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Miss Saba Altaf

Miss Saba Altaf

Research Associate

PhD (Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics), University of New South Wales, Australia

M.Phil (Molecular Biology), Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Pakistan

BS Hons (Biochemistry), School Of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Pakistan

Science
School of Psychology

I am a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UNSW Sydney, where my research focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cognition and intelligence. My current work investigates how long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate brain function, learning, memory, and perception, and how their dysregulation contributes to neuropsychiatric disorders and cognitive dysfunction. I am also a co-first author of a recent Nature Reviews Neuroscience article on brain lncRNAs and cognition (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41583-025-00960-z).

My research combines molecular neuroscience (RNA extraction, qPCR, RNA-Protein interactions, TREX, Western blotting, mass spectrometry, antisense oligonucleotide-mediated RNA knockdown), imaging (RNAscope, and immunofluorescence), and behavioural phenotyping approaches. Through these approaches, I aim to identify and functionally characterise cognition-associated lncRNAs and understand their role in healthy brain function, development, and ageing.
E-mail
s.altaf@unsw.edu.au
Location
Level 3, Biosciences South Building (E26) UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
  • Book Chapters | 2021
    Ramzan A; Sandhu ZY; Altaf S; Tarar A; Arshad I; Rashid S; Shakoor H; Abbas R; Rashid B, 2021, 'Plant Molecular Farming for Human Therapeutics: Recent Advances and Future Prospects', in Frontiers in Protein and Peptide Sciences, BENTHAM SCIENCE PUBLISHERS, pp. 267 - 297, http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/9789815036663121020012
  • Journal articles | 2025
    Altaf S; Cummins MJ; Ittner LM; Mattick JS, 2025, 'The emerging roles of long non-coding RNAs in the nervous system', Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 26, pp. 661 - 676, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41583-025-00960-z
    Journal articles | 2024
    Safir W; Altaf S; Jan PFU; Shujaat N; Khan FU; Rehman A; Kousar S; Ghani MU; Sabar MF; Shahid M, 2024, 'Association of ORMDL3 single nucleotide polymorphic variants with bronchial asthma in Pathan population', Gene Reports, 36, pp. 101958 - 101958, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.genrep.2024.101958
    Journal articles | 2021
    Altaf S; Bao J, 2021, 'Exome sequencing shines in empty follicle syndrome: zona pellucida gene mutations manifest genuine empty follicle syndrome.', Fertil Steril, 115, pp. 1170 - 1171, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.03.007
    Journal articles | 2021
    Aslam R; Shahid M; Bano I; Ayoub M; Sabar MF; Altaf S; Kousar S; Ghani MU; Husnain T; Shahid AA, 2021, 'Major histocompatibility complex class II polymorphic variants are associated with asthma predisposition in the Punjabi population of Lahore, Pakistan.', Clin Respir J, 15, pp. 374 - 381, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/crj.13309
    Journal articles | 2021
    Azhar M; Altaf S; Uddin I; Cheng J; Wu L; Tong X; Qin W; Bao J, 2021, 'Towards Post-Meiotic Sperm Production: Genetic Insight into Human Infertility from Mouse Models.', Int J Biol Sci, 17, pp. 2487 - 2503, http://dx.doi.org/10.7150/ijbs.60384
    Journal articles | 2020
    Sheikhs NN; Qurat-ul-ain ; Saba Altaf , 2020, 'Production of Extracellular Protease from Bacterial Co-cultures using Solid State Fermentation', BioScientific Review, 2, pp. 13 - 23, http://dx.doi.org/10.32350/bsr.0204.02
    Journal articles | 2019
    Altaf S; Tarar A; Naeem N, 2019, 'Current Status of Therapeutics and Diagnosis of HCV: A Review', BioScientific Review, 01, pp. 01 - 12, http://dx.doi.org/10.32350/bsr.0102.01
    Journal articles | 2019
    Wahid B; Altaf S; Naeem N; Ilyas N; Idrees M, 2019, 'Scoping Review of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) Literature and Implications of Future Research', JCPSP-JOURNAL OF THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS PAKISTAN, 29, pp. 563 - 573, http://dx.doi.org/10.29271/jcpsp.2019.06.563
    Journal articles | 2019
    Wahid B; Naeem N; Altaf S; Ilyas N, 2019, 'Increasing Prevalence of Untypable and Mixed Genotypes of Hepatitis C Virus in Pakistan: Latest Trends in 2018.', Viral Immunol, 32, pp. 192 - 194, http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/vim.2018.0152
    Journal articles | 2017
    Sabar MF; Shahid M; Bano I; Ghani MU; Akram M; Iqbal F; Kousar S; Iqbal Z; Altaf S; Husnain T, 2017, 'rs12603332 is associated with male asthma patients specifically in urban areas of Lahore, Pakistan.', J Asthma, 54, pp. 887 - 892, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02770903.2016.1277539
  • Theses / Dissertations | 2026
    Altaf S, 2026, Subcellular localisation and functional analysis of long non-coding RNAs in the brain, http://dx.doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/32250
    Preprints | 2026
    Jung S; Cummins MJ; Altaf S; Heggen R; Poljak A; Delerue F; Ittner LM; Mattick JS, 2026, The long noncoding RNA Dory is required for female but not male spatial learning and memory, http://dx.doi.org/10.64898/2026.04.01.715990

- Istvan Tork Best Student Oral Presentation Award, Australasian Neuroscience Society (ANS) Meeting, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia (2025)

- ATA Scientific Young Scientist Encouragement Award (2025)

- Neurobehavior and Neuroscience Methods Workshop, Stanford University, USA — Selected as the Only International Participant; Registration and Accommodation Supported (2025)

- HDR National Conference Training Grant, School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW (2025)

- Best Poster Award, Single Cell Symposium, University of Sydney (2025)

- HDR Development and Research Training Grant, UNSW (2025)

- HDR Development and International Conference Training Grant, School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW (2025)

- STEMM Champion, UNSW Science (2025)

- Adrian Lee Travel Fellowship, School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW (2024)

- EMBL Australia Travel Grant (2023)

- PhD Top-Up Scholarship, School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, UNSW (2022)

- University International Postgraduate Award (UIPA), UNSW PhD Scholarship (2022, 3.5 years)

- Travel Grant, University of Management and Technology, Pakistan (2019)

- Workshop Grant, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Romania, (2019)

- Dr I.H. Usmani Gold Medal (First Position in MPhil Molecular Biology) (2018)

- Molie Clay Gold Medal (First Position in MPhil Molecular Biology) (2018)

- Merit Scholarship, Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF), Pakistan (2016)

- Friends Educational Foundation (FEF) Scholarship (2014)

- Merit Scholarship, University of the Punjab, Pakistan (2012)

Current Research Project

  - Identification and functional analysis of long noncoding RNAs in cognition

Past Research Projects

  - Functional analysis of long noncoding RNAs expressed in the brain

  - Genetic insight into human infertility

  - Association of chromosome 17 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms with early onset asthma in Punjabi population of Pakistan