Ismat zaidi biography sampler

Abstract

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common congenital anomaly, with an overall incidence of approximately 1% in the United Kingdom. Exome sequencing in large CHD cohorts has been performed to provide insights into the genetic aetiology of CHD. This includes a study of 1891 probands by our group in collaboration with others, which identified three novel genes—CDK13, PRKD1, and CHD4, in patients with syndromic CHD. PRKD1 encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase, which is important in a variety of fundamental cellular functions. Individuals with a heterozygous mutation in PRKD1 may have facial dysmorphism, ectodermal dysplasia and may have CHDs such as pulmonary stenosis, atrioventricular septal defects, coarctation of the aorta and bicuspid aortic valve. To obtain a greater appreciation for the role that this essential protein kinase plays in cardiogenesis and CHD, we have analysed a Prkd1 transgenic mouse model (Prkd1) carrying deletion of exon 2, causing loss of function. High‐resolution episcopic microscopy affords detailed morphological 3D analysis of the developing heart and provides evidence for an essential role of Prkd1 in both normal cardiac development and CHD. We show that homozygous deletion of Prkd1 is associated with complex forms of CHD such as atrioventricular septal defects, and bicuspid aortic and pulmonary valves, and is lethal. Even in heterozygotes, cardiac differences occur. However, given that 97% of Prkd1 heterozygous mice display normal heart development, it is likely that one normal allele is sufficient, with the defects seen most likely to represent sporadic events. Moreover, mRNA and protein expression levels were investigated by RT‐qPCR and western immunoblotting, respectively. A significant reduction in Prkd1 mRNA levels was seen in homozygotes, but not heterozygotes, compared to WT littermates. While a trend towards lower PRKD1 protein expression was seen in the heterozygotes, the differenc

In a peaceful southern town, amidst lush spice plantations, trouble is brewing.
In the town live three generations of two families, one Hindu and the other
Muslim, whose lives will be changed forever by the coming violence. At risk are
Dada, the ageing grandfather who lovingly tends and talks to the plants on his
estate; his strong-willed grandchildren, Abu and Fareeda; the newly married
Devaki, who cannot fathom the forces that are turning her husband and her
father into fanatics; Mariam, of the gifted hands, who kneads and pounds the fatigued
muscles of tourists into submission; and Garuda, the high-school teacher who, in his own
desperate way, is trying to impart the truth about the country’s history to a classroom of
uninterested students. Quietly but surely, the spectre of religious intolerance is beginning
to haunt the community in the guise of the Self-Respect Forum whose mission is to divide
the town and destroy the delicate balance of respect and cooperation that has existed for
hundreds of years.

Told with brilliance, restraint and extraordinary power, Annie Zaidi’s book is destined to
become a classic.

in praise of

‘A captivating true crime drama that will have you gripped till the very last page.’

Sonia Faleiro

‘They take a sensational story and turn it into our social history... a leisurely exploration of early ’70s Pakistan, social mobility, a woman trying to have a family and a life, occasionally a collage of the social mores and a series of what-the-hell-just-happened moments.’

Mohammed Hanif

‘Vivid, gripping and meticulously crafted, this is a wonderfully fascinating journey into ’70s Karachi high society, a mysterious death shining a light on the whirl of social and political undercurrents of the time.’

Mahesh Rao

Saba Imtiaz is a freelance writer and researcher. She is the author of the novel Karachi, You’re Killing Me!, which was adapted into the Indian film Noor (2017), starring Sonakshi Sinha. Saba writes about culture, food, religion, and urban life, and has reported features from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan, and Lebanon. She was raised in Karachi, and has worked as a full-time reporter, a stringer, fixer, translator, TV show host, radio jockey, and scriptwriter. Her work has appeared in the Guardian, Marie Claire, and on the BBC. She is the co-host and co-producer of the ‘Notes on a Scandal’ podcast. Saba lives in the Netherlands. Her work can be found at: sabaimtiaz.com

Tooba Masood is a communications specialist and freelance journalist based in Karachi, Pakistan. She has worked at news media organizations in Pakistan for over thirteen years. Her reporting has been featured on the BBC, fiftytwo, NPR, Dawn, HuffPost India, and Samaa. She has also worked with Al Jazeera, LA Times, and Aks Films. Her writing ranges from covering the elections, documenting Karachi’s history and building regulations, to longform work on sexual harassment at the workplace, and writing about women’s health in the country. She was short-listed for the Zeenat Haroon Rashid writing prize in 2020.

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