Saadi Abdul Vahab | Manipal School of Life Sciences - Manipal Academy of Higher Education

CURRENT ACADEMIC ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES

Saadi Abdul Vahab is Associate Professor in the Division of Biotechnology at School of Life Sciences.

He:

Guides PhD, post graduate and bachelor’s students in their research activities.
Provides support to Molecular Diagnostic Research programmes at the School of Life Sciences.
Contributes to teaching of post-graduate, undergraduate, and PG-diploma programs as well as certificate courses at School of Life Sciences and other MU institutions.

SUBJECTS CURRENTLY TEACHING

Subject	Semester / Year
Human Genetics	MSc I semester Medical Biotechnology, MSc I semester Molecular Biology
Molecular Biology	BSc V Semester Biotechnology
Basics of Biotechnology	BSc I Semester Biotechnology
Immunodiagnostics drug delivery GLP and GMP	PG Diploma in Cellular and Molecular Diagnostics
Biostatistics and Bioinformatics	MSc II Year Medical Biotechnology, MSc II Year Molecular Biology
Molecular Biology (Practical)	MSc I semester Medical Biotechnology, MSc I semester Molecular Biology
Laboratory Training (rotation)	MSc II Year Medical Biotechnology, MSc II Year Molecular Biology, MSc II Year Bioinformatics

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

Degree	Specialisation	Institute	Year of passing
PhD	Biotechnology	Indian Institute of Technology (Kharagpur, India)	2000

Experience

Institution / Organisation	Designation	Tenure
Division of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences	Associate Professor	2009- till date
Division of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences	Assistant Professor	2005-2009
Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences at the Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai	Resource Person (At the level of Research Associate) for Teaching and Research	2000 - 2002
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur	Research Scholar (Institute)	1994 - 1999

Molecular etiology of malaria and asthma.

One major area of our research is the role of human host factors in malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf). Investigations on the role of host genetic factors on susceptibility to malaria and the selection pressure exerted on the human genome by the parasite in endemic regions have identified a long time ago, genes associated with infection, malarial phenotypes and interacting factors promoting severity of malaria. These include genetic variations of human red blood cells (RBCs), like genes coding for β-globin, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, Duffy antigen, spectrins and factors of immune system among others. Individuals from populations showing susceptibility or resistance may not share common factors underlying the clinical symptoms; treatment resistance may be a multifaceted phenomenon that needs proper evaluation from the perspectives of diagnostics, disease mechanisms and drug therapy. We have investigated factors for the essential route to blood parasitaemia in malaria, erythrocyte invasion, facilitated by activation of the G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling pathway mediated by the β2-adrenoreceptor (ADRB2) as one of the proteins on the surface of red blood cells. The most remarkable finding of our study has been the pairwise linkage disequilibrium (LD) estimates showing a distinct LD block of ADRB2 gene SNP loci studied in malaria patients. The characteristic haplotype block was disrupted in the controls recruited from the same endemic population who never had malaria due to non-significant pairwise LD of the SNP loci, providing evidence to the ADRB2 mediated molecular mechanisms in the etiology of malaria. Further, we explored the effect of SNPs of genes encoding the GPCR family proteins, adenosine2a receptor (ADORA2A) and G protein-coupled receptor kinase 5 (GRK5) on parasite entry into the RBCs and individual response to drug through a case control study of Pf malaria patients and matched controls. The two genes, ADORA2A, postulated to exert its influence in the mechanism of malaria pathogenesis by regulating the plasma levels of anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory cytokines and GRK5, by influencing interaction through the Toll-like receptors signaling via NFkB pathway activation- showed association of their SNPs to malarial susceptibility and also significant interaction between them; indicating molecular mechanisms based on linkage and interactions that may regulate erythrocyte infection of the malaria parasite in the population tested. Genetic association of ADRB2 polymorphisms with Asthma & its therapeutic response and the role of other pharmacogenes is another focus of our research. We were able to establish that the effectiveness of bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids in the clinical treatment for asthma patients also depend on polymorphisms in the ADRB2 and to identify the haplotypes associated with the response in the ongoing research.

AREAS OF INTEREST, EXPERTISE AND RESEARCH

Area of Interest

Molecular diagnostic research and research in molecular genetics of human diseases, teaching.

Area of Expertise

Molecular genetics of human diseases and pharmacogenomics.

Area of Research

Molecular genetics of human diseases and pharmacogenomics (Mendelian disorders and disease associated genetic variations in humans, e.g., asthma, malaria, cardiac disease).

Professional Affiliations & Contributions

Life member of Society of Biological Chemists (SBC).

Novel deletions in MYH7 and MYBPC3 identified in Indian families with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

2003-01-01 Waldmüller S Sakthivel S Saadi A Selignow C

2003, Elsevier, J. Cell MolCardiol, Vol 35, Pg 623–36.

Analysis of genotype and haplotype effects of ABCB1 (MDR1) polymorphisms for the risk of medically refractory epilepsy in an Indian population

2009-01-01 Saadi A Sen S Ravindran N Mony S

2009, Japan Science and Technology Information Aggregator, Electronic (J-STAGE), developed by Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Drug MetabPharmacokinet Vol 24(3), Pg 255-260.

Compound heterozygosity for HbD Punjab and polyadenylation signal mutation causes clinically asymptomatic mild hypochromia and microcytosis

2010-01-01 Girisha KM Dalal AB Gopinath PM Satyamoorthy K

2010, Springer- Verlag, Ann Hematol, Vol 89, Pg 625–626.

Quantitative Fluorescence Polymerase Chain Reaction (QFPCR) for prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal aneuploidies

2010-01-01 Kushtagi P Gopinath PM Satyamoorthy K

2010, KRE Publishers, India, Int. J. Hum Genet, Vol 10(1-3), Pg 121-129.

Thiopurine S-methyltransferase allele (TPMT, 2, 3B and 3C) and genotype frequencies in an Indian population

R Murugesan Patra S Rao R Rao J

2010, Spandidos Publications Ltd, Athens, Greece, ExpTherMed, Vol 1(1), Pg 121-127.

Analysis of co-segregation of intragenic DNA sequence variations as markers of maternal cell contamination in prenatal diagnosis of β-thalassemia

2011-01-01 Girisha KM Gopinath PM Satyamoorthy K

2011, Elsevier, Transl Res, Vol 157(3), Pg 151-155. The article identifies the novel use of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers in the detection of MCC of fetal cells during PND of b-thalassemia. When the SNP loci are homozygous in the fetus and mother has a different genotype, MCC can be identified. It is useful if such a panel of SNPs in the population of origin of the patient is maintained by laboratories. Furthermore, the disease allele haplotypes identified in the region may be translated into simpler experimental methods for large-scale carrier screening.

Simultaneous detection of periodontal pathogens in subgingival plaque and placenta of women with hypertension in pregnancy

2011-01-01 Swati P Thomas B Satyamoorthy Kushtagi P

2011, Springer- Verlag, Arch GynecolObstet DOI 10.1007/s00404-011-2012-9.

Hypoplasia/Aplasia of Pelvis, Femora, Fibula, Ulna, Digits and Nails: Fuhrmann Syndrome without WNT7A mutations

2011-01-01 Girisha KM Vasudevan TG Sha H Gopinath PM

2011, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, ClinDysmorphol, Vol 20, Pg 205-9.

Quantitative Fluorescent Polymerase ChainReaction (QF-PCR) for Aneuploidy Detection

2011-01-01 Vasudevan TG Girisha KM Gopinath PM Satyamoorthy K

2011, Indian Academy of Pediatrics, Genetic Clinics Vol 4(2), Pg 13-17. The article deals with the advantages and limitations of the QF-PCR test for the numerical abnormalities of chromosomes.

Allele, genotype and composite genotype effects of IL-1A+4845 and IL-1B+3954 polymorphisms for chronic periodontitis in an Indian population

2011-01-01 Gayathri R Bhat KM Bhat S Satyamoorthy K

2011, Indian Society for Dental Sciences, Medknow Publications, Indian J. Dent Res, Vol 22(4), Pg 126-132.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of ADRB2 gene and their association with susceptibility for Plasmodium falciparum malaria and asthma in an Indian population.

Abdul Vahab Saadi, Gupta H, Angural A Dhanya SK, Mony S, Oberoi D D’Souza SC, Sahoo SC, Hande MH Gopinath PM, Kapaettu Satyamoorthy

2013, Infection, Genetics and Evolution 20;140–147.

Evidence for genetic linkage between a polymorphism in the GNAS gene and malaria in South Indian population.

Gupta H, Sakharwade SC, Angural A Kotambail A, Bhat GK, Hande MH D'Souza SC, Rao P, Kumari V Abdul Vahab Saadi, Kapaettu Satyamoorthy

2013, Acta Tropica. 128: 571– 577.

Full Publications List

2018-01-01

For Full Publication List Click here

Association of Polymorphisms in ABCB1 gene with Pharmacoresistance in Epilepsy.

2006-01-01 Nivedita Ravindran

VI semester, BSc Biotechnology, 2006. The case-control study of SNPS of ABCB1 gene encoding the trans membrane p-glycoprotein transporter considered relevant to drug absorption and elimination, with access to the central nervous system. Effects of three ABCB1 SNPs in genotypic and haplotypic combination have been evaluated for risk of paediatric medically refractory epilepsy. Results confirmed absence of association of ABCB1 polymorphisms with medically refractory epilepsy.

Molecular Diagnostic Study of Haemophilia A and B, using linkage analysis, in South Indian population.

2011-01-01 Bishupriya Guhathakurta

II Year, MSc Medical Biotechnology, 2011. Optimised a strategy for the diagnosis of Haemophilia based on indirect linkage analysis method of co-segregation of intragenic (F8 & F9) SNP and microsatellite markers linked with disease mutation in haemophilia families. Carrier X-chromosome detection and prenatal diagnosis was made possible.

The role of host factors in erythrocyte phase of malarial infection caused by Plasmodium falciparum.

Himanshu Gupta

Ph D student 2010

Influence of inflammation on DNA methylation in asthma.

Smitha Bhat