Speakers

Omar Bagasra

Place of Birth : Pakistan
Born : 1948
Position : Director and Professor of Biology ,South Carolina Center for Biotechnology , Claflin University
Field of study : Biotechnology, Genetics, Medicine

Prof. Bagasra is a professor of Biology and the Director of the South Carolina Center for Biotechnology. Prof. Bagasra’s research interests have long been associated with the study of HIV and AIDS. He has been on the trail of the virus since 1981—the year of the first scientific report. For the past several years, he has focused on trying to gain insight into the molecular pathogenesis of HIV and the role of microRNA in protection against lentiviruses. In 1998, he was the first to discuss the protective role of small RNAs against retrovirus and lentivirus (“HIV and Molecular Immunity,”). His unswerving dedication to his work has resulted in over 200 scientific articles, book chapters, and books. In 1995, he was nominated for the King Faisal Award for Medicine. During the last few years he has received several national and international prestigious awards and recognitions. In 2002 and 2014 he received Faculty Scholar Award from the American Association for Cancer Research. In 2006 he was the co-recipient of the South Carolina Governor’s Award for Excellence in Science. From 2002-2006 he also served as the Council Member of the American Association of Cancer Research (MICR-AACR). Prof. Bagasra currently serves as a professor of Biology and the director of the South Carolina Center for Biotechnology at Claflin University. Much of his work has been recognized in top-tier journals, such as the New England Journal of Medicine, The Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, Journal of Virology, Journal of Immunology, Journal of Pediatrics, Nature Medicine, Nature Protocol and many other journals. Currently, Prof. Bagasra has been working on the molecular pathogenesis of the Zika virus. He recently published an article in EBioMed describing the mechanism of how the Zika virus causes microcephaly. Currently, he is working on the mechanisms by which the Zika virus can be transmitted sexually, from men to his partner.

•  1995: Nomination for the “King Faisal Award in Medicine”
• 2002: Recipient of the AACR Faculty Scholar Award in Cancer Research
• 2004: Nomination for the 2005 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Science
• 2005: Received the Outstanding Teacher Award by Claflin University.
• 2005: Elected “member of the Nominating Committee for the 2005-2006 AACR-MICR-Jane Cook Wright Lectureship.”
• 2006: Co-Winner of the South Carolina Governor’s Award for Science Awareness
• 2006: Winner of the Link Award
• 2008 Winner of James E. Hunter Award for outstanding performance in teaching & Educational Development. Claflin University May 10 08.
• 2010: Nominated for “The 2010 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize for Biology or Biochemistry” Award
• 2011: Recognition Certification from the American Society of Microbiology for "Outstanding Service to Minority Mentoring Program
• 2012: Winner of the First James E. Clyburn Health Disparities Leadership Award
• 2014: Winner of Attorney William H. and Annette B. Johnson Endowed Annual Faculty Award for Innovative Scientific Research

• 1998 U.S. Patent #5,750,347, issued May 12, 1998. In situ PCR- Automation Technology.
• 2006 Genetically engineered Pyrococcus furosis microorganism to produce bio-fuels and other chemicals from carbohydrates in a single bioreactor.
• 2007 Genetically engineered thermophile/hyperthermophile microorganism to produce bio-fuels and other chemicals from carbohydrates in a single bioreactor
• 2008 U.S. Patent # 021396/0640 August 15, 08 miRNA Triplex Formations for the downregulation of HIV replication.
• 2008 U.S. Patent # 018293-00006 Hyperthermophile microorganisms to produce Bio-Fuels and other chemicals from carbohydrates in a single bioreactor.
• 2009 U.S. Patent #018293.000006D. Fusion of Bacterial Protoplast of Clostritridium Spps. to Produce Biofuel.
• 2010 U.S. Patent. Fusion of Bacterial Protoplasts of Five Strains of Clostridium to Produce a Unique Thermophilic that Produces Bio-fuels and Other Chemicals Like Butanole in a Single Bioreactor.
• 2012 U.S Patent # 018293.00016 HIV replication inhibition using viral gene fragments and homologous microRNAs.
• 2014 U.S. Patent (#8,669,082 B1). Methods of Producing Butanol by a Unique Thermophile that Produces Biofuels from Lignocellulosic Biomass

• Effects of Environment in Development of Autism
• Prostate and Breast Cancers: Racial and cultural disparity
• MicroRNA based therapies for Ebola, HIV-1, and Zika virus
• Zika virus and microcephaly: What is causing small brain in the infected mothers’ newborns?
• Forensic Sciences: Field drug testing, Forensic DNA fingerprinting