Tanjum Ara Haque
Tanjum Ara Haque is a microbiologist from Bangladesh with extensive research and hands-on experience in infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and zoonotic diseases within the One Health framework. Since 2019, she has been working in molecular laboratories, driven by a passion to combat infectious diseases and AMR to improve public health outcomes. Currently based in Nilphamari, she leads laboratory research focused on leprosy diagnosis and antimicrobial resistance at The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh, contributing to advances in disease control and public health.
Email: tanjum.haque@tlmib.org
Cell: +8801713362665
ORCID Id: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5850-7531
Tanjum completed her Master of Science in Microbiology at Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh, in 2021, following her Bachelor of Science from the same university. During her master’s thesis at the One Health Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, she investigated phenotypic quinolone resistance and associated genetic mutations among gut bacteria. She notably identified the first colistin resistance in human urinary tract infection (UTI) samples in Bangladesh, raising concerns about the horizontal transfer of resistance genes across humans, animals, and the environment.
She previously worked as a Laboratory Consultant at Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital, where she managed RT-qPCR data and biosafety protocols as part of the COVID-19 Emergency Response for Pandemic Preparedness Project. Before that, she served as a Research Fellow at the One Health Laboratory, Jahangirnagar University, focusing on antimicrobial resistance mechanisms in clinical, poultry, and environmental bacterial isolates.
Since January 2025, Tanjum has held the position of Laboratory Research Manager at The Leprosy Mission International Bangladesh (TLMIB). In this role, she directs research on clinical and immunological diagnostics of leprosy and conducts investigations into antimicrobial resistance related to infectious diseases. She collaborates with national and international researchers to advance laboratory methods and public health strategies.
Her research interests include molecular diagnostics of AMR pathogens, development of PCR-based and immuno-diagnostic tools, zoonotic diseases, and applying the One Health approach to enhance surveillance and control of infectious diseases. She aims to contribute to sustainable antibiotic stewardship and global health initiatives through her research.
Selected publications:
- Haque T.A., et al. “Plasmid mediated genes and mutation in gyrA gene confer quinolone – Antibiotic resistance in Enterobacteriaceae independently.” International Conference on Infectious Diseases (ICID), 2020.
- Nahar S., Urmi U.L., Haque T.A., et al. “Pleiotropic Resistance Role of New Delhi Metallo-β-Lactamase-1 (blaNDM-1) Gene Against Aminoglycoside Antibiotics in Uropathogen Bacteria.” American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Microbes, 2020.
- Islam S., Urmi U.L., Haque T.A., et al. "The First Human Report of Mobile Colistin-Resistant Gene, mcr-1 in Urinary and Diarrheal Pathogens in Bangladesh." ASM Microbe, 2020.
- Urmi M.U.L., Haque T.A., et al. “Modifications of mgrB instigate colistin resistance in poultry gut-isolates in Bangladesh.” International Conference on Infectious Diseases (ICID), 2020.
- Haque T.A., et al. “Association of Phenotypic Quinolone Resistance in Enterobacteriaceae to their Plasmid Mediated Genes.” 33rd Annual Conference, Bangladesh Society of Microbiologists (BSM), 2019.