Omar Hamza Bin Manjur is a biochemist with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Dhaka, where he developed a strong foundation in omics sciences, particularly genomics. His research career began with his master’s thesis, which explored the neurotoxic interactions between ciprofloxacin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in rodents through computational, biochemical, and behavioural analyses. The study demonstrated dopamine depletion in combination-treated mice and earned him the National Science and Technology (NST) Fellowship from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Bangladesh.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked as a Research Officer at the Institute for Developing Science and Health Initiatives (ideSHi), where he contributed to Oxford Nanopore MinION sequencing under projects supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Mérieux Foundation, and the Wellcome Trust. He developed mutation-based RT-PCR screening methods, trained sequencing teams across Bangladesh, and analysed more than a thousand viral genomes, leading to the first local identification of the Delta and Omicron variants. He later optimised the DEVYSER BRCA kit for next-generation sequencing-based breast cancer diagnostics, refining DNA extraction and pre-screening protocols.

Subsequently, Omar served as Scientific Personnel at two government research organisations, the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) and the Bangladesh Reference Institute for Chemical Measurements (BRiCM). There, he contributed to analytical method development, including LC-MS/MS-based pesticide residue analysis in dried fish, and to molecular diagnostic kit development, particularly an RT-PCR assay for hepatitis B virus detection. These roles enhanced his expertise in molecular biology, next-generation sequencing, and bioinformatics, and deepened his focus on molecular diagnostics.

Omar is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at Charles Sturt University under the supervision of Distinguished Professor Muhammad J. A. Shiddiky. His doctoral research focuses on the development of rapid, affordable, and field-deployable screening methods and point-of-care diagnostic devices for infectious diseases of global concern, particularly in resource-limited settings. Through his work, he aims to advance biosensing technologies and translational molecular diagnostics to support equitable healthcare and improve public health outcomes worldwide.