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Profile

Dr Htin lin Aung

PositionResearch Fellow
DepartmentDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology
QualificationsPhD
Research summaryNext-generation sequencing, diagnostic microbiology, molecular microbiology, structural biology

Research

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a global public health emergency. Drug-resistant tuberculosis including multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR-TB) is the main cause of deaths related to AMR. Our research goal is to tackle AMR with a multidisciplinary, integrative approach using cutting-edge technologies such as next- and third generation whole-genome sequencing (Illumina and Oxford Nanopore). Our research focuses on:
  • Identification of novel molecular signatures associated with antimicrobial resistance particularly drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
  • Identification of the genetic basis for resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis for the development of diagnostics and anti-TB drugs
  • Insights into the transmission of drug-resistant tuberculosis at community and national level for effective and targeted interventions

Publications

Phyu, A. N., Aung, S. T., Palittapongarnpim, P., Htet, K. K. K., Mahasirimongkol, S., Ruangchai, W., … Aung, H. L., … Chongsuvivatwong, V. (2023). Genomic sequencing profiles of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Mandalay region, Myanmar. Tropical Medicine & Infectious Disease, 8, 239. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed8040239

Aung, S. T., Nyunt, W. W., Moe, M. M., Aung, H. L., & Lwin, T. (2022). The fourth national tuberculosis prevalence survey in Myanmar. PLOS Global Public Health, 2(6), e0000588. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000588

Phyu, A. N., Aung, S. T., Palittapongarnpim, P., Htet, K. K. K., Mahasirimongkol, S., Aung, H. L., … Chongsuvivatwong, V. (2022). Distribution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineages and drug resistance in Upper Myanmar. Tropical Medicine & Infectious Disease, 7, 448. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed7120448

Mulholland, C. V., Gimenez, G., Williamson, A., Steele, M., Thorpe, D., Karalus, N., … Cook, G. M., … Aung, H. L. (2022). Complete genome sequence of a New Zealand Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain responsible for ongoing transmission over the past 30 years. Microbiology Resource Announcements. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1128/mra.00781-22

Christensen, P., Racklyeft, A., Ward, K. E., Matheson, J., Suwanarusk, R., Chua, A. C. Y., … Aung, H. L., … Cook, G. M., … Russell, B. (2022). Improving in vitro continuous cultivation of Plasmodium cynomolgi, a model for P. vivax. Parasitology International. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102589

Phyu, A. N., Aung, S. T., Palittapongarnpim, P., Htet, K. K. K., Mahasirimongkol, S., Ruangchai, W., … Aung, H. L., … Chongsuvivatwong, V. (2023). Genomic sequencing profiles of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Mandalay region, Myanmar. Tropical Medicine & Infectious Disease, 8, 239. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed8040239

Journal - Research Article

Aung, S. T., Nyunt, W. W., Moe, M. M., Aung, H. L., & Lwin, T. (2022). The fourth national tuberculosis prevalence survey in Myanmar. PLOS Global Public Health, 2(6), e0000588. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000588

Journal - Research Article

Christensen, P., Racklyeft, A., Ward, K. E., Matheson, J., Suwanarusk, R., Chua, A. C. Y., … Aung, H. L., … Cook, G. M., … Russell, B. (2022). Improving in vitro continuous cultivation of Plasmodium cynomolgi, a model for P. vivax. Parasitology International. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102589

Journal - Research Article

Phyu, A. N., Aung, S. T., Palittapongarnpim, P., Htet, K. K. K., Mahasirimongkol, S., Aung, H. L., … Chongsuvivatwong, V. (2022). Distribution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineages and drug resistance in Upper Myanmar. Tropical Medicine & Infectious Disease, 7, 448. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed7120448

Journal - Research Article

Aung, H. L., Nyunt, W. W., Fong, Y., Biggs, P. J., Winkworth, R. C., Lockhart, P. J., … Hill, P. C., Cook, G. M., & Aung, S. T. (2021). Genomic profiling of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains, Myanmar. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(11), 2847-2855. doi: 10.3201/eid2711.210726.

Journal - Research Article

Aung, S. T., Thu, A., Aung, H. L., & Thu, M. (2021). Measuring catastrophic costs due to tuberculosis in Myanmar. Tropical Medicine & Infectious Disease, 6(3), 130. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed6030130

Journal - Research Article

Parker, H. A., Dickerhof, N., Forrester, L., Ryburn, H., Smyth, L., Messens, J., Aung, H. L., Cook, G. M., Kettle, A. J., & Hampton, M. B. (2021). Mycobacterium smegmatis resists the bactericidal activity of hypochlorous acid produced in neutrophil phagosomes. Journal of Immunology, 206, 1901-1912. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.2001084

Journal - Research Article

Lee, B. M., Harold, L. K., Almeida, D. V., Afrait-Jurnou, L., Aung, H. L., Forde, B. M., Hards, K., … Cook, G. M., & Jackson, C. J. (2020). Predicting nitroimidazole antibiotic resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with protein engineering. PLoS Pathogens, 16(2), e1008287. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008287

Journal - Research Article

Maung, H. M. W., Palittapongarnpim, P., Aung, H. L., Surachat, K., Nyunt, W. W., & Chongsuvivatwong, V. (2020). Geno-spatial distribution of mycobacterium tuberculosis and drug resistance profiles in Myanmar-Thai border area. Tropical Medicine & Infectious Disease, 5(4), 153. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed5040153

Journal - Research Article

Lu, X., Williams, Z., Hards, K., Tang, J., Cheung, C.-Y., Aung, H. L., … Cook, G. M. (2019). Pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine inhibitor of the respiratory cytochrome bcc complex for the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis. ACS Infectious Diseases, 5(2), 239-249. doi: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.8b00225

Journal - Research Article

Mulholland, C. V., Shockey, A. C., Aung, H. L., Cursons, R. T., O'Toole, R. F., Gautam, S. S., … Cook, G. M., … Arcus, V. L. (2019). Dispersal of Mycobacterium tuberculosis driven by historical European trade in the South Pacific. Frontiers in Microbiology, 10, 2778. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02778

Journal - Research Article

Basu, I., Bower, J. E., Roberts, S. A., Henderson, G., Aung, H. L., Cook, G., … Newton, S. (2018). Utility of whole genome sequencing for multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in a reference TB laboratory in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal, 131(1487), 15-22. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Article

Mortuza, R., Aung, H. L., Taiaroa, G., Opel-Reading, H. K., Kleffmann, T., Cook, G. M., & Krause, K. L. (2018). Overexpression of a newly identified d-amino acid transaminase in Mycobacterium smegmatis complements glutamate racemase deletion. Molecular Microbiology, 107(2), 198-213. doi: 10.1111/mmi.13877

Journal - Research Article

Mulholland, C. V., Ruthe, A., Cursons, R. T., Durrant, R., Karalus, N., Coley, K., … Permina, E., Coleman, M. J., … Cook, G. M., & Aung, H. L. (2017). Rapid molecular diagnosis of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rangipo strain responsible for the largest recurring TB cluster in New Zealand. Diagnostic Microbiology & Infectious Disease, 88(2), 138-140. doi: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2017.03.012

Journal - Research Article

Nakatani, Y., Opel-Reading, H. K., Merker, M., Machado, D., Andres, S., Kumar, S. S., … Aung, H. L., Cook, G. M., … Krause, K., & Köser, C. U. (2017). Role of alanine racemase mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis D-cycloserine resistance. Antimicrobial Agents & Chemotherapy, 61(12), e01575-17. doi: 10.1128/aac.01575-17

Journal - Research Article

Aung, H. L., Tun, T., Moradigaravand, D., Köser, C. U., Nyunt, W. W., Aung, S. T., … Crump, J. A., … Cook, G. M., & Hill, P. C. (2016). Whole-genome sequencing of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Myanmar. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 6, 113-117. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2016.04.008

Journal - Research Article

Aung, H. L., Tun, T., Permina, E., Nyunt, W. W., Aung, S. T., Thinn, K. K., Crump, J. A., & Cook, G. M. (2016). Draft genome sequences of two drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Myanmar. Genome Announcements, 4(5), e00850-16. doi: 10.1128/genomeA.00850-16

Journal - Research Article

Petridis, M., Vickers, C., Robson, J., McKenzie, J. L., Bereza, M., Sharrock, A., Aung, H. L., … Cook, G. M. (2016). Structure and function of AmtR in Mycobacterium smegmatis: Implications for post-transcriptional regulation of urea metabolism through a small antisense RNA. Journal of Molecular Biology, 428(21), 4315-4329. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2016.09.009

Journal - Research Article

Aung, H. L., Dixon, L. L., Smith, L. J., Sweeney, N. P., Robson, J. R., Berney, M., … Cook, G. M. (2015). Novel regulatory roles of cAMP receptor proteins in fast-growing environmental mycobacteria. Microbiology, 161(3), 648-661. doi: 10.1099/mic.0.000015

Journal - Research Article

Aung, H. L., Samaranayaka, C. U. K., Enright, R., Beggs, K. T., & Monk, B. C. (2015). Characterisation of the DNA gyrase from the thermophilic eubacterium Thermus thermophilus. Protein Expression & Purification, 107, 62-67. doi: 10.1016/j.pep.2014.11.009

Journal - Research Article

Aung, H. L., Berney, M., & Cook, G. M. (2014). Hypoxia-activated cytochrome bd expression in Mycobacterium smegmatis is cyclic AMP receptor protein dependent. Journal of Bacteriology, 196(17), 3091-3097. doi: 10.1128/jb.01771-14

Journal - Research Article

Mulholland, C. V., Gimenez, G., Williamson, A., Steele, M., Thorpe, D., Karalus, N., … Cook, G. M., … Aung, H. L. (2022). Complete genome sequence of a New Zealand Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain responsible for ongoing transmission over the past 30 years. Microbiology Resource Announcements. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1128/mra.00781-22

Journal - Research Other

Humblestone, L., Arnold, B., & Aung, H. L. (2021). Translating whole-genome sequence data for drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis diagnostics in clinics. New Zealand Medical Journal, 134(1533), 115-117. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Other

McDonald, S. K., Matisoo-Smith, E. A., Buckley, H. R., Walter, R. K., Aung, H. L., Collins, C. J., Cook, G. M., Kardailsky, O., Krause, K., & Knapp, M. (2020). 'TB or not TB': The conundrum of pre-European contact tuberculosis in the Pacific. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 375, 20190583. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0583

Journal - Research Other

Aung, H. L., & Devine, T. J. (2019). Reducing the burden of tuberculosis in the Māori, the Indigenous people of New Zealand. Lancet Global Health, 7(7), e845. doi: 10.1016/s2214-109x(19)30236-0

Journal - Research Other

Aung, H. L., Devine, T. J., Mulholland, C. V., Arcus, V. L., & Cook, G. M. (2019). Tackling tuberculosis in the indigenous people of New Zealand. Lancet Public Health, 4(10), e496. doi: 10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30180-X

Journal - Research Other

Aung, H. L., Nyunt, W. W., Fong, Y., Russell, B., Cook, G. M., & Aung, S. T. (2018). Acquired resistance to antituberculosis drugs. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 24(11), 2134. doi: 10.3201/eid2411.180465

Journal - Research Other

Aung, H. L., Tun, T., Nyunt, W. W., Fong, Y., Crump, J. A., Thinn, K. K., … Cook, G. M. (2018). Association between anti-tuberculosis drug resistance-conferring mutations and treatment outcomes in Myanmar. Infectious Diseases, 50(5), 388-390. doi: 10.1080/23744235.2017.1404632

Journal - Research Other

Htuna, K. S., Fong, Y., Kyaw, A. A., Aung, S. T., Oo, K. Z., Zaw, T., … Russell, B., Cook, G. M., Aung, H. L., & Hlaing, T. M. (2018). Microbiome dataset from the upper respiratory tract of patients living with HIV, HIV/TB and TB from Myanmar [Data article]. Data in Brief, 21, 354-357. doi: 10.1016/j.dib.2018.10.003

Journal - Research Other

Mulholland, C. V., Thorpe, D., Cursons, R. T., Karalus, N., Fong, Y., Arcus, V. L., Cook, G. M., & Aung, H. L. (2018). Evaluation of the rapid molecular diagnostic test for the New Zealand Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rangipo strain in a clinical setting. New Zealand Medical Journal, 131(1478), 70-72. Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Journal - Research Other

Aung, H. L., Nyunt, W. W., Fong, Y., Cook, G. M., & Aung, S. T. (2017). First 2 extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis cases from Myanmar treated with bedaquiline. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 65(3), 531-532. doi: 10.1093/cid/cix365

Journal - Research Other

Nyunt, W. W., Aung, S. T., Cook, G. M., & Aung, H. L. (2017). Evaluation of the genotype MTBDRsl test for detection of second-line drug resistance in drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in Myanmar. Infectious Diseases, 49(11-12), 865-866. doi: 10.1080/23744235.2017.1341056

Journal - Research Other

Nyunt, W. W., Aung, S. T., Lwin, T., Cook, G. M., & Aung, H. L. (2017). First- and second-line antituberculosis drug resistance patterns among previous treatment failure patients in Myanmar. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance, 9, 34-35. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2017.02.007

Journal - Research Other

Tun, T., Aye, K. S., Nyunt, W. W., Crump, J. A., Nakajima, C., Suzuki, Y., … Cook, G. M., & Aung, H. L. (2017). Genotypic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in Myanmar. Infectious Diseases, 49(3), 237-239. doi: 10.1080/23744235.2016.1231419

Journal - Research Other

Tun, T., Nyunt, W. W., Latt, K. Z., Samaranayaka, A., Crump, J. A., Thinn, K. K., Cook, G. M., & Aung, H. L. (2016). Drug-resistant tuberculosis among previously treated patients in Yangon, Myanmar. International Journal of Mycobacteriology, 5(3), 366-367. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmyco.2016.06.004

Journal - Research Other

Aung, H. L., Dey, D., Janssen, P. H., Ronimus, R. S., & Cook, G. M. (2015). A high-throughput screening assay for identification of inhibitors of the A1Ao-ATP synthase of the rumen methanogen Methanobrevibacter ruminantium M1 [Note]. Journal of Microbiological Methods, 110, 15-17. doi: 10.1016/j.mimet.2014.12.022

Journal - Research Other

McMillan, D. G. G., Ferguson, S. A., Dey, D., Schröder, K., Aung, H. L., Carbone, V., … Cook, G. M. (2011). A1Ao-ATP synthase of Methanobrevibacter ruminantium couples sodium ions for ATP synthesis under physiological conditions. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 286(46), 39882-39892. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M111.281675

Journal - Research Other

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