Mohammad Mofrad
Biological Faculty Engineer
Research Interests
My research program is focused on understanding the molecular basis of cell mechanics and mechanotransduction with them aim to shed light on the role of these biological processes in human disease. Our specific attention is on the role of two macromolecular systems in cellular function, namely the integrin-mediated focal adhesions at the interface between the cell and extracellular matrix (ECM) and the nuclear pore complex (NPC). Focal adhesions are the immediate sites of cell interaction with the ECM, and as such they play a key role in mechanosensing and mechanotransduction at the edge of the cell. Nuclear pores could also play a role in the overall process of cellular mechanotransduction by exquisitely controlling the material transport in and out of the nucleus, thereby regulating the gene expression and protein synthesis.
Recent Publications
Related News
Gatekeeping Proteins to Aberrant RNA: You Shall Not Pass
In a new study, faculty scientist Mohammad Mofrad from the Molecular Biophysics & Integrated Bioimaging Division, together with his Ph.D. student Mohammad Soheilypour, shed light on a complex system of cell regulation that acts as a form of quality control for the transport of genetic information out of the nucleus. Getting a more complete picture of how genetic information gets expressed in cells is important in disease research, the researchers say. “Some components of this machinery are dysregulated in various types of cancers,” explains Mofrad. “Understanding the molecular mechanism of genetic information transport and quality control would substantially improve the current knowledge about various types of cancers and other human diseases.” Their findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports of November 2. Read the full story on the Berkeley Lab News Center.
New Clues on How Cell Nucleus Gatekeeper Works
Scientists have gained insight on how some molecules are allowed to enter and exit the nucleus while keeping other molecules out. Their research, led by Mohammad Mofrad in the Molecular Biophysics & Integrated Bioimaging Division, is a step forward in building a more comprehensive understanding of nuclear pore complex function, which has numerous implications in […]
