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Dr. Farina Hanif

Name

Dr. Farina Hanif

Designation

Assistant Professor and Program Director of M.Phil & Ph.D. Molecular Medicine

Email

farina.hanif@duhs.edu.pk

Office

Department of Biochemistry, Dow International Medical College, 1st Floor, Room # 63 DUHS, Ojha Campus

Qualifications

  • Postdoctoral Fulbright Fellowship in Oncology from Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer biology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, USA.
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship in Genetics from Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
  • PhD in Molecular Medicine, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi.
  • Predoctoral Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences from King’s College London, University of London, UK.

Research

  • Investigating the underlying biochemical, and molecular mechanisms implicated in complex diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and schizophrenia, aiming to pinpoint potential therapeutic targets for intervention.
  • Uncovering the role of Non-coding RNA in cancer pathogenesis, with a particular emphasis on their utility in diagnosis and therapeutic development.
  • Exploring the involvement of transcribed ultra-conserved regions in the pathology of schizophrenia to uncover potential insights into disease mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.
  • Identifying FDA-approved drugs with potential for repurposing against gliomas and colorectal cancer, with the goal of advancing therapeutic options for these malignancies.  RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS
  • Mubeen, S.; Raza, I.; Ujjan, B.; Wasim, B.; Khan, L.; Naeem, N.; Enam, S.A.; Hanif, F*. Iloperidone and Temozolomide Synergistically Inhibit Growth, Migration and Enhance Apoptosis in Glioblastoma Cells. Biomedicines 2024 May 22; 12 (6), 1134.
  • Hanif F*, Amir Q, Washdev W. Effect of DIO2 Gene Polymorphism on Thyroid Hormone Levels and Its Correlation with the Severity of Schizophrenia in a Pakistani Population. Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Feb 5;25(3):1915.
  • Bibi I, Hanif F*, Amir Q, Washdev W, Bari MF. Impact of Brain derived Neurotrophic factor gene polymorphism on its peripheral levels in schizophrenic patients. J Pak Med Assoc. 2024 Feb;74(1 (Supple-2)): S19-S24.
  • Saad S, Hanif F*, Simjee SU, Faizi S, Khan L, Ashfaque A. Modulation of Apoptotic and Akt/PI3K/mTOR pathways to target Glioblastoma Cells using synthetic compound PGEA-AN. J Pak Med Assoc. 2024 Feb;74(1 (Supple-2)): S39-S46.
  • Haque Z, Hanif F, Owais M. AI in biomedical research: unleashing the potential of a transformative partnership. J Pak Med Assoc. 2024 Feb;74(1 (Supple-2)): S1
  • Zubair M, Khan S, Ali A, Hanif F, Abbas U, Ahmed B, Mehmood S, Khan F. Association of Vitamin D Gene Receptor Polymorphism with Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women. Molecular Medicine Communications. 2023 Dec 29;3(02):139-48. Hanif F, Zhang Y, Collin D, Gibert K, Saha S, Hudson K, Marcinkiewicz P, kefas B, Guessous F, and Abounader. miR-3174 is a new tumor suppressor microRNA that inhibits several oncogenes in glioblastoma. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 May 26;24(11):9326.
  • Haque Z, Hanif F, Owais M, Siddiqui S. 1st International conference on biomedical sciences, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan. JPMA. 2023 June; 73 (6).
  • Gibert Jr MK, Sarkar A, Chagari B, Roig-Laboy C, Saha S, Bednarek S, Kefas B, Hanif F, Hudson K, Dube C, Zhang Y, Abounader R. Transcribed Ultraconserved Regions in Cancer. Cells. 2022 May;11(10).
  • Noor T, Kiran Z, Ali A, Syed B S, Hanif F*. Corelation of copeptin with osmolarity and electrolytes in diabetes Mellitus: A tertiary center outpatient experience. International Journal of Endorsing Health Science Research. 2022; 10 (2), 157-166. Doi: 10.29052/IJEHSR.v10. i2.2022.157-166.
  • Hussain IS, Noor T, Amir Q, Washdev W, Hanif F*. Prevalence of misconceptions and presentation of covid-19 post-vaccination symptoms among health care workers of Karachi, Pakistan. JPPS. 31 Oct 2022. 19(2).
  • Javed L, Hanif F*, Malhi SM, Zaman U, Jahan N, Amir Q, Javed A, Malik AB, Abrar H. Diclofenac sodium enhances the antiepileptic effect of levetiracetam in pilocarpine induced epileptic mice model. Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2021 Sep 1;34(5 (Supplementary)):1969-74. (Corresponding author) (IF=0.6). (Y Category)
  • Javed A, Malik A, Amir Q.- ul-A, Hanif F*, Washdev W, & Jawed L. Glutamate ionotropic receptor AMPA type subunit 1 gene polymorphism (Gly>Ser) and its association with schizophrenia in Pakistani population: A pilot Study. International Journal of Endorsing Health Science Research. 2021. (IJEHSR), 9(4), 466-473. https://doi.org/10.29052/IJEHSR.v9.i4.2021.466-473.
  • Ashfaque A, Hanif F*, Simjee SU, Bari MF, Faizi S, Zehra S, Mirza T, Begum S, Khan L. Opuntiol Inhibits Growth, and Induces Apoptosis in Human Glioblastoma Cells by Upregulating Active Caspase 3 Expression. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention: APJCP. 2021 Nov 1;22(11):3607-13.
  • QuratulAin, Hanif F*, Amar WD, Bilwani F, Simjee SU. Synonymous polymorphism rs201256011 in Dopamine receptor type 2 gene is associated with schizophrenia in Pakistani population: A First Report. Int J Clin Pract. 2020; e13536. doi:10.1111/ijcp.13536).
  • Noor T, Hanif F* , Kiran Z, Rehman R, Haque Z, Nankani K. Relation of Copeptin with Diabetic and Renal Function Markers Among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Progressing Towards Diabetic Nephropathy. Arch Med Res. 2020; S0188-4409(20)30306-4. doi:10.1016/j.arcmed.2020.05.018.
  • Hanif F*, Quratul Ain Amir, Amar WD, Bilwani F, Shabana SU. A novel variant in dopamine receptor type 2 gene is associated with schizophrenia. Arch Med Res. 2020; 10:S0188-4409(20)30623-8. Aziz A, Hanif F, ⦁ Majeed S, ⦁ Iftikhar K, Simjee SU (2019). N-(2-hydroxyphenyl) acetamide (NA-2) elicits potent antitumor effect against human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Toxicol in Vitro 60: 296-304.
  • Chaudhry, Hanif F, Kausar S. (2019). Molecular Signatures of Calpain 10 Isoforms Sequences, Envisage Functional Similarity and Therapeutic Potential. Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 32(3):937-946.10p.
  • Hanif F, Perveen K, Malhi SM, Jawed H, Simjee SU (2018). Verapamil potentiates anti-glioblastoma efficacy of temozolomide by modulating apoptotic signaling. Toxicol in Vitro S0887-2333(18)30343-6. Hanif F, ⦁ Muzaffar K, ⦁ Perveen K, ⦁ Malhi SM, Simjee ShU. (2017). ⦁ Glioblastoma Multiforme: A Review of its Epidemiology and Pathogenesis through Clinical Presentation and Treatment. Asia Pacific journal of Cancer Prevention 18(1):3-9.
  • Hagiwara Y, Sieverling L, Hanif F, Anton J, Dickinson ER, Bui TT, Andreeva A, Barran PE, Cota E and Nikolova PV. (2016). Consequences of point mutations in melanoma-associated antigen 4 (MAGE-A4) protein in human cancers: Insights from structural and biophysical studies. Scientific Reports (npg) 6:25182
  • Hanif F, Perveen K, Jawed H, Ahmed A, Malhi SM, Jamall S and Simjee SU (2014) N-(2-hydroxyphenyl) acetamide (NA-2) and Temozolomide synergistically induce apoptosis in human glioblastoma cell line U87. Cancer Cell International. 14(1): 133.
  • Perveen K, Hanif F, Jawed H, Jamall S and Simjee SU (2014) ⦁ N-(2-hydroxy phenyl) acetamide: a novel suppressor of Toll-like receptors (TLR-2 and TLR-4) in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. 394(1-2): 67-75. Malhi SM, ⦁ Jawed H, ⦁ Hanif F, ⦁ Ashraf N, ⦁ Zubair F, ⦁ Siddiqui BS, ⦁ Begum S, ⦁ Kabir N and ⦁ Simjee⦁ SU (2014) Modulation of c-Fos and BDNF protein expression in pentylenetetrazole-kindled mice following the treatment with novel antiepileptic compound HHL-6. Biomed Research International.2014: 876712
  • Jawed H, Shah SUA, Jamall S, Perveen K, Hanif F, and Simjee SU(2014) N-(2-hydroxy phenyl) acetamide produces profound inhibition of c-Fos protein and mRNA expression in the brain of adjuvant-induced arthritic rats. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. 2014:387.
  • Hanif F, Perveen K, Jawed H, and Simjee SU (2013) In vitro growth inhibition of u87 glioblastoma cells by N-(2- hydroxy phenyl) acetamide. International Journal of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences.3 (4): 69 - 78.
  • Perveen K, Hanif F, Jawed H, and Simjee SU (2013) Protective efficacy of N-(2-hydroxyphenyl) acetamide against adjuvant -induced arthritis (AIA) in rats. Biomed Research International.2013: 635143.
  • Danish Saleheen et al. (2009) The Pakistan Risk of Myocardial Infarction Study: a bio resource for study of genetic and other determinants of myocardial infarction in South Asia. European Journal of Epidemiology. 24(6):329-38.

    ABSTRACTS PUBLISHED IN IMPACT FACTOR JOURNALS

    Dube C, ⦁ Zhang Y, ⦁ Saha S, ⦁ Lai M, ⦁ Gibert M, ⦁ Escalante M, ⦁ Mulcahy E, ⦁ Ottolini M, ⦁ Hudson K, ⦁ Bednarek S, Hanif F, ⦁ Xu E, Sorot A, Sonkusare S, ⦁ Sontheimer H, ⦁ Abounader R (2022). T-type calcium channels drive glioblastoma growth by promoting neuronal interactions. Neuro-Oncology. Volume 24, Issue Supplement_7.
  • T Noor, MT Khan, Hanif F*, Z Kiran, AA Baloch (2020). ⦁ Detection of serum copeptin levels in diabetic patients to evaluate progressive nephropathy. NEPHROLOGY.25, 39-39.
  • T Noor, MT Khan, Hanif F*, Z Kiran, AA Baloch, Rehman R. (2020)⦁ Correlation of vasopressin with serum electrolytes in diabetes mellitus patients progressing towards diabetic nephropathy. NEPHROLOGY.25, 38-39.
  • Hanif F, Perveen K and Simjee SU (2016). Verapamil potentiates temozolomide anticancer efficacy through the intrinsic apoptotic pathway in brain cancer cells. Front. Cell. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: 14th Meeting of the Asian-Pacific Society for Neurochemistry. doi: 10.3389/conf.fncel.2016.36.00190.
  • Hanif F, Perveen K, and Simjee SU (2016). Calcium channel blocker increases the anticancer activity of temozolomide by inhibiting autocrine VEGF signaling, Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods. 81, 350 doi.org/10.1016/j.vascn.2016.02.051.
  • Chaudhry B, Alia A, Mah-e-Nu M, Hanif F (2016). Serum 25-Hydroxy vitamin D levels and Metabolic Health Status in Obese individuals in Pakistan. Surgery for obesity and related diseases. 12 (7): S205. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soard.2016.08.357
  • Simjee SU, Perveen K, Hanif F, Jawed H, and Jamall S (2015). ⦁ Therapeutic activity of N-(2-hydroxy phenyl) acetamide: a novel anti-arthritic agent on pro-inflammatory cytokines production and suppression of Toll-like receptors (TLR-2 and TLR-4) in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats. The FASEB Journal 2015 29:1_supplement.
  • Hanif F, Perveen K and Simjee SU (2014)⦁ N-(2-hydroxy phenyl) acetamide induces apoptosis of brain cancer cells by increasing ⦁ Bax⦁ /Bcl-2 ratio. Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods.70 (1): 321.
  • Perveen K, Hanif Fand Simjee SU (2014) ⦁ Expression of toll-like receptor (TLR4) in splenocytes and its inhibition by N-(2-hydroxy phenyl) acetamide in adjuvant induce arthritic rat model (AIA). Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods.70 (1): 322.

    • GRANTS:
    Extramural grants:

  • In vitro modulation of WNT signaling pathway and its associated molecules in glioblastoma stem cells to combat therapeutic resistance and tumor relapse”. Position: Principal Investigator. Funding Agency: Pakistan Science Foundation Project Duration: 2023-2025 Status: Approved
  • To explore the repurposing potential of FDA approved carbonic anhydrase II inhibitors in the treatment of Brain Cancers. Position: Principal Investigator. Funding Agency: International Brain Research Organization Project Duration: 2021-2022 Status: Concluded
  • To investigate the potential contribution of thyroid hormone levels and DIO2 gene polymorphism in pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and implication in therapeutic strategies. Position: Principal Investigator. Funding Agency: Higher Education commission Pakistan under NRPU program. Project Duration: 2017-2018 Status: Concluded
  • Anticancer effect of compounds from medicinal plants Versus standard drug temozolomide on drug resistant glioblastoma cells. Position: Principal Investigator. Funding Agency: Startup Research Grant, Higher Education commission Pakistan Project Duration: 2017-2018 Status: Concluded
  • Modulation and transplantation of umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cells using different protocol to target Alzheimer’s disease: a comparative and therapeutic study. Position: Co-principal Investigator. Funding Agency: Higher Education commission Pakistan under NRPU program. Project Duration: 2022-2024 Status: Approved
  • Development of Raloxifene-loaded self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) with enhanced bioavailability potential: A therapeutic implication in osteoporosis. Position: Co-principal Investigator. Funding Agency: Higher Education commission Pakistan under NRPU program. Project Duration: 2022-2024 Status: Approved

    • Intramural Grants:

  • Differential expression of transcribed ultra conserved regions (TUCRS) in schizophrenia and their potential utility as biomarker. Position: Principal Investigator Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS Project Duration: 2023-2026 Status: Approved
  • Investigating Serum Levels of miR-4768-3p, miR-4722-5p and miR-5680 as Potential Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease. Position: Co Principal Investigator Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS Project Duration: 2023-2024 Status: Awarded
  • Modulation of apoptotic and AKT/PI3K/mTOR signaling pathways in glioblastoma Cells using small Molecules. Position: Principal Investigator Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS Project Duration: 2020-2021. Status: Concluded
  • Impact of Brain-derived Neurotrophic factor gene polymorphism on its peripheral levels in schizophrenic patients. Position: Principal Investigator Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS Project Duration: 2019-2020 Status: Concluded
  • Targeting expression of inflammatory markers in cortex and hippocampus of epileptic mice treated with novel drug combination. Position: Principal Investigator Funding Agency: DUHS Project Duration: 2019-2020 Status: Concluded
  • Effects of Modified Human Umbilical Cord Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Animal Model of Alzheimer’s disease, A Preclinical Study. Position: Co-Principal Investigator Funding Agency: Vice Chancellor’s seed funding initiative, DUHS Project Duration: 2021-2023 Status: Concluded

    Grants to Organize Conferences and Workshops:

    Conference: 1st International Conference on Biomedical Sciences (CONBIOMEDICA 2023)


    Position: Chair Scientific Committee and Conference Secretary.
    Funding Agency: Sindh Higher Education Commission,
    Project Duration: March 20th -21st, 2023.