My name is Abu Bakar Siddique, but you can call me Biplob. I wear many hats: I'm a father, a husband, a mentor, a dedicated researcher, a bioinformatician, a molecular ecologist, a plant pathologist, and a fungal virologist.
My journey began in Begumganj, Noakhali, Bangladesh, where I was born on October 19th, 1985. My parents, Abdur Rab Chowdhury and Nurjahan Begum, nurtured me alongside my younger brother, Tanvir Ahmed Siddique, and my older sister, Shiuly Begum.
My educational path started in 1991 at Boromehedipur Primary School, and soon after, I transferred to Chhayani Primary School in 1993. I completed my SSC at Chhayani High School in 2001 and my HSC at Noakhali Government College in 2003. My academic journey took me to Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University in Dhaka, where I earned my Bachelor's degree in Agriculture in 2008 and my first Master's degree in Plant Pathology.
In 2010, I embarked on an international adventure for higher education. I graduated with a second Master's degree in Ecology from the University of Umeå in Sweden in 2013. My thirst for knowledge led me to Germany, where I earned a PhD in Molecular Mycology and Ecology from the University of Greifswald in 2017. My postdoctoral research took me to the Czech Academy of Sciences, where I delved into fungal virology, and later to Umeå University in Sweden for further postdoctoral studies.
My research passion lies in the fascinating world of fungi. Since 2009, I've been exploring plant-inhabiting fungi, studying their identity, biodiversity, genetics, pathology, ecology, and their intricate relationships with plants and the environment. My Master's thesis focused on disease control using endophytic fungi as biocontrol agents. This journey led me to Sweden, where I studied the leaf-inhabiting endophytic fungi of Swedish aspen trees. These microscopic communities within the leaves reveal much about the health of trees and their surrounding ecosystems.
In Germany, I delved deeper into the mycobiome and bioinformatics, uncovering the relationship between endophytes and the genetic identities of trees. These fungi are shaped by their local environments and have significant connections with micro-climate, leaf age, biochemistry, and seasons.
My postdoctoral research in the Czech Republic focused on fungal viruses, or mycoviruses. These viruses infect fungi, and their impact can range from harmful to beneficial. My work aimed to understand how mycoviruses affect fungal growth and their potential benefits to plants by reducing fungal disease infections.
In 2020, I returned to Sweden to focus on bioinformatics and metagenomic data analysis from 40 years of air filters, tracking fungal species diversity, trends, phenology, and biosurveillance. In 2022, I began my career as a bioinformatician at the Swedish Agricultural University (SLU), providing bioinformatic services, support, and training to SLU staff.