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Umme Urmi

Umme Urmi

PhD Candidate
Postgraduate Research Student
Medicine & Health
School of Optometry and Vision Science

Supervisors: Dr Ajay Kumar Vijay, Prof. Mark Willcox

Co-Supervisors: Dr Salequl Islam

Research title: Efficacy of disinfectants and novel antimicrobials against coronaviruses

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel strain of coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans. On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared SARS-CoV-2 as a pandemic that causes novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Transmission among humans occurs via close contact with an infected individual that produces respiratory droplets while coughing or sneezing within a range of about 6 feet. The viruses can be deposited on the surface by aerosols generated while talking, coughing or sneezing. Disinfection of surfaces is an important strategy in containing the transmission of this virus. Therefore, antimicrobial coatings that can kill the viruses will help in preventing transmission and spread of these viruses. This project will evaluate the efficacy of novel antimicrobial peptide mimics developed and patented in-house against coronaviruses and develop antimicrobial surface coatings to prevent the spread of the virus. There has been a significant increase in the use of disinfectant since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, repeated, and long-term use of disinfectants can result in accumulation of chemical residue affecting human health and environment. This research will also examine the synergy of the novel antimicrobial peptides with currently used common disinfectants. Antimicrobial synergy is the phenomenon where two antimicrobials exhibit enhanced activity that is greater than the sum of their individual activity. This will allow for development of disinfectants that are effective against coronaviruses at much lower concentrations and non-toxic to humans and the environment.

Biography

Urmi completed her MS in Microbiology from Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh in 2018. Her research was focused on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). For next three years she worked for One Health Laboratory, Jahangirnagar University; RT-PCR laboratory under UNFPA project, and WorldFish to lead AMR/One health project. She received university international postgraduate awards (UIPA) in 2021 and started her interdisciplinary PhD journey under the supervision of Dr. Ajay Kumar Vijay, Professor Mark Willcox and Dr. Salequl Islam. Urmi’s study focuses on the different types of antimicrobial peptide, their synergistic relationship, and efficacy against novel coronavirus.

Education

PhD at University of New South Wales, Sydney (current)

Master of Science in Microbiology at Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh (2018)

Bachelor of Science in Microbiology, Jagangirnagar University, Bangladesh (2016)
Email

m.urmi@unsw.edu.au

Publications

Journal Articles

  1. Umme Laila Urmi, Mark D.P. Willcox, Rajesh Kuppusamy,Samuel Attard, Naresh Kumar, Salequl Islam, Hongzhe Chen, Xiaojun Ren, Ajay Kumar Vijay. “Antiviral activity of peptide and peptide mimic coated surfaces”. Applied Surface Science, April 2025.
  2. Shyam Kumar Mishra, Tanzina Akter, Umme Laila Urmi, George Enninful, Manjulatha Sara, Jiawei Shen, Dittu Suresh, Liangjun Zheng, Elias Shiferaw Mekonen, Binod Rayamajhee, Francesco M Labricciosa, Massimo Sartelli, Mark Willcox. “Harnessing Non-Antibiotic Strategies to Counter Multidrug-Resistant Clinical Pathogens with Special Reference to Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Coatings”. Antibiotics, January 2025.
  3. Umme Laila Urmi, Ajay Kumar Vijay, Mark DP Willcox, Samuel Attard, George Enninful, Naresh Kumar, Salequl Islam, Rajesh Kuppusamy. “Exploring the Efficacy of Peptides and Mimics against Influenza A Virus, Adenovirus, and Murine Norovirus”. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, June 2024.
  4. Shafiuzzaman Sarker, Reeashat Muhit Neeloy, Marnusa Binte Habib, Umme Laila Urmi, Mamun Al Asad, Abu Syed Md. Mosaddek, Mohammad Rabiul Karim Khan, Shamsun Nahar, Brian Godman, and Salequl Islam. “Mobile Colistin-Resistant Genes mcr-1, mcr-2, and mcr-3 Identified in Diarrheal Pathogens among Infants, Children, and Adults in Bangladesh: Implications for the Future”. Antibiotics, June 2024.
  5. Umme Laila Urmi, Samuel Attard, Ajay Kumar Vijay, Mark D. P. Willcox, Naresh Kumar, Salequl Islam, Rajesh Kuppusamy."Antiviral Activity of Anthranilamide Peptidomimetics against Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and a Coronavirus". Antibiotics, September 2023.
  6. Umme Laila Urmi, Ajay Kumar Vijay, Rajesh Kuppusamy, Salequl Islam, Mark D. P. Willcox. “A review of the antiviral activity of cationic antimicrobial peptides”. Peptides, May 2023.
  7. Umme Laila Urmi, Mark D. P. Willcox, Salequl Islam, Rajesh Kuppusamy, Ajay Kumar Vijay. “Ocular signs and symptoms of monkeypox virus infection, and possible role of the eye in transmission of the virus”. Contact lens & anterior eye, December 2022. doi: 10.1016/j.clae.2022.101808
  8. Shamsun Nahar, Umme Laila Urmi, Tamman Ali, Adity Rumnaz, Tanjum Ara Haque, Bayasrin Ara, Mohammed Shah Alam, Abu Syed Md. Mosaddek, Salequl Islam. “ESBL Genes, blaTEM, blaOXA, and blaSHV in Poultry Gut Bacteria: An Endemic Public Health Burden in Bangladesh”. Journal of Bangladesh Medical Research Council, May 2022.
  9. Tanjum Ara Haque, Umme Laila Urmi, Abul Bashar Mir Md Khademul Islam, Bayasrin Ara,Shamsun Nahar, Abu Syed Md Mosaddek, Halyna Luguva, Santosh Kumar, Dilshad Jahan, Nor Azlina A Rahman, Mainul Haque, Salequl Islam and Brian Godman. "Detection of qnr genes and gyrA mutation to Quinolone Phenotypic Resistance of UTI pathogens in Bangladesh and the implications". Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, March 2022. doi: 10.7324/JAPS.2022.120422
  10. Mark D.P. Willcox, Madeeha Afzal, Heba Alenezi, Md Abdullah Aziz, George Enninful, Parthasarathi Kalaiselvan, Mahjabeen Khan, Rajesh Kuppusamy, Simin Masoudi,Shyam Kumar Mishra, Jerome Ozkan, Hari Kumar Peguda, Binod Rayamajhee, Aidin Safvati, Manjulatha Sara, Sidra Sarwat, Shyam Tummanapalli, Umme Laila Urmi, Ajay Kumar Vijay, & Muhammad Yasir. “THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AT TWO YEARS: IS THE END IN SIGHT? The impact of the coronavirus on contact lens practice now and in the future”. Contact Lens Spectrum, Volume: 37, Issue: March 2022, page(s): 34-36, 38-40
  11. Bayasrin Ara,Umme Laila Urmi, Tanjum Ara Haque, Shamsun Nahar,Adity Rumnaz, Tamanna Ali, Mohammed Shah Alam, Abu Syed Md. Mosaddek, Nor Azlina A Rahman, Mainul Haque, and Salequl Islam. “Mobile Colistin-Resistance Gene variants (mcr-1andmcr-2) Detected in Urinary Tract Pathogens in Bangladesh: The Last Resort of Infectious Disease Management Colistin Efficacy is Under Risk”. Expert rev of Clinical Pharmacology Journal, 2021.
  12. Tamman Ali, Adity Rumnaz,Umme Laila Urmi, Shamsun Nahar, Masud Rana, Fahmida Sultana, Samiul Iqbal, Md. Muklesur Rahman, Nor Azlina A Rahman, Salequl Islam, Mainul Haque. “Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) Individuals Carry Different Periodontal Bacteria”. Pesquisa Brasileira em Odontopediatria e Clínica Integrada, 2021. Clínica Integrada 2021. doi.org/10.1590/pboci.2021.049
  13. Salequl Islam,Umme Laila Urmi, Masud Rana, Fahmida Sultana, Nusrat Jahan, Billal Hossain, Samiul Iqbal, Md. Moyazzem Hossain, Abu Syed Md. Mosaddek and Shamsun Nahar. “High Abundance of Colistin Resistantmcr-1Gene in Poultry Chicken Gut-Bacteria in Bangladesh”. Scientific Reports, 2020. doi:
  14. Umme Laila Urmi, Shamsun Nahar, Masud Rana, Fahmida Sultana, Nusrat Jahan, Billal Hossain, Mohammed Shah Alam, Abu Syed Md. Mosaddek, Judy McKimm, Nor Azlina A Rahman, Salequl Islam, Mainul Haque. “Genotypic to Phenotypic Resistance Discrepancies Identified involving β-lactamase genes, blaKPC, blaIMP, blaNDM-1, and blaVIM in uropathogenic Klebsiella pneumoniae”. Infection and Drug Resistance, 2020.doi: 10.2147/IDR.S262493
  15. Salequl Islam, Mohammad Ali Moni,Umme Laila Urmi, Atsushi Tanaka, and Hiroo Hoshino “C-C chemokine receptor-like 2 (CCRL2) Acts as Coreceptor for Human Immunodeficiency Virus-2”. Briefings in Bioinformatics, 2020. doi: 10.1093/bib/bbaa333
  16. Umme Laila Urmi, Nusrat Jahan, Shamsun Nahar, Masud Rana, Fahmida Sultana, Billal Hossain, Samiul Iqbal, Moyazzem Hossain, Abu Syed Md Mosaddek, and Salequl Islam. “Gram positive uropathogens: Empirical treatment and emerging antimicrobial resistance”. Biomedical Research and Clinical Practice, April 2019.doi: 10.15761/BRCP.1000182

Conference Abstracts

  1. M. Islam, M. Al Asad, S. Sarker, R. Muhit, N. Islam, A. Siddique Shanta, U. Laila Urmi, S. Nahar. “Culture-independent Real-time Pcr Detected A Plethora Of Colistin Resistance Genes (mcr1-mcr5) In Chicken- And Fish-gut Contents In Bangladesh”. American Society of Microbiology (ASM) Microbe, 2021, USA.
  2. M.U.L. Urmi, S. Sultana, F. Akter, B. Ara, T.A. Haque, A.S. Md. Mosaddek, D.S. Nahar, D.S. Islam. “Modifications of mgrB instigate colistin resistance in poultry gut-isolates in Bangladesh”. International Journal of Infectious Disease (ICID), December, 2020.
  3. Salequl Islam, Umme Laila Urmi, Masud Rana, Fahmida Sultana, Nusrat Jahan, Billal Hossain, Samiul Iqbal, Abu Syed Md. Mosaddek and Shamsun Nahar. “Poultry chicken gut-bacteria carry high extent of colistin resistant mcr-1 gene in Bangladesh”. International Journal of Infectious Disease (ICID), December, 2020.
  4. T.A. Haque, B. Ara, M.U.L. Urmi, S. Sultana, F. Akter, A.S. Md. Mosaddek, S. Nahar, D.S. Islam.“Plasmid mediated genes and mutation in gyrA gene confer quinolone – Antibiotic resistance in Enterobacteriaceae independently”. International Journal of Infectious Disease (ICID), December, 2020.
  5. Salequl Islam , Umme Laila Urmi , Tanjum Ara Haque , Bayasrin Ara, Fahima Khatun, Abu Syed Md. Mosaddek , Rinat Rizvi , M Shahabuddin Kabir Choudhuri , and Shamsun Nahar. "The First Human Report of Mobile Colistin-Resistant Gene, mcr-1 in Urinary and Diarrheal Pathogens in Bangladesh" American Society of Microbiology (ASM) Microbe, 2020.
  6. Shamsun Nahar, Umme Laila Urmi, Subrina Sultana , Fatama Akter, Bayasrin Ara , Tanjum Ara Haque,Abu Syed Md. Mosaddek and Salequl Islam “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, January 28–30, 2020 in Arlington, Virginia, USA.
  7. Tanjum Ara Haque, Bayasrin Ara, Adity Rumnaz, Tamanna Ali, Umme Laila Urmi, Mohammed Shah Alam, Subrina Sultana, Fatama Akter, Abu Syed Md.Mosaddek, Shamsun Naha, and Salequl Islam. “Association of Phenotypic Quinolone Resistance in Enterobacteriaceae to their Plasmid Mediated Genes”. 33rd conference, Bangladesh Society of Microbiologists (BSM), 26th December, 2019, Bangladesh.
  8. Salequl Islam, Umme Laila Urmi, Masud Rana, Nusrat Jahan, Fahmida Sultana, Billal Hossain, Samiul Iqbal, and Shamsun Nahar. “Prophylactic Uses of Antimicrobials in Bangladeshi Poultry Drive Microbial Resistance”. American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Biothreat. Feb 12-14, 2018. Baltimore, MD, USA.
  9. Shamsun Nahar, Fahmida Sultana, Masud Rana, Nusrat Jahan, Billal Hossain, Samiul Iqbal, Azizur Rahman, Umme Laila Urmi, and Salequl Islam. “Prior Exposures of Antimicrobial Contribute Acquisition of Mobile Colistin Resistance (mcr-1) Gene into Bangladeshi Poultry Microbiota”. American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Microbes, 2018, Atlanta, USA.

Media Publication

  1. Umme Laila Urmi. “Understanding the Efficacy and Safety Profiling of Peptide-Based Compounds”. Australian Society for Microbiology NSW/ACT branch, Syntrophy, Volume 25, Issue 2, 2024, Page 5 of 12. .
  2. Umme Laila Urmi. “Attending the American Society for Microbiology Conference 2024: A Memorable Experience”. Australian Society for Microbiology, June 2024, .
  3. Umme Laila Urmi. “ASM 2024 Flashstory”. Microbiology Australia, August 2024.

Affiliations and Memberships

Australian Society of Microbiology

American Society of Microbiology

International Society of Antiviral Research

Awards

2024: American Society for Microbiology Fellows Travel Award

2024: Diversity award, ʹڲƱ Medicine and Health

2024: Fellow under American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Future Leaders Mentorship Fellowship (FLMF) program

2024: Australian Society for Microbiology NSW-ACT Nancy Millis Student Awards finalist

2024: Development and Research Training Grant, ʹڲƱ

2021: University International Postgraduate Award (UIPA), ʹڲƱ

2017: National Science and Technology Fellowship, Ministry of Science and Technology, Bangladesh

2015: Merit Scholarship for B.Sc. Results from Government of Bangladesh

2011-2016: Jahangirnagar University Merit Scholarship for All Terminal Examination Result of B.Sc. (4 Years)