Sharmin Aktar

Dr. Sharmin Aktar is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Charles Sturt University's Rural Health Research Institute (RHRI), working within the Shiddiky Research Group. Previously, she held an Assistant Professor position in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department at Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Bangladesh. Her expertise lies in molecular diagnostics, cancer molecular pathology, and the development of point-of-care diagnostic tools for early disease detection. She earned a PhD in molecular genetics of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in colorectal cancer from Griffith University. Her current research focuses on nucleic acid-based testing methods for clinical applications, including work on CTCs, ctDNA, and toxicology studies in Bangladesh. Dr. Aktar has authored 24 research outputs, with recent contributions to peer-reviewed journals and book chapters on oncology biomarkers and diagnostic technologies.

Education:

• PhD in Molecular Genetics (School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University)
• MSc in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh)
• BSc in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh)

Research Interests: Dr. Aktar specializes in cancer biomarkers, particularly CTCs and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), and their role in early cancer diagnosis. She investigates the adverse effects of metal toxicity in human populations and animal models, contributing to environmental health research. Her work integrates molecular diagnostics with engineering for portable diagnostic device development, aligning with UN SDGs in health and environmental sustainability.

Awards: No awards explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Advising & Grants: While no student advisees are listed, her research aligns with collaborative projects at RHRI, focusing on nucleic acid-based technologies. Funding sources are not detailed in the text.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Shiddiky Research Group, specializing in advanced diagnostic platforms and nanotechnology for clinical applications.