Isra Aman Aziz

Heyy there, Isra this side. I'm a passionate bioinformatics researcher, with a background in microbiology. My research focus majorly lies in identifying microbial and molecular signatures, genomics, and studying functional pathways with respect to human health, particularly in neurobiology by leveraging machine learning and other cool tech tools.

I've always loved organizing and documenting stuff, both in real world an in thought. This instinct led me to bioinformatics, a field where abstract biological data can be turned into something clear, testable and meaningful.

I started out in microbiology because I was fascinated by the world that exists beyond what the eye can see. In the lab, I found myself obsessing over documenting, sketching, questioning patterns, and trying to link these patterns. Over time, I realized that what I loved most wasn't these organisms themselves but the systems behind them. Today, I work with biological data using computational tools to organize, analyze, and interpret complex information with the intention of bridging the gap between data and discovery.

This is my space on the web to document my journey of learning, building and figuring things out along the way.

Contact Information

Email: isra.aman20@gmail.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/israamanaziz

GitHub: github.com/Israamanaziz

What I Do

I analyze biological sequencing data using bioinformatics workflows, based on RNA-seq, miRNA-seq, 16srRNA datasets to turn complex, raw reads into readable and interpretable results.

But hey, why should one bother analyzing biological data at all? Because right now as you're reading this, you're carrying more microbial cells than your own cells. More bacteria, fungi, and viruses living on and inside you than the cells that make up "you". So, we living beings are not just random individuals, but a whole ecosystem.
A walking breathing, universe of an invisible life! I mean, how cool is that!
These microbes influence our immune system, mood, help us digest food and even shape our thought process through metabolite signaling and immune crosstalk. But when dysbiosis strikes or stressors disrupt the balance, they can morph into opportunistic pathogens, fueling inflammation and disease.

Sooo, This is what I do.
For techies, I analyze biological sequencing data by turning millions of raw reads into valuable insights.

For non-techies, I am basically eavesdropping on these invisible conversations, mapping out who's there, what they're doing, and how they're interacting with each other and with us(host). The purpose is to understand the hidden relations that shape health and disease, to decode the molecular signals that run benath the surface.

Skills

Bioinformatics & Data Analysis: Bulk RNA-seq (Raw reads to counts), miRNA-seq, 16S rRNA workflow using QIIME2 (alpha/beta diversity,taxonomy, PERMANOVA), Differential Gene Expression (DESeq2), Gene Set Enrichment (GSEA), Sequence Assembly and Alignment (STAR/HISAT2)

Computational tools:Python (EDA, preprocessing, visualization), R (DESeq2, Data wrangling, visualization), bash (scripting), Github (documentation), Galaxy (cloud computing)

Research and Communication: Scientific writing, technical writing, Documentation, Reproducible workflows, excellent written and verbal communication

Curriculum Vitae

Please download my CV to see more: Download CV

Beyond Academics

Beyond academics, I love writing, constantly and inconsistently. I spend a lot of time jotting down abstract ideas, scattered thoughts, and half-formed processes as a way to understand my own thinking. Documenting and writing help me make sense of people, patterns, and perspectives, which gradually led me toward content writing. I cover a range of topics including educational content,scientific communication and writing, technical writing, and community-focused pieces, and these days I am adapting my voice to suit different audiences and purposes.

Hobbies & Interests

A cat fanatic, quite literally
I love documenting my life and work
Exploring cool websites and underrated blogs
Reading as always, partly why I chose this field
Sudoku

Favorite Books

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
1984 by George Orwell
A Thousand Splendid Suns and The kite runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Cats' Paws and Catapults by Steven Vogel
(Found this book after sneaking into a library during one of my conferences and spent the night reading it. I fell in love with it instantly)
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (One of my most favourite books)
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
Ghost Riders by Mark Felton

P.S. This list could go on and on forever. Let's just sit and talk :)

Music & Podcasts

Music

Avicii · The Midnight · Kaavish · The 1975 · Taylor Swift · Coke Studio · The Local Train · Lorde

Podcasts

Radiolab · Soft White Underbelly · 3Blue1Brown

Learning Resources

These are the sites that greatly helped me start out with bioinformatics. If you're just beginning, refer to these curated, handpicked resources to kickstart your own journey. Good luck and happy learning ;)!

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