Rasmani Hazra

Rasmani Hazra is an Assistant Professor in the Biology and Environmental Science Department at the University of New Haven's College of Arts and Sciences. She joined the university in August 2023 after completing postdoctoral research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory under Dr. David Spector. Her academic journey spans multiple continents, reflecting her international research background in molecular biology and cancer research.

Education:

• Postdoctoral Fellow, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, USA
• Ph.D., Molecular Biology, University of Sydney, Australia
• M.Sc., Biochemistry, University of Kalyani, India
• B.Sc. (Hons), Chemistry, Burdwan University, India

Dr. Hazra's research interests center on understanding the biology of long non-coding RNAs, particularly in the context of glioblastoma (grade IV brain cancer). Her work bridges molecular biology, cancer research, and developmental biology, with a focus on identifying novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for aggressive brain cancers. She has evolved from studying reproductive biology during her Ph.D. to applying those molecular insights to cancer stem cell research, particularly examining how glioblastoma stem cells maintain tumors and resist treatments.

Analysis of her publications reveals a clear trajectory from reproductive biology to cancer research, with her most recent work focusing on glioblastoma stem cell-specific long non-coding RNAs. Her research employs cutting-edge techniques including single-cell RNA sequencing, cerebral brain organoids, and patient-derived glioblastoma organoids to investigate tumor microenvironments and potential therapeutic targets.

Scientific Awards:

• Australian Postgraduate Award
• Anita Payne Scholarship (single recipient to attend Frontiers in Reproduction Course at MBL)

Dr. Hazra teaches Molecular Biology, Advanced Cell Biology, Molecular Genomics, and Developmental Biology courses. Her research program at the University of New Haven aims to comprehensively investigate the biological mechanisms of heterogeneous glioblastoma stem cells. The Hazra laboratory employs state-of-the-art molecular, cellular, biochemical, and genome editing technologies to achieve its objectives of understanding tumor development, identifying communication mechanisms between cancer cells and normal cells, and developing methods to differentiate cancer stem cells into normal cell types.