Lab Head & Principal Investigator

Tanim Jabid Hossain, PhD

Microbial biochemist and academic specializing in microbial genomics, metabolomics, probiotics, and pathogen biology.

Associate Professor & Principal Investigator
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
University of Chittagong, Chattogram 4331, Bangladesh

Founder & Head, Laboratory for Health, Omics and Pathway Exploration (HOPE Lab)

Microbial Biochemist | Probiotics · Glycobiology · Genomics · One Health

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Biography

I am a microbial biochemist dedicated to understanding how microbial life shapes human health and environmental sustainability. My research explores the metabolic pathways, probiotic functions, and pathogenic mechanisms of microorganisms –  from lactic acid bacteria to multidrug‑resistant pathogens –  with an emphasis on their bioactive metabolites, ecological roles, and cross‑kingdom interactions. A central goal of my work is the development of One Health‑oriented probiotics, functional foods, and microbiome‑based strategies that support human, animal, and plant health through evidence‑based, sustainable approaches.

During my Ph.D. in the Glycometabolome Lab at RIKEN (Japan) under Dr. Tadashi Suzuki, I investigated the catabolism of protein‑N‑glycans in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the bacterial degradation of C‑mannosyl tryptophan. This experience ignited a lasting interest in microbial glycobiology and glycan‑processing pathways. I later broadened my research to encompass genomics, metabolomics, biofilm biology, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and food microbiology, always with an eye toward translational outcomes – from bioprocess optimization and biosurfactant discovery to food safety and environmental remediation.

As an Associate Professor, I teach microbiology, spectroscopy, natural products, and related subjects at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. I am committed to mentorship‑driven training, guiding students to become independent, critical‑thinking researchers. My lab, HOPE Lab, is a collaborative space where we investigate beneficial and pathogenic organisms, including probiotics, plant growth‑promoting rhizobacteria, zoonotic and phytopathogens, and extremophiles. We employ biochemical, genetic, and multi‑omics approaches to uncover novel antimicrobial peptides, bacteriocins, exopolysaccharides, and other food‑grade bioactives that can mitigate AMR and improve global health.

Fundamentally, I strive to bridge fundamental discovery with practical impact – advancing One Health, food security, and environmental stewardship through rigorous, interdisciplinary science.

Education

• Ph.D. in Science & Engineering (Glycobiology) – RIKEN–Saitama University Graduate Program, Japan

• M.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – University of Chittagong, Bangladesh

• B.Sc. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology – University of Chittagong, Bangladesh

Professional Experience

• Associate Professor (2022 – Present)
  Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chittagong

• Assistant Professor (2017 – 2022)
  Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chittagong

• Lecturer (2014 – 2017)
  Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chittagong

• International Program Associate (2012 – 2015)
  Glycometabolome Team, RIKEN, Japan

• Executive, Production Dept. (2011 – 2012)
  Square Toiletries Ltd.

• Executive, Quality Assurance Dept. (2010 – 2011)
  ACI Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Research Experience

Ph.D. Research

Analysis of the catabolic pathways of glycoconjugates – RIKEN–Saitama University

• Catabolism of protein‑N‑glycans in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

• Structural analysis of free N‑glycans (FNGs)

• Bacterial degradation of C‑mannosyl tryptophan

M.S. Research

Chemical and microbiological quality assessment of raw and processed liquid market milks of Bangladesh

• Nutritional composition, acidity, and adulteration analysis

• Bacterial enumeration and biochemical characterization

Student Supervision

• Ph.D. students: 2

• Postgraduate students: 2

• M.S. thesis students: 7

• Undergraduate students: 10

Major supervised topics: Biocatalysis, One Health probiotics, functional metabolites, microbial symbiosis, ecology

Research Interests

Primary Fields

Microbial Biochemistry · Genomics · Glycomics · Functional Foods · Nutraceuticals · Microbial Pathogenesis

Core Areas

• One‑Health Probiotics

• Food and Nutritional Microbiology

• Sustainable applications in health, agriculture, and food systems

• Ecology & Symbiosis (rhizosphere, gut, extreme environments)

• Phytopathogens & Zoonoses

• Biocatalysis & Glycoconjugate metabolism

• Genome sequencing & Bioinformatics

Publications

Listed in reverse chronological order. Hyperlinks lead to full-text where available.

• Anthropogenic Alkaline Niches as a Habitat for Alkalitolerant Bacteria: Taxonomy, Ecophysiology, and Biotechnologically Relevant Hydrolases (2026) – Preprint

• Functional and transcriptomic analyses in Neurospora crassa reveal the crucial role of N‑glycoprotein deglycosylation process in fungal homeostasis (2026) – Preprint

• Multifunctional lactic acid bacteria from sugarcane juice with probiotic properties for gut adaptation, health benefits, food preservation and quality enhancement (2026) – Scientific Reports DOI

• From “GRAS to Grass”: Lactic Acid Bacteria as One Health Probiotics for Plant Growth, Bioremediation, Soil Quality, Food Safety, and Public Health (2026) – Preprint

• Prodigiosin as a Potential Multi‑Target Antidiabetic Agent: Molecular Docking and Dynamics Simulations with Type 2 Diabetes‑Related Proteins (2025) – Preprint

• Exploring Probiotic Benefits and Competence of Streptococcus thermophilus Strain M2 Isolated from the Yogurt‑Based Beverage Mattha (2025) – Annals of Agri‑Bio Research Full Text

• Prodigiosin Demonstrates Promising Antiviral Activity against Dengue Virus and Zika Virus in In‑Silico Study (2024) – Analytical Science Advances DOI

• Bioactive exopolysaccharide from Limosilactobacillus fermentum LAB‑1: antioxidant, anti‑inflammatory, antibacterial and antibiofilm properties (2024) – Bioactive Carbohydrates and Dietary Fibre DOI

• Assessment of the In‑Vitro Probiotic Efficacy and Safety of Pediococcus pentosaceus L1 and Streptococcus thermophilus L3 Isolated from Laban, a Popular Fermented Milk Product (2024) – Archives of Microbiology DOI

• Metagenomic analysis of bacterial diversity and community in date palm sap: Dominance of Leuconostoc, Zymomonas, and Lactobacillus Preprint

• Multifaceted Plant Growth Promoting Traits and Abiotic Stress Resistance Abilities Exhibited by Chrysanthemum Rhizobacteria (2024) – Current Applied Science and Technology DOI

• Isolation of Biosurfactant Producing Bacteria from Oil‑Spilled Soil and Characterization of Their Secreted Biosurfactants in Pathogen‑Inhibition and Oil‑Emulsification (2024) – International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research DOI

• Methods for screening and evaluation of antimicrobial activity: a review of protocols, advantages and limitations (2024) – European Journal of Microbiology and Immunology DOI

• Phosphate solubilizing rhizobacteria of rice: Analysis of plant growth promoting activity and environmental stress tolerance (2023) – Annals of Agri‑Bio Research Full Text

• Antioxidant, antimicrobial and emulsification properties of exopolysaccharides from lactic acid bacteria of bovine milk: insights from biochemical and genomic analysis (2023) – LWT - Food Science and Technology DOI

• Antipathogenic Action and Antibiotic Sensitivity Pattern of the Borhani‑Associated Lactic Acid Bacterium Weissella confusa LAB‑11 (2023) – Journal of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Food Sciences DOI

• Probiotic characteristics of Pediococcus pentosaceus and Apilactobacillus kunkeei strains: the lactic acid bacteria isolated from Bangladeshi natural honey (2023) – Applied Food Biotechnology DOI

• Genome‑sequence, annotation and phylogenetic insights of the lactic acid bacterium Limosilactobacillus fermentum strain LAB1 obtained from the dairy beverage borhani (2023) – Acta Scientiarum. Biological Sciences DOI

• Inhibition of pathogenic microbes by the lactic acid bacteria Limosilactobacillus fermentum strain LAB‑1 and Levilactobacillus brevis strain LAB‑5 isolated from the dairy beverage borhani (2022) – Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science DOI

• Functional Genomics of the Lactic Acid Bacterium Limosilactobacillus fermentum LAB‑1: Metabolic, Probiotic and Biotechnological Perspectives (2022) – Heliyon DOI

• Substrate preferences, phylogenetic and biochemical properties of proteolytic bacteria present in the digestive tract of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) (2021) – AIMS Microbiology DOI

• Production Optimization, Stability, and Oil Emulsifying Potential of Biosurfactants from Selected Bacteria Isolated from Oil Contaminated Sites (2021) – Royal Society Open Science DOI

• Evaluation of Cellulolytic Endo‑1,4‑β‑D‑Glucanase Activity in the Digestive Fluid of Adult Phytophagous Beetle Hoplasoma unicolor (2021) – Tropical Life Science Research DOI

• Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance Phenotypes of Salmonella Species Recovered at Various Stages of Broiler Operations in Hathazari, Bangladesh (2021) – International Journal of One Health DOI

• Hydrolytic Exoenzymes Produced by Bacteria Isolated and Identified From the Gastrointestinal Tract of Bombay Duck (2020) – Frontiers in Microbiology DOI

• Enrichment and Characterization of a Bacterial Mixture Capable of Utilizing C‑mannosyl Tryptophan as a Carbon Source (2018) – Glycoconjugate Journal DOI

• Structural Analysis of Free N‑Glycans in α‑Glucosidase Mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae: Lack of the Evidence for the Occurrence of Catabolic α‑Glucosidase Acting on the N‑Glycans (2016) – PLoS ONE DOI

• Lack of the Evidence for the Enzymatic Catabolism of Man1GlcNAc2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (2016) – Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry DOI

• Endo‑β‑N‑Acetylglucosamidases (ENGases) in the Fungus Trichoderma atroviride: Possible Involvement of the Filamentous Fungi‑Specific Cytosolic ENGase in the ERAD Process (2014) – Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications DOI

• Chemical and Microbiological Quality Assessment of Raw and Processed Liquid Market Milks of Bangladesh (2011) – Continental Journal of Food Science and Technology Full Text

• Biosurfactant‑Producing Bacteria: Key Insights into Isolation, Characterization, Production, and Applications in Environmental Remediation and Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) – Preprint

Professional Service

Peer Reviewer for:
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, npj Science of Food, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Current Microbiology, Applied Food Biotechnology, Jordan Journal of Biological Sciences, Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity, and others.

Contact

📧 tanim.bmb@gmail.com · tanim.j.hossain@cu.ac.bd

ORCID: 0000-0002-0978-2657

Related pages: All members · Collaborators · Prospective students · Alumni