Designation: Research Scientist, School of Biosciences
Visiting Scientist, National Centre for Biological Sciences
Qualifications: PhD, FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Milan
Area of Specialization: Tissue Biology, ECM, Fibrosis, Drug Discovery, and Anti-fibrotic Therapeutics
Abrar Rizvi completed his PhD at the FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology (IFOM), Milan, where he studied the intricate mechanisms of epithelial polarity establishment and lumen morphogenesis in 3D organoid-like cysts and small animal models. He pursued his postdoctoral research at the Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem), Bangalore, where he developed a novel drug discovery platform to screen inhibitors of fibroblast activation. His work has been recognized with the DST-SERB National Postdoctoral Fellowship (N-PDF) and the prestigious BIRAC Biotechnology Ignition Grant (BIG) for advancing novel anti-fibrotic therapeutics. He aims to translate his findings into clinical settings by developing targeted therapies for fibrosis-related diseases and expanding his research into the broader theme of tissue repair and regeneration. He is also interested in studying the implications of various inflammatory signals on fibroblasts during wound healing and investigating the impact of cancer-associated fibroblasts in remodelling the tumour microenvironment.
Publications:
Rana I, Kataria S, Tan TL, Hajam EY, Kashyap D, Saha D, Ajnabi J, Paul S, sjayappa; Ananthan AS, Kumar P, Zaarour R, Jayaprakash H, Kansagara G, Rizvi A, Zirmire RK, Badarinath K, Khedkar S, Yogesh C, Samuel R, George R, Danda D, Jacob PM, Dey R, Perundurai D, He YW, Varga J, Varghese S, Jamora C. Mindin (SPON2) Is Essential for Cutaneous Fibrogenesis in a Mouse Model of Systemic Sclerosis. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Volume 143, Issue 5, 2023. DOI:10.1016/j.jid.2022.10.011
Zaarour RF, Saha D, Dey R, Dutta A, Kumar P, Rana I, Pulianmackal A, Rizvi A, Misra N, Breton L and Jamora C. The neuropeptide Substance P facilitates the transition from an inflammatory to proliferation phase-associated responses in dermal fibroblasts. Exp Dermatol; March 2022. DOI:10.1111/exd.14573
Bisi S*, Marchesi S*, Rizvi A*, Carra D, Beznoussenko G, Ferrara I, Deflorian G, Mironov A, Bertalot G, Pisati F, Oldani A, Cattaneo A, Saberamoli G, Pece S, Viale G, Bachi A, Tripodo C, Disanza A and Giorgio S. IRSp53 shapes the plasma membrane and controls polarized transport at the nascent lumen during epithelial morphogenesis. Nature Comm; July 2020. DOI:10.1038/s41467-020-17091-x (*Equal contribution)
Bhatt T, Mruthyunjaya MS, Aishwarya B, Bhavya B, Rizvi A, Giorgio S, Amitabha M and Jamora C. Sustained Secretion of the Antimicrobial Peptide S100A7 Is Mediated by the Wound Healing Machinery. Cell Reports; Nov 2019. DOI:10.2139/ssrn.3322364
Disanza A, Bisi S, Frittoli E, Malinverno C, Marchesi S, Palamidessi A, Rizvi A and Giorgio S. Opinion Piece: Is cell migration a selectable trait in the natural evolution of cancer development? Philosophical Transactions B; July 2019.
DOI:10.1098/rstb.2018.0224 Bhatt T, Rizvi A, Batta SPR, Kataria S and Jamora C. Signaling and mechanical roles of E-cadherin. Cell Communication & Adhesion; 2013 Dec; 20(6):189-99. DOI:10.3109/15419061.2013.854778