Mohammed “Monir” Moniruzzaman
Assistant Professor, Marine Biology and Ecology
Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science
m.monir@miami.edu
Dr. Moniruzzaman’s research integrates lab-based model systems with advanced computational biology tools to decipher the molecular mechanisms underlying host-virus interactions, focusing specifically on giant viruses. Giant viruses carry thousands of genes, many acquired from their hosts through a process known as viral mimicry, which endows these viruses with exceptional metabolic complexity. Giant viruses are evolutionarily related to poxviruses—key human pathogens—and thus provide a powerful model for understanding fundamental aspects of human viral diseases, particularly in how they manipulate critical pathways such as energy metabolism, nucleotide biosynthesis, apoptosis, and immune responses. Dr. Moniruzzaman’s lab maintains tractable giant virus-protist model systems, ideal for dissecting how viral genes target and modulate host metabolic pathways and immune functions. Insights from these protist-virus interactions will have direct translational potential to human health, specifically regarding how viruses influence human cellular processes during infection, contributing to infection severity, persistence, and immune evasion. Dr. Moniruzzaman is currently collaborating with both University of Miami researchers on a project where his lab is leading the analysis of high-throughput sequencing data – he believes that his computational expertise in bioinformatic data analysis and interpretation complements their experimental approaches and will facilitate innovative interdisciplinary projects to tackle key human health challenges. Finally, Dr. Moniruzzaman’s extensive research experience in marine microbiomes and algal blooms positions him to drive collaborative research efforts at the intersection of human health and marine ecosystem. Specific examples of such research directions include addressing health hazards arising from ecosystem disruptions, such as harmful algal blooms, and emerging microbial pathogens, including zoonotic diseases.
Keywords: virus, virus-host interaction, bioinformatics, microbiomes, algal blooms
