQEP) of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Bangladesh.Dhaka, Bangladesh. August 2016.

• Nomination for the Best Dissertation Award, University of Maryland, 2009
• NIH Pre-Doctoral Intramural Research Training Award, 2005-2009
• B.S. Cum Laude awarded with honors in Biology, Brandeis University, 2003
• Wien International Scholarship from Brandeis University, 1999-2003

• Dean’s List of Brandeis University, 1999-2003
• Jerome A. Schiff Undergraduate Fellowship, 2002-2003
• Howard Hughes Summer Research Fellowship, 2001 and 2002
• Best Discipline Award, Mirzapur Cadet College, 1998
• Gold Medal in Extempore Speech Competition, Inter Cadet College Literary and Cultural Meet, 1997

• Best Cultural Talent Award, Mirzapur Cadet College, 1997, for outstanding achievement in diverse extracurricular activities
• First Prize in a nation-wide essay competition on agriculture and pesticides, organized by Ciba-Geigy Bangladesh, 1994

The overarching goal of Dr. Hossain’s research program is to study the effect of environmental factors on human genome and epigenome. He is particularly interested in investigating the role of diet and lifestyle factors in carcinogenesis and then using this knowledge to design translational preventative/therapeutic interventions for at-risk populations and cancer patients. Environmental influences on gene expression and associated phenotypes are mediated by somatic mutations as well as epigenetic changes. Dr. Hossain is, therefore, keen to identify novel protective and/or risk factors for cancer through epidemiologic studies and elucidate their mechanism of action at the molecular level in the laboratory. Programming of gene expression is a longstanding research interest for Dr. Hossain. During his doctoral training, he discovered novel roles for Wnt-β-catenin-TCF signaling in T cell development, function, and aging. Intrigued by its carcinogenic potential, Dr. Hossain pioneered the study of DNA-damaging activity in food and flavoring (featured in Time magazine), identified pyrogallol-like polyphenols (PLPs) as a major source of clastogenic activity in the diet, and demonstrated that saliva and common body proteins have an innate capacity to fend off harmful, potentially mutagenic activity of dietary DNA-damaging chemicals. Dr. Hossain also discovered a novel class of fast-acting non-nucleoside gene de-silencing agents with potential use in anti-cancer chemotherapeutics and reprogramming of gene expression in regenerative medicine. More recently, he investigated the role of Wnt signaling in skin regeneration and worked on developing strategies for conversion of tissue identity for therapeutic purposes. His current research program in molecular epidemiology and cancer biology thus builds synergy across multiple aspects of his previous work and seeks to apply a holistic approach to the study of environmental factors and associated gene expression programs that elevate or reduce the risk of carcinogenesis.