Mosharraf Sarker is a human biologist whose research interests lie in the understanding of mammalian cell signalling mechanism to inflammation and oxidative stress. Currently he is also working on understanding the beneficial interaction of probiotic bacteria and health. He obtained his undergraduate and Master of Science degrees in Physiology from the Institute of Postgraduate Medicine and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh (1982-1987).

Dr. Sarker obtained his PhD in vascular physiology from King’s College London under the supervision of Dr. Paul Fraser (1991-1995). The subject of his thesis was the mechanisms by which some inflammatory mediators increase cerebral microvascular permeability. Following this he undertook two postdoctoral research fellowships, firstly working with Dr Fraser and then with Dr. Fraser and Dr. Kevin Pedley at the Vascular Biology Research Centre, Cardiovascular Division, King’s College London. Both Fellowships was funded by the Welcome Trust where Dr. Sarker was the named applicant. Dr. Sarker is still collaborating with Dr. Fraser at King’s College London as a visiting lecturer. Dr. Sarker was also taught at the Pharmacy Department, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Dr. Sarker took up a lectureship in human biology at Teesside University in 2001. At Teesside, Dr. Sarker has developed a tissue culture facility to study the role of probiotic bacteria to inflammation and oxidative stress. Currently a number of PhD students, MSc and undergraduate students are working in his lab in related fields.

Since 2007 Dr. Sarker has developed a link with the internationally renowned vascular biology research group at the Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL) and Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, USA through which he has been able to spend time doing research in UCL and in the USA as an academic visitor. Dr. Sarker is currently appointed as Honorary Lecturer in the Institute of ophthalmology at UCL, London (Oct 2013-Sep 2018).

Dr. Sarker has so far successfully supervised one PhD student to completion as director of studies and is currently supervising a number of PhD students. Dr. Sarker has also taken an active role in research management within the School of Science & Engineering and the University as Postgraduate Tutor (2007-to date); Chair of the University Research Degree Sub-committee (Oct 2913 –to date); member of the School Research Degree Committee (2004-2013) and University Research Degree Committee (2007-to date) and also was Vice Chair of the School Research Degrees Committee (SRDC) (2007-2009). He was an active member of the School Research Ethics Committee (2003-2010). Dr. Sarker also led the undergraduate final year research project as a module leader (2003-2007) and was a course leader for MRes in Science (2008-2011).

Key skills:

1. Microscopy: Fluorescence microscopy specially to measure intracellular calcium, free radicals and nitric production in live animal model in vivo and also in vitro cultured cell systems.

2. Cell culture: both primary and cell lines; permeability studies both in vitro and in vivo.

3. Molecular technique to detect protein expression, gene expression.

4. Fluorescence microscopy and gentamicin protection assay (GPA) to study Phagocytic activity of immune cells.

Role of Probiotics in the modulation of bacterial macrophage interaction

This project is designed to study role of probiotic bacterial supernatant to phagocytic activity of murine macrophagic cell line. The ability of probiotics to influence immune function is still poorly understood. This study utilised a gentamicin protection assay (GPA) to assess the influence of probiotics on the interaction of E. coli with the murine macrophage cell line J774. Findings will help us in understanding the effect of probiotics on bacterial ingestion.

Probiotic mediated anti-inflammatory and anticancer cell signalling in cultured cell system

In this project we have been studying the effect of probiotic bacteria in the regulation of inflammatory, antioxidant, cancer proteins expression in macrophage and in a number of colon cancer cells.