Curriculum Vitae

Nafiul Huda

Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Biological Sciences
Auburn University · Auburn, AL 36849, USA
nafiul@auburn.edu · LinkedIn · GitHub · Google Scholar · ResearchGate

📄 A full PDF version of my CV is available upon request.

Education

Degree Institution Year
Ph.D. in Biological Sciences Auburn University, Auburn, AL 2017–Present (Expected 2026)
M.Sc. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh 2015–2017
B.Sc. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh 2011–2015

Ph.D. Dissertation: Sex Differences in the Regulatory Architecture of a Pleiotropic Hormone Signaling Pathway: Insulin Signaling in Drosophila melanogaster
Advisor: Dr. Rita M. Graze

Research Experience

Graduate Research Assistant — Stevison Lab
Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University · PI: Dr. Laurie Stevison
Summer 2026 | NIH-R35: “The Role of Oogenesis in Speciation”

  • Analyzing RNA-seq and ATAC-seq data from two Drosophila species to characterize the impact of thermal stress on oogenesis, integrating transcriptomic and chromatin-accessibility approaches
  • Performing single-cell RNA-seq library preparation for collaborative Graze lab samples, contributing to a future co-authored publication

Graduate Researcher — Graze Lab
Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University · Advisor: Dr. Rita M. Graze
2017–Present

  • Designed and analyzed a graded-perturbation RNA-seq experiment in adult D. melanogaster heads to test whether IIS regulates sex-differential expression through graded or threshold-like modes; built a fully reproducible pipeline with DESeq2, robust outlier detection, dose-response clustering, and functional enrichment analysis
  • Designed a large multifactor RNA-seq experiment (genotype × sex × treatment × environment) across multiple DSPR-derived lines; performed differential expression, WGCNA co-expression network analysis, and cross-sex genetic correlations to quantify evolutionary constraint on IIS targets
  • Applied isoform-level quantification and alternative splicing analysis (rMATS turbo) across a 320-sample dataset to distinguish transcript abundance from splicing as drivers of sex-differential responses
  • Additional projects: sex-differential feeding and satiety responses to IIS perturbation; effects of glyphosate exposure on Drosophila behavior; single-cell RNA-seq library preparation using Illumina kits

Graduate Researcher — Population Genetics Lab
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka · Advisor: Dr. A.H.M. Nurun Nabi
2016–2017

  • Investigated genetic associations of GATA3, mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunits, and hTERT with type 2 diabetes risk in case-control cohorts using patient-derived human DNA samples from the Bangladeshi population
  • Performed SNP genotyping and telomere length quantification; contributed to five peer-reviewed publications

Teaching Experience

BIOL 1031/1037 Honors — Organismal Biology Laboratory
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Auburn University
2018–2026 (Fall and Spring)

  • Independently led 2 sections per semester, averaging 32 students per section (~64 students per term)
  • Delivered instruction spanning microbiology and microscopy, botany, and animal diversity including plant and vertebrate dissection
  • Managed all aspects of section administration: attendance, grading, and student support

BIOL 1021 — Principles of Biology Laboratory
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Auburn University
2018–2019

  • Independently managed full sections each semester
  • Developed a novel laboratory exercise using active learning to communicate core evolutionary concepts
  • Guided students in scientific writing, data analysis, and hypothesis-driven inquiry

BIOL 5521 — Recombinant DNA Technology
Graduate Teaching Assistant (with Dr. Rita M. Graze), Auburn University
Fall 2022, Fall 2025

  • Led 2 sections of approximately 20 students each term in an upper-division CURE course
  • Guided students through bacterial transformation, plasmid isolation, restriction digest, mutagenic PCR, site-directed mutagenesis, and SDS-PAGE validation
  • Supported experimental design, troubleshooting, and formal manuscript preparation

Mentoring

Graduate Mentor, Graze Lab, Auburn University · 2017–Present

Mentored undergraduate research assistants, summer high-school researchers, and science fair participants in the Drosophila model system, experimental design, and reproducible data analysis.

Selected Mentee Presentations:

  • Park, K., Huda, N., Graze, R.M. “The Effect of Insulin-Like Peptides on Lipid Levels in Drosophila.” GEARSEF (2026).
  • Kazmi, S., Huda, N., Graze, R.M. “Genetic Variation in Heat Stress in Drosophila melanogaster.” ASEF, Auburn University (2025).
  • Park, I., Israil, R., Huda, N., Graze, R.M. “The Effect of Roundup on Drosophila Feeding.” CASE-REU Research Symposium, Auburn University (2023).
  • Ellison, Y., Cruz, J.H., Pursley, M.C., Huda, N., Graze, R.M. “Endocrine Disruptor Has No Effect on Courtship Behaviors in Drosophila melanogaster.” CASE-REU Research Symposium, Auburn University (2019).

Skills

Molecular Biology
RNA and DNA extraction (genomic, plasmid, mitochondrial; Zymo, QIAGEN, RCC-5); pre-sequencing QC (TapeStation, Qubit); PCR, ARMS-PCR, qPCR, colony PCR; RFLP genotyping; gel electrophoresis; SDS-PAGE; Western blotting; bacterial transformation; molecular cloning; site-directed mutagenesis; recombinant protein expression; bulk and single-cell RNA-seq library preparation (Illumina); Drosophila husbandry; BSL-2 lab work and animal cell culture
Bioinformatics and Genomics
Bulk and single-cell RNA-seq QC, alignment, quantification; differential expression (DESeq2, edgeR); multifactor modeling; k-means clustering; alternative splicing (rMATS turbo); WGCNA co-expression networks; ATAC-seq data processing; SNP and genetic association analysis; functional enrichment and pathway analysis; NCBI, UniProt, KEGG
Programming and Computing
R, Python, Bash, C; Linux/HPC environments; PowerShell; SPSS; Git and GitHub; reproducible workflow development; LaTeX and Markdown
Visualization
ggplot2, matplotlib, seaborn; PCA, heatmaps, network plots; Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator

Publications

See the Publications page for a full list.

Google Scholar: Citations: 74 · h-index: 5 · i10-index: 2

Awards, Honors and Fellowships

  • COSAM Travel Grant, College of Sciences and Mathematics, Auburn University (2023)
  • National Science and Technology (NST) Master’s Fellowship, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of Bangladesh (2016)
  • Professor Syed Saleheen Qadri Scholarship, University of Dhaka — academic excellence in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2014)
  • Champion, Regional Mathematics Olympiad, Bangladesh National Mathematical Olympiad (2008–2009)

Professional Affiliations

  • Genetics Society of America (GSA), 2019–Present
  • Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution (SMBE), 2022–Present

Last updated: May 2026