Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Short Biography

• Dr. Khokon Kumar Dutta, S/O. Late Balai Chandra Dutta and Late Sudha Rani Dutta was born in Jhenaidaha, Bangladesh on January 1st, 1975. He was born in a Hindu family. He is baptized and accepted the Christianity in 2015. Dr. Khokon Kumar Dutta was awarded PhD degree from the School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan in 2007. In both B.Sc. and M.Sc., he studied Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. In higher secondary school level he qualified for studying in Notre Dame College, Dhaka College and Dhaka Residential Model College. He started his higher secondary school in Notre Dame College and subsequently moved to Dhaka College. He also got the opportunity to study the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), but choose to study Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Dhaka University. He is working as assistant professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalgonj from 22nd April 2018. Currently he is also serving as the chairman of the department.
  Dr. Khokon Kumar Dutta has some disease related research experiences. He started his institutional research as a M.Sc. thesis student in immunology in the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR B) where he subsequently worked as a research employee.He did some postdoctoral research as Research Associate in the School of Optometry, Indiana University, USA. He also worked at the Institute for Virus Research, Kyoto University, Japan and at the National Health Research Institute, Taiwan (Republic of China).He played key roles in some research works of good significance-
  -> Both vibrio cholerae and Enterotoxic Escherichia coli infections in humans cause inflammatory responses which were largely known as non-inflammatory diseases.
  -> Discovery of the presence of CpG island in the promoter region of thiredoxin-binding protein-2, TBP-2 (also known as thioredoxin-interacting protein, TXNIP). Discovery of the mechanism of TBP-2 transcription from the chromosomal sequences which is regulated by CpG island methylation and demethylation. Abnormal expression of TBP-2 (TXNIP) is now well known as a critical contributor in different human diseases like aging, type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, brain diseases, eye diseases, kidney diseases and others.
  -> Discovery of the presence of TBP-2 (TXNIP) inside the mitochondria of rat renal proximal tubular cells.
  -> First experimental validation of the presence of TBP-2 (TXNIP) in both cytoplasm and nucleus by using direct assay method.
  -> TBP-2 (TXNIP) physically binds with the mitochondrial thioredoxin (Trx-2)
  -> Discovery that states the half-life of TBP-2 (TXNIP) protein can be shortened by post translational mechanisms and regulators.
  -> Reduced presence or absence of TBP-2 (TXNIP) is needed for the growth and proliferation of cancer cells and for the regenerative growth of non-cancer cells.
  -> Mutations in the genomes follow a non-random pattern which simply indicates the existence of genomic locations or sites where the mutations rate is higher than other places of the genomes.
  -> MicroRNAs expression is cell-type dependent which was thought to be organ specific.
  -> Discovery of the presence of mature microRNA-34a inside the nucleus. At that time it was known that mature microRNAs are produced and function in the cytoplasm only.
  -> Some cancer types show high presence of microRNA-34a. There also exist some cancer types where microRNA-34a is almost absent.
  -> Discovery of the presence of microRNA-34c in the rat testis. Now microRNA-34c is well established as the father's microRNA. MicroRNA-34c enters the new embryo via male sperm. Success of pregnancy is largely dependent on microRNA-34c.
  -> Discovery of the presence of microRNA-34a in the testicular spermatogonial cells. MicroRNA-34a is absent in spermatozoa. Now it is well known that microRNA-34a is a critical regulator of sperm production in the male testis.
  -> Reduced presence of microRNA-34 family are involved in oxidative stress.
  -> Discovered that embryonic stem cells and cancer cells have similarities in microRNA-34 family expression. Now it is known that microRNA-34a is a critical regulator of cancer stem cells of almost each and every cancer type of humans.
  -> Presence of multiple initiation codons in the mRNA of SLC4A11 which is known be critically involved in different eye diseases at least. Now it known that different variants of SLC4A11 are produced inside the cells depending on the alternative translational initiation.
  Current research interests of Dr. Khokon Kumar Dutta include the roles of thioredoxin-binding protein-2, TBP-2 (also known as thioredoxin-interacting protein, TXNIP) and microRNA-34family in the pathophysiology of diabetes and diabetes related complications.