Dr. Sohail

Research Associate Professor @ Seoul National University

About

I turn raw sequencing data into biological discovery — end-to-end. As a Research Associate Professor at Seoul National University, I lead RNA-seq and functional genomics pipelines across model and non-model plant systems, delivering publication-ready results from FASTQ to figures. My work sits at the intersection of rigorous wet-lab molecular biology and scalable computational analysis. Bioinformatics & Computational Skills ▸ End-to-end RNA-seq pipelines: FASTQ → QC → alignment (STAR, HISAT2, Salmon) → differential expression → annotation → publication figures — on Linux/HPC ▸ De novo transcriptome assembly using Trinity for non-model organisms ▸ DESeq2 & edgeR ▸ Functional annotation: GO, KEGG, eggNOG-mapper, UniProt, Swiss-Prot, NCBI BLAST ▸ Pathway enrichment analysis & visualization ▸ Publication-quality figures: volcano plots, heatmaps, PCA/PCoA, dot plots, pathway enrichment maps — ggplot2 (R) ▸ Programming: R (ggplot2, dplyr, DESeq2) · Python (pandas, matplotlib) · Linux/Bash · HPC/Ubuntu Wet-Lab Molecular Biology Full Stack ▸ Gene Expression: Real-time qPCR · Digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) ▸ Nucleic Acids: DNA/RNA extraction & purification (plant, tissue, non-model systems) ▸ Cloning & Editing: Gene cloning · Promoter-vector construction · Seamless cloning ▸ Protein & Interaction Studies: Western blotting · Yeast One-Hybrid (Y1H) · Yeast Two-Hybrid (Y2H) · Dual-luciferase reporter assays ▸ Imaging: Confocal microscopy ▸ Plant Systems: ▸ General: PCR · Gel electrophoresis · Nucleic acid quantification · Troubleshooting & protocol optimization International Research Journey 🇵🇰 PhD — Plant Science & Molecular Biology, PMAS Arid Agriculture University 🇩🇪 Postdoc — Humboldt university Zu berlin Germany (DFG-funded) · Retrograde signaling, plastid stress, RNA-seq 🇩🇪 Research Visitor — University of Tübingen (HEC IRSIP Award) 🇨🇳 Postdoc — Yangzhou University, China · TGA3 networks, Y1H/Y2H, transcription factor–promoter interactions 🇲🇾 Research Fellow — INTI International University · Plant stress genomics & nano-biotechnology 🇰🇷 Research Associate Professor — Seoul National University · RNA-seq, Arabidopsis & Abies koreana genomics Open to Industry Opportunities I am actively exploring roles in: Biotech R&D · Agri-Genomics · NGS & Genomics Solutions · Pharmaceutical Plant Science · Bioinformatics Consulting · Application Specialist / Technical Support (Life Sciences) If you work in genomics, crop biotech, NGS, or bioinformatics-driven R&D — I would love to connect. 📧 sohail.botanist@hotmail.com | sohail@snu.ac.kr

Country

South Korea

City

Seoul

Industry

Environmental Services

Skill

RStudio, Python (Programming Language), Genetic Analysis, Research Collaboration, Reasoning Skills, Problem Solving, Experimental Design, Data Interpretation, Recombinant DNA, Protein Expression, Project+, Expression Cloning, Molecular & Cellular Biology, Fluorescence Microscopy, Data Management, Grant Writing, Confocal Microscopy, Cell Biology, Molecular, NGS

Experience

Research Associate Professor

Seoul National University

2025-11 - Present · 11 mos

Seoul, South Korea

I design and execute end-to-end RNA-seq and functional genomics pipelines in Linux/HPC environments, performing downstream statistical analyses in R and Python. My work spans model and non-model plants, including Arabidopsis thaliana, Abies koreana, and Arachis hypogaea. My expertise includes de novo transcriptome assembly (Trinity), transcript quantification (Salmon), differential expression analysis (edgeR), and integrative functional annotation using eggNOG-mapper, UniProt, GO, InterPro, Pfam, and KEGG.

Senior Research Fellow

Seoul National University

2025-9 - 2025-10 · 2 mos

South Korea

Just Joined, Later on project detail will be shared.

Research Fellow

INTI International University-Malaysia

2026-1 - Present · 9 mos

Research Fellow

INTI International University-Malaysia

2024-12 - 2026-1 · 1 yr 2 mos

Postdoctoral Researcher

Yangzhou University

2023-6 - 2025-6 · 2 yrs 1 mo

China

Uncovering the direct target genes of TGA3 and defining their roles in plant stress signaling. I investigate the transcriptional regulatory network controlled by TGA3 by identifying its direct downstream targets under stress conditions. Using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system, I analyze promoter sequences to identify TGACG motifs and examine potential TGA3 binding in genes such as ERF, MYB63, WRKY22, and WRKY70. My approach integrates molecular and functional assays, including yeast one-hybrid (Y1H), yeast two-hybrid (Y2H), dual-luciferase reporter assays, gene cloning, and promoter–vector construct development, to validate transcription factor–promoter interactions. These experiments allow me to determine whether TGA3 directly regulates stress-responsive transcription factors and to define their roles in plant adaptation under abiotic stress conditions.

Postdoctoral Researcher

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

2021-4 - 2022-12 · 1 yr 9 mos

Germany

Using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system, I employed the retrograde signaling mutants GUN4-1 and GUN5 to investigate plastid-to-nucleus communication. Chloroplast function was chemically disrupted using norflurazon, an inhibitor of phytoene desaturase, to induce plastid-derived stress signals. I further integrated RNA-seq analysis to uncover transcriptomic changes underlying the coordinated regulation of chlorophyll and anthocyanin biosynthesis under stress conditions.

Assistant Professor

University of Lakki Marwat

2020-9 - 2021-4 · 8 mos

As an Assistant Professor, I designed and structured the BS Botany curriculum in alignment with the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan guidelines. I developed course content, learning outcomes, and assessment strategies to ensure academic rigor and compliance with national standards. I taught core undergraduate courses, including Plant Physiology and Genetics I & II, which are mandatory subjects in the BS Botany program. In addition to teaching, I actively supervised undergraduate students in laboratory research, providing hands-on training in experimental design, data analysis, and scientific reporting.