Role
Dr. Ahmed is a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Molecular Biosciences.
Dr. Ahmed is module leader for Comparative Evolutionary and Developmental Genetics (BIOL34014) and Molecular Genetics of Human Disease (BIOL25013) for Biomedical Sciences and Biochemistry undergraduates students and he teaches across a number of UG and PG modules.
His research activities involve investigating of the role of epithelial stem cells during development, wound repair, ageing and cancer in the skin.
Career overview
After obtaining his PhD in Biomedical Sciences at University of Bradford (2010), Dr. Ahmed undertook postdoctoral studies at the Centre for Skin Sciences, University of Bradford, UK (2010-2013) and then moved to the Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, UK (2013-2017), before joining Nottingham Trent University in Jan 2017.
Research areas
Stem Cells (SCs) possess intrinsic long-term properties that enable them to self-renew and differentiate into the specialized cell types of the tissue in which they reside. They are the basis of tissue homeostasis, wound-repair and likely tumour growth.
One excellent system to study epithelial SCs (Epi-SCs) is the skin, where distinct populations of Epi-SCs give rise to different tissue structures with distinct turnover rates. SCs within the innermost (basal) layer of the interfollicular epidermis and hair follicle (HF) orifice (infundibulum) generate a stratified, terminally differentiated epidermis, which continuously turns over at a relatively constant rate in postnatal life.
Mammalian skin with its accessibility, well-defined lineages, established genetic tools offers an ideal system to unravel the molecular regulators (such as, non-coding RNA and transcript factors) in development, wound repair, ageing and cancer.
Elucidating the transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms that control SC fate, self-renewal and differentiation in epithelial stem cell compartments is essential for understanding the basic principles of animal development, as well as realizing their therapeutic potential for regenerative medicine.
Dr. Ahmed’s research focuses on microRNA and transcription factors and revealed a crucial role of the regulators in skin development, wound repair and cancer.
Opportunities to carry out self-funded postgraduate research towards an MPhil / PhD may exist and further information may be obtained from the NTU Doctoral School or contacting Dr. Ahmed directly.
External activity
- Member of the British Society for Investigative Dermatology.
- Member of the Society for Investigative Dermatology.
Sponsors and collaborators
- Professor. VA. Botchkarev, University of Bradford, UK.
- Dr. NV. Botchkareva, University of Bradford, UK.
- Dr. AN. Mardaryev, University of Bradford, UK.
- Professor. R Paus, University of Manchester, UK.
- Dr. M. Philpott, Blizzard Institute, Queens Mary University of London, UK.
- Dr. T. Andl, University of Central Florida, USA