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Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (GEB) at the East West University (EWU), Bangladesh organized a research webinar on November 30, 2020 titled “Detection and molecular characterization of carbapenem resistant non-fermentative Gram-negative bacteria from clinical isolates”. The keynote speaker of the research webinar was Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam, Senior Scientific Officer, Clinical Microbiology and Immunology Laboratory, ICDDR, B. The presentation shed light on the increasing rate of carbapenem resistant nonfermentative Gram-negative bacteria that has become a serious global health threat recently.

Professor Dr. Muhammad Ziaulhaq Mamun, Pro-Vice Chancellor, EWU attended the research webinar as a distinguished guest. The program was chaired by Dr. Mohiuddin Kabir, Associate Professor, GEB department, EWU and convened by Ms. Roushney Fatima Mukti, Senior Lecturer, GEB department, EWU. Faculty members of GEB and other departments at EWU as well as the students participated in the research webinar enthusiastically, and asked many questions to the speaker.

 The research results presented by Dr. Islam showed that the multidrug-resistant bacterial strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii have become resistant against carbapenem antibiotic in Bangladesh very recently where carbapenem was the last option for treating the infections caused by these bacterial strains. The reason of acquiring resistance by these bacteria was due to significant modification in amino acid sequences from polar/nonpolar to nonpolar/polar, which affected the enzymatic nature of verona integron-encoded metallo-β-lactamase.