Imran Hussain Ahemad Ali
Centre for Experimental Medicine,
Queen’s University Belfast
BT12 6BA
Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
E-mail: iali02@qub.ac.uk
I have recently completed my PhD in vascular medicine after graduating from Queens
University Belfast with an upper second class honours degree in biomedical sciences. I have
had around six years of previous research experience in three different laboratories: Between
2007/08, I took up an optional yet competitive research studentship at the University of Reno
Nevada (UNR) in the department of Physiology and Cell Biology; also, in 2008/09. I
completed my undergraduate research project at the Centre for Experimental Medicine in the
school of Biomedical Sciences at Queens University Belfast. Recently I completed my PhD
in vascular medicine again at the Centre for Experimental Medicine as Queens University
Belfast.
Qualifications
Degree
Subject
BSc (Hons)
Biomedical
Science
PhD
Vascular Medicine
University
Queen’s
University
of Belfast
Queen’s
University
of Belfast
Date attended
Grade
2005 – 2009
2:1
2010-2014
Pass
Research experience
2010/14


PhD research project
Queens University Belfast, Centre for Experimental Medicine
Title:
Endothelial Progenitor Cell Responses to Hypoxia: Role of Bone
Morphogenetic Protein/Gremlin Signalling
Project Aim:
Elucidate the responses of EPCs to a hypoxic environment and
investigate potential novel proangiogenic agonists to enhance the
angiogenic potential of EPCs
Technical experience: During this research I gained experience in laboratory techniques
such as; handling blood and isolation of the mononuclear cell layer, cell culture, cell
counting, immuno-staining, flow cytometry, multicolour immuno-fluorescence labelling and
confocal scanning laser microscopy, lab book maintenance, angiogenic assays, animal
handling, retinal flat mounting and staining, histological sectioning and staining,
cryosectioning, analysing retinal vasculature, real time PCR, Western Blot, ELISA,
presentation and interpretation of data, oral and poster presentation at academic conferences.
I was also given the opportunity to train and micromanage three honours and two MRES
students throughout my PhD along with several summer students which I thoroughly
enjoyed. This allowed me to further develop my organisational, forward planning and
teaching skills and to appreciate project development.
2008/09


Undergraduate research project
Queens University Belfast, Centre for Experimental Medicine
Title:
Isolation of Endothelial Progenitor Cells by sorting distinct
subpopulations of mononuclear cells from adult peripheral blood
Project Aim:
Optimise the efficiency for EPC isolation by sorting and culturing
distinct mononuclear cell subpopulations from adult peripheral blood
Technical experience: During this research I gained experience in laboratory techniques
such as; handling blood and isolation of the mononuclear cell layer, immuno-staining, flow
cytometry, cell sorting, cell culture, cell counting, multicolour immuno-fluorescence labelling
and confocal scanning laser microscopy, log book maintenance, presentation and
interpretation of data.
2007/08


Gap year, research studentship
University of Reno Nevada (UNR, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology
Title:
βNAD, a potential inhibitory neurotransmitter of visceral smooth
muscle
Project Aim:
Determine if βNAD is released in other species as well as mice and
elucidate its origin of release
During the completion of this project I gained experience in the following techniques: animal
handling, tissue dissection, release setup (four Brandle superfusion chambers), High
Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and associated data analysis, reagent solution
preparation, drug dilutions, log book maintenance, data interpretation and presentation. Also,
as a part of the experience I joined a journal club where every four weeks I would have to
present a journal article related to my research before an audience of academic staff and
students.
Languages
I am trilingual, speaking English, Punjabi and Urdu fluently.
Additional Qualifications

European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) 2003/04
I successfully completed this computer course, attaining the highest possible grade.

I successfully completed level 1 -3 of the animal handling course and currently hold a
personal licence (1429).
Publications
Ali, I. H. and D. P. Brazil (2014). "Bone Morphogenetic Proteins and their Antagonists:
Current and Emerging Clinical Uses." Br J Pharmacol.
Corsini, M., E. Moroni, C. Ravelli, G. Andres, E. Grillo, Ali, I. H, D. P. Brazil, M. Presta and
S. Mitola (2014). "Cyclic adenosine monophosphate-response element-binding protein
mediates the proangiogenic or proinflammatory activity of gremlin." Arterioscler Thromb
Vasc Biol 34: 136-145.
Ali, I. H. A. and D. P. Brazil (2013). "Under the right conditions: protecting podocytes from
diabetes-induced damage." Stem Cell Research & Therapy 4: 119
Agnew, A. J., E. Robinson, C. M. McVicar, A. P. Harvey, Ali, I. H, J. E. Lindsay, D. M.
McDonald, B. D. Green and D. J. Grieve (2012). "The gastrointestinal peptide obestatin
induces vascular relaxation via specific activation of endothelium-dependent NO signalling."
Br J Pharmacol 166: 327-338.
Papers in preparation
Ali, I. H, Hookham, B. M, Krishnakumar, A, Cantley, N and D. P. Brazil. (2014) A novel
pro-angiogenic role for BMP-7 but not BMP-2/4 in outgrowth endothelial cells. (in
preparation)
Hookham, B. M, Ali, I. H, O’ Neill, C, Wilson, M. H, Hackett, E, Schmidt, T, Medina, R,
Chamney, S, McLoone, Sweet, D, Stitt, A. W and Brazil, D. P (2014) Hypoxia-mediated
regulation of endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) involves placental-like growth factor.
(in preparation)
Krishnakumar, A, Ali, I. H, Church, R. M, Higgins, D, Goldschmeding, R, Martin, F and
Brazil, D. P (2014) Mice lacking Grem1 develop a single, enlarged right kidney. (in
preparation)
Cantley N, Hookham, M. B, Ali, I. H, Medina, R, O’ Neill, C, Stitt, A. W and Brazil, D. P
(2014) Hypoxia induced changes in TGFb/VEGF signalling endothelial-colony forming cells
(ECFCs); role for miRNAs. (in preparation)
Oral presentations
“Outgrowth endothelial cell responses to hypoxia in the retina: a role for BMP and Gremlin?”
Vision TRG Research Conference, Belfast, March 2014.
“Endothelial progenitor cell function in hypoxia.” Irish Epithelial Physiology Group (IEPG),
Kilkenny, October 2012.
Posters
“Analysing outgrowth endothelial cell responses to hypoxia - a possible role for bone
morphogenetic protein 4?” Retina, Fighting blindness, Dublin, November 2012.
“Outgrowth endothelial cell responses to hypoxia: Role for BMP/Smad signalling” British
microcirculation society (BMS), Oxford, July 2012
“Outgrowth endothelial cell responses to hypoxia: role for BMP/SMAD signalling?”
International union of physiological sciences (IUPS), Birmingham, July 2013