Teacher Overview

Before that, Dr. Khatun has completed her professional degrees of DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) in 2008 and MS (Master of Science) in Pathology in 2010 from Sylhet Agricultural University (SAU), Sylhet, Bangladesh. Her MS research works was conducted in a collaboration with the National Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza (NRL-AI), Animal Health Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), Savar, Dhaka. Dr. Khatun then moved to Korea, Republic of (South Korea) in 2010 for pursuing her doctoral study through a Fully-Funded Fellowship program [Chonbuk (Jeonbuk) National University Doctoral Fellowship’2010] and joined at the laboratory (department) of Veterinary Immunology under the College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk (Jeonbuk) National University. She was successfully awarded her PhD degree in Veterinary Medicine (major: molecular virology, immunology and microbiology) in 2015. After completing her PhD, Dr. Khatun was selected and joined as a "postdoctoral research fellow" [Chonbuk (Jeonbuk) National University Postdoctoral Fellowship’2015] at the same laboratory (department) under the College of Veterinary Medicine and continued until December 13, 2018.

During her doctoral study and postdoctoral training, Dr. Khatun was focusing on two major projects mostly on the functional genomics of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) largely prospecting of viral pathogenesis intended to address two major hurdles faced by PRRS vaccinology i.e. low genetic fidelity and limited cross-protection. PRRSV, a quickly and highly evolving virus among RNA viruses, is the most challenging threat to the swine industries worldwide. In short, the high genetic fidelity of the virus was derived through mutagen-driven lethal mutagenesis, which has helped her to develop a candidate strain of PRRSV that possesses high genetic stability evidenced during serial replication in pigs passage by passage. And, the cross-protective efficacy against PRRSV strains was enhanced by introducing heterogeneity in the neutralizing epitopes constructed in an immunogenic backbone using reverse-genetics approaches. Wherein, a chimeric vaccine platform has been developed for PRRSVs aimed to enhance the heterologous protection against highly divergent PRRSVs. Currently, these breakthroughs are being utilized in her previous laboratory to develop a common vaccine platform against PRRSVs. In addition, she and her team developed a further understanding on immunopathogenesis and immunomodulation caused by the newly emerged field strains of PRRSVs in the host’s body systems (local and systemic immune responses). Besides, Dr. Khatun was also involved in another large project which addresses the roles of different host genotypes in PRRS-resistance to understand the genetic basis of the disease control. Furthermore, Dr. Khatun has had an extensive working experience with other viruses as well such as avian influenza type A virus, bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), porcine circovirus (PCV), transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and duck adenovirus etc.; and  bacteria (Clostridium spp., Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus spp. etc.). Dr. Khatun has a well-expertise on recombinant DNA (rDNA) technologies and reverse genetic systems, research on RNA virus mutagens and antiviral reagents, host-genetics, techniques of advanced molecular diagnostics, DNA sequencing (Sangers and NGS) and analysis, different cells culture systems (MARC-145 cells, PAMs, MDCK cells, MDBK cells, Vero cells, L929 cells, ST-CELL, PK-15, PK-1A etc.), Flow cytometry, fluorescent microscopy, invitro and invivo studies of infectious diseases.

Research interest: Is centered with the understanding of the different aspects of basic and applied virology (molecular) and immunology, immunopathogenesis, host-pathogen interactions, vaccine biotechnology and vaccinology etc.