Abir received his B.S. (chemistry) and his PhD (pharmacology) from the University of Minnesota. Abir completed his graduate thesis in the lab of Nicholas Levinson, with whom he demonstrated the role of allostery in kinase activation and inhibitor binding.

Abir enjoys spending time in the kitchen, where his goal is to make something edible at least 50% of the time. He does not particularly enjoy running, but he subjects himself to a fair amount of it. Abir has an affinity for all animals.