Associate professor
Max Rady College of Medicine
Human Anatomy and Cell Science
110A-745 Bannatyne Ave
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9
Saeid Ghavami, BSc, MSc, PhD
Keywords
- autophagy
- Bcl2 family proteins
- cell phenotype
- chemo-resistance
- glioblastoma
- lung cancer
- mevalonate cascade
- mitophagy
- rhabdomyosarcoma
Research summary
My research career has been focused on the importance of cross talk of three key cellular responses to intra- and extracellular stress in regulation of cellular phenotype including apoptosis, autophagy and unfolded protein response (UPR). We investigate how cellular phenotype is involved in lung cancer metastasis, and chemotherapy response in Glioblastoma and Rhabdomyosarcoma. Our research identifies how autophagy/UPR/apoptosis determine metastatic phenotypes of lung cancer via Bcl2 family proteins. In addition, we address the importance of these three pathways in regulation of chemo-sensitivity of Glioblastoma and Rhabdomyosarcoma cells to different chemotherapy agents.
Biography
Dr. Ghavami got his BSc in Chemistry in 1989 (Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran), MSc and PhD (1995, 2004, TMU University, Tehran, Iran) in Clinical Biochemistry. His Postdoctoral training was focused on the application of apoptosis/autophagy/unfolded protein response (UPR) in regulation of cell fate. His research program is focused on regulation of cellular phenotype via targeting autophagy and UPR at the Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, University of Manitoba, He has been the recipient of a number of prestigious awards including CIHR/GSK/CLA postdoctoral award (No. 1 in Canada, 2007), Parker B Francis Career Development Award (top 10 in North America, 2009), ATS Science and Innovation Center Rising Star of Research Award (2017), CIHR/CCS/OICR Early Career Research Award (2017).
Dr. Ghavami is currently, Honorary Professor and co-founder of Autophagy Research Centre at Shiraz University of Medical Science and Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Honorary Professor at Katowice School of Technology, Poland. He is Associate Editor of BBA-Mol Basis of Disease, Molecular Neurobiology, BB Reports and IJMS.
Education
- PhD Clinical Biochemistry, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran (2004)
- MSc Clinical Biochemistry, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran (1996)
- BSc Chemistry, Shiraz University. Shiraz, Iran (1989)
Awards
- Top 0.1% Article in Neuroscience: Ghavami et al. Prog. Neuro. Biol., 2014 (2021)
- Top 10% highly cited paper in PLOS ONE: Ghavami et al., PLOS ONE, 2011 (2021)
- Life Achievement Award for Impact on Science from Iranian Presidency Office (Nov 2018)
- CIHR/CCS/OICR early career New Investigator Award (Nov 2017)
- Science and Innovation Center (SIC) Rising Star of Research from American Thoracic Society RSF Assembly (May 2017)
- Ranked as 5th Biomedical Researcher in 18th International Razi Medical Award (March 2013)
- Parker B Francis Career Development Fellowship in Respiratory Disease, Role of S100A8/A9 in Airway Remodeling in Asthma ($156,000 USD), (Ranked top ten in North America) (2010- 2013)
- Manitoba Research Day First Prize in Post-Doctoral Category ($1,500 CDN) (June 2009)
- CIHR/CLA/GSK Post-Doctoral Award in Respiratory Disease ($90,000 CDN) (Ranked Number 1 in basic research in Canada) (2008- 2010)
- CIHR National Training Program in Allergy and Asthma Post-Doctoral Award ($12,000 CDN) (2007- 2009)
- Manitoba Institute of Child Health Post-Doctoral Award ($70,000 CDN) (2007-2009)
- Manitoba Health Research Council Post-Doctoral Award ($38,750 CDN) (Ranked Number 1 in Manitoba) (2006- 2007)
- CancerCare Manitoba Foundation Post-Doctoral Award, ($30,000 CDN)Iran Ministry of Health and Medical Education-Postgraduate Scholarship, (2005-2006) (1993- 1995)
Human Anatomy and Cell Science
130 Basic Medical Science Building
745 Bannatyne Avenue
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3E 0J9 Canada
204-789-3411
204-789-3920