Dr Muhammad (Bilal) Haider

Research

Host-microbe Interaction, Symbiosis, Experimental Evolution, Molecular Biology, Entomology

Interests

Bilal is a molecular biologist with a strong background in evolutionary biology, in particular, experimentally investigating the mechanisms of evolution using bacterial and eukaryotic model systems. His research integrates wet-lab experimentation with computational predictions to dissect genotype-phenotype relationships. At QMUL, Bilal’s research interests focus on the genetic complexities of host control over beneficial microbes. In particular, his scientific question is how hosts are able to recognise and differentially respond to bacterial pathogens and mutualists. Do symbionts manipulate host immune systems to become established, or have hosts evolved a modified immune response to facilitate symbiosis? To address this question, He is using experimental manipulations and dual transcriptomics in a pea aphid-microbe system to understand the genetic architecture of host-symbiont interaction.