Research interests

Current research projects

Positions

Lab members

Courses  taught

Completed projects

Achievements

Affiliates

Laboratory of Membrane Biophysics (LMB)

Representative publications

Research Interests:

The ultimate aim of my lab, the Laboratory of Membrane Biophysics (LMB) is to conduct biophysical investigation of biological membranes,  membranes and cells exposed to various electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields as well as hydrostatic and mechanical forces induced by ultrasonic waves, interfaces set between cells and polymeric scaffolds involved in tissue engineering and graft design and membrane channel forming proteins using artificial planar bilayer, voltage clamp system, electrophysiology, spectrophotometery, molecular biology, theoretical  modeling and simulation in order to fulfill the following objectives:

a) Molecular regulation of ion channels and pores

• Biophysical studies of membrane ionic channels mainly focusing on the molecular mechanism(s) of gating involved in voltage-dependent, ligand gated and osmoregulatory channels (OmpF, OmpA, IP3R, OmpC) and behaviors of the moving solute through the channel
• Investigation of single channel activities in presence of  935 MHz to 1.6 GHz electromagnetic fields, possible effects of Mobile phones, high frequency antenna and  electromagnetic oscillating systems  on biological membranes and constituents.

b) Neurobiophysics of biological membranes particularly the ones involved in nervous system failure 

• Investigation of spinal cord injuries (SCI) in rat and possible treatments. Analysis of compound action potential (CAP) in intact and injured spinal cord by means of SCEP and investigation of electrical activity of dissected live spinal cord positioned in sucrose gap chamber before and after injury and in response to the applied biomaterials  
• Application of magnetic and electric fields in neural cell culture and analysis of their effects on cell survival,   orientation, migration, polarization, elongation and intercellular contact formation.
•  Image processing of neural and supporting cells cultured at different biochemical condition in presence and absence of electric and magnetic fields.

c) Modeling of channel activities and signal transduction in biological systems

• Signal processing on current traces recorded from single channel activity at different physico-chemical conditions in presence of different membrane potential by means of  statistical and mathematical approaches, such as time series, Markov theory and so on.
• Channel molecular dynamics studies in presence and absence of different solutes using AMBER and GROMACS.
• Mechanics of channel structure during gating and  at various conductivity states.

d) Biophysics and its bioelectric concept applicable in Biomedical and tissue Engineering  

• Biophysics of the cell and scaffold interfaces
• Current injector to control the level wound infection
•  Bioreactor design for online monitoring of cell culture

e) Biosensors and Nanotechnology:

• Application of the channel and pore forming proteins and chemicals in the design of chemically selective biosensors and nano-valves.

f) Biophysical analysis and application of ion channels involved in the membrane related diseases

• Channelopathies 
• Application of membrane ion channels as a gateway to target and manipulate the reproduction machinery of pathogenic micro-organisms. Cardiac voltage gated sodium channels activity at different pH, temperature and voltages was analyzed to work out the inactivation and closure probabilities. OmpATb porin channels of Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell wall is  also used as a manipulative gateway to weaken the armed cell. 
• Application of  native and synthetic pore forming polypeptide and chemicals: The aim is to control various microorganisms, targeting malignant cells and also to design an effective pesticide. The newly synthesized anti tuberculosis chemicals are being studied at molecular level both experimentally and theoretically.

 Current Research Projects:

• Biophysical and theoretical studies of damaged neural membrane in rat’s spinal cord injuries (SCI) by means of bio-degradable polymers and biomaterials as well as the effects of static magnetic and electric fields on neural cell cultures.

• Biophysical engineering of a systems capable for online monitoring and manipulation of tissue culture exposed to different electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields as well as hydrostatic pressure..

• Real time biophysical studies of the  effects of  biodegradable biomaterials on the sealing of the damaged neural fibers of rat's spinal cord by means of spinal cord evoked potential (SCEP)

• The effects of electromagnetic fields (935 MHz-1.6 GHz, mobile phones and antenna) on membrane integrity, capacitance and  physical characteristics as well as on the ion channel gating, voltage sensitivity and gating properties

• Mathematical analysis and modeling of structure and function of  E.coli outer membrane OmpC and OmpF in response to a variety of antibiotics and transporting molecules in artificial bilayers

• Biophysical approach to Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) application 

• Voltage-dependent molecular gating mechanism of OmpF and OmpC porin channels of  E.coli outer membrane in artificial planar bilayers (Theoretical and practical analysis) 
• Channel forming activity of OmpATb in Mycobacterium tuberculosis at the single molecule level in artificial planar bilayers in the presence and absence of various antibiotics (preliminary study stage)
• Involvement of rat cerebellum endoplasmic reticulum channel forming inositol triphosphate receptors (IP3R type I) in calcium oscillation (Theoretical analysis)

Completed projects:

- Theoretical study of the OmpF channel activity in the presence and absence of nucleotides

  (Rastgou, S. MSc thesis in Biophysics)

- Electromagnetic field (EMF) effects on channel activity of nanopore OmpF protein

  (Mohammadzadeh, M., PhD thesis in Biophysics)

 

- Study of the effects of electromagnetic fields on active structure of microtubule

  (Tavilli, E. MSc thesis in Biochemistry)

 

- Investigation of interaction between novel anti TB derivatives of 1, 3, 4 – thiadiazoles and

  artificial membranes

  (Mahdiuni, H, PhD thesis in Biochemistry)

 

- Effects of electric field on spinal cord neural cells in culture in the presence of synthetic

  polymers

  (Khoshkhouyeh Delshad, H., MSc thesis in Biophysics)

 

- Simulation and biophysical computation of the interaction and possible mechanisms of

  ciprofluxacin translocation through OmpF porin channel

  (Mousavi Shafaei, AS., MSc thesis in Biophysics)

 

-   Effects of electric field on spinal cord neural cells in culture in the presence of synthetic polymer

     (Khoshkhouyeh Delshad, H., MSc thesis in Biophysics)

-   Simulation and biophysical computation of the interaction and possible mechanisms of ciprofluxacin translocation through OmpF porin channel

       (Mousavi Shafaei, AS., MSc thesis in Biophysics)

-     Biophysical studies of the effects of 2T static magnetic field on the neural cell growth in culture

      (Khodarahmi, I., MSc thesis in Biophysics)

-    A study of rat’s spinal cord neural cells’ behavior as a result of the electric and magnetic fields applied to cell culture

        (Moshref, E., MSc thesis in Biophysics)

-     Biophysical studies of the effects of nucleotides on E.coli OmpF porin channel

        (Nikouei, A. MSc thesis in Biophysics)

-     Analysis of neural cell culture process using image processing techniques

        (Mirsafian, A.S., MSc thesis in Computer Sciences)

-     Theoretical studies on the effects of membrane phospholipid composition on surface tension and cell function 

        (Dastvan, R., MSc thesis in Biotechnology)

-     The effects of biodegradable polymers on the damaged neural membrane repair

        (Falahati, M., MSc thesis in Biophysics)

-    Theoretical investigation of structure of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae proteom based on Mass Spectroscopy and Tandem affinity Purification data

        (Mashaghi, A., MSc thesis in Biophysics)

-    Modeling of voltage gated membrane channels (Cardiac Sodium channel)

       (Keshavarzi, B. MSc in Biomedical Engineering)

-     Biophysical investigation of cephalexin on the gating of E.coli OmpF porin channels

        (Amini, M., M.Sc, thesis in Biophysics)

-     Biophysical analysis of nerve membrane regeneration in rat spinal cord

        (Mousavidoust, S., MSc thesis in Biophysics)

-     Biophysical Investigation of structure and kinetics of OmpC porin channels of E.coli to evaluate the channel’s gating mechanism (s)

        (Nematian-Ardestani, E., MSc thesis in Biophysics)

-     Biophysical analysis of structure and function of OmpF porin in outer membrane of E.coli

        (Kuhzaei, S., M.Sc, thesis in Biophysics)

Courses  Taught: 

• -  Membrane Biophysics (M.Sc and PhD,  Biophysics)

• - Cellular Biophysics (MSc, Biophysics)

•  - Molecular Biophysics (MSc and PhD in Biophysics)

• - Cell and Molecular Biophysics (MSc in Biotechnology)

• - Biological  Nano-manupulation (PhD in Medical Nanotechnology)

• - Biophysics (M.Sc, Medical Laboratory Technology, Medical Immunology, Medical Physics, Medical  Physiology)

• - Seminars in Biophysics (MSc and PhD in Biophysics)

• - Advanced Cell Biology (PhD, Biotechnology)

• - Biophysics (B.Sc, Zoology)

• - Numerical Sciences and computer application in biology (for B.Sc. and M.Sc. students in Genetics, Biotechnology, Biophysics, Biochemistry)

Achievements:

• IBC (UK)  approved distinguished scientists of  year 2006
• Marquis Who’s Who (USA) approved distinguished scientists of  year 2005
• Recipient  of  Research Grant awarded by TWAS, Italy, 2002
• Recipient of Welcome Trust post  Doctorate Scholarship, 1999
• Distinguished graduate recognized by the Ministry of Science Education and Innovation of Iran 1999

 Affiliates:

• American Biophysical Society

• Australian Society for Biophysics

• British Biophysical Society

 Relevant links

-Laboratory of Membrane Biophysics (LMB)

-Biomaterials Research Center (BRC)

Books:

Elementary Biophysics, An Introduction, PK Srivastava, 2005 (Translated by Mobasheri, H., and  Badouei-D, A, Karami, Z, Seidalipour, B)

Representative publications:

-Effects of novel antituberculosis agents on OmpF channel activity

H. Mahdiuni, H. Mobasheri, A., Shafiee and A. Foroumadi

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, (2008), 376 :174-179.

-Transplantation of Schwann cells to subarachnoid space induces repair in contused rat spinal cord

Masoumeh Firouzi , Pouria Moshayedi, Hooshang Saberi, Hamid Mobasheri, Farid Abolhassani , Issa Jahanzad, and Mohsin Raza

Neuroscience Letters  (2006), 402 :66–70

-Diferential effect of PKA on the Ca₂⁺ release kinetics of the type I and III InsP₃ receptors, Jeanette L. Dyer, Hamid Mobasheri, Edward J.A. Lea, Alan P. Dawson, and Francesco Michelangelia
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications ,(2003), 302 :121–126

-The cytotoxic domain of colicin E9 is a channel-forming endonuclease,                      Mosbahi K, Lemaitre C, Keeble AH, Mobasheri H, Morel B, James R, Moore GR, Lea EJ, Kleanthous C. 

Nature Structural Biology, (2002), 9(6) :476-84.

-Biophysics of gating phenomena in voltage-dependent OmpC mutant porin channels (R74C and R37C) of E.coli outer membranes , Hamid Mobasheri  and Edward J.A. Lea .  European Biophysics Journal , (2002),31, 5 :389-399

-Interaction of luminal Ca2+ and cytosolic ATP in the control of type 1 IP3 receptor channels, Thrower, E.C., Mobasheri, H, Lea, E.J.A. and Dawson, A.P.                       Journal of Biological   Chemistry, (2000), 275 :36049-36055

-Voltage-gating of Escherichia coli porin: A cystine-scanning mutagenesis study of loop 3, Bainbridge, G., Mobasheri, H., Armstrong, G.A., Lea, E.J.A., Lakey, J.H

 Journal of Molecular Biology, (1998), 275, 2 :171-176

-Expression of a gene for a porin-like protein of the OmpA family from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, Senaratne, R. H., Mobasheri, H., Papavinasasundaram, K. G., Jenner, P., Lea, E.A., Draper, P .

Journal of Bacteriology, (1998), 180, 14, :3541-3547

-Brucella Omp2a and Omp2b porins: single channel measurements and topology prediction, Mobasheri, H., Ficht, T.A., Marquis, H., Lea, E.J.A., Lakey, J.H .   FEMS Microbiology Letters (1997), Vol.155, 1 :23-30

-Altered voltage sensitivity of mutant OmpC porin channels,Bishop, N.D., Lea, E.J.A., Mobasheri, H., Spiro, S .

FEBS Letters, (1996), Vol.379, 3 :295-298

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