My memorable piece of research work was revealing the mystery and mechanism of a developmental protein:Muhammad G Mustafa

 

Muhammad G Mustafa, Professor, Department of zoology, Jahangirnagar University was present at tea with Dr. Bibhuti Bhushan Mitra’s online biology interview.  He has many experiences in the entomology research field and PhD from Japan.



Professor Mustafa with Dr Sadia Ahmed in old building of zoology dept. of Jahangirnagar University

Dr. Bibhuti Bhushan Mitra: Firstly, what is your educational background ?

Muhammad G Mustafa: Dear Bibhuti, my Educational background included Master’s in insect genetics in JU followed by PhD in Japan in molecular developmental biology and post-doc in the same area in France.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhushan Mitra: As zoologist and entomologist, what do you think, what training courses or extra education are needed to improve ? What are you studying right now? What types of questions are trying to solve in your research? Can you tell me about your current research. Can i tell you, you are successful zoologist and entomologist? Why or why not?

Muhammad G Mustafa: Being a zoologist and an entomologist I always underscore the need for hands-on training for the students, researchers as well as the teachers both in laboratory and in the field. Because research doesn’t compromise with the accuracy, skills and the authenticity of the researchers. Unfortunately, now a days our educational institutions are producing zoologists without offering them appropriate and rigorous practical works. As a result they become unconfident in handling sophisticated scientific tools and technologies at home and abroad. Embarrassingly they cannot get tangible outcomes while undertaking research projects.

For almost a decade I am working as a Pioneer in the field of forensic entomology in Bangladesh. Along with my students I have become successful in devising effective method in estimating the post-mortem intervals for resolving medico-legal cases of unnatural deaths of animals including wildlife as well as homicide cases in Bangladesh by using insects. This knowledge offers enormous potentials for the detectives, lawyers and judges in legal investigations, however, we do not get financial or logistic support from relevant authorities of our country.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhushan Mitra: What are your future steps in research?

Muhammad G Mustafa: My future steps in research include the use of molecular approaches for achieving accuracy in the estimation of post-mortem intervals and offer this method to the appropriate authorities in Bangladesh for its applications in the medico-legal areas.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhushan Mitra: What is your memorable work.

Muhammad G Mustafa: My memorable piece of research work was revealing the mystery and mechanism of a developmental protein, Xtr, in Xenopus which directly interacts with other proteins for performing its developmental functions.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhushan Mitra: What advice would you give students who are looking to go into field work?

Muhammad G Mustafa: My sincere advice for the students as well as the researchers is that love your research through hardwork and honesty.

Dr. Bibhuti Bhushan Mitra: Thank you for giving me the time.