M.A. Karim A. Rumi, MBBS, M.S., Ph.D.

Professional Background

Doctor Rumi currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. He joined the Department in July 2008 as a Research Assistant Professor until being promoted to Research Associate Professor in July 2013 and to Associate Professor in July 2014 and Associate Professorship (Tenured) in July 2020.

• MBBS, Medicine, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh
• MS, Health-oriented Molecular Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
• PhD, Molecular Medicine, Shimane Medical University, Izumo City, Shimane
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, Molecular Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, Developmental Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS

Research

Overview

We study the molecular mechanisms involved in ovarian follicle assembly and primordial follicle activation. Using mutant mouse and rat models, we investigate the early developmental cues in the ovary. We recently detected that ERβ mediated transcriptional regulation is essential for preventing excessive loss of ovarian follicles. Our ongoing work focuses on identifying the ERβ regulated genes in oocytes and granulosa cells that control primordial follicle activation. The ultimate goal of our research is to utilize novel molecular targets for protecting ovarian follicle reserve.