I am a Professor specialized in Zoology, with a particular focus on Molecular Cytology, and a dedicated researcher with extensive experience in teaching and scientific research at the Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Iraq. Throughout my academic career, I have taught a wide range of courses and conducted numerous research projects in Cell Biology, Molecular cytology Epigenetics, Hypoxia, Cell Culture, Stem Cell Biology.
B.Sc. in Biology from College Of Education Ibn al-Haytham, University of Baghdad, 1996. M.Sc. from College Of Education Ibn al-Haytham, University of Baghdad, 2000. Ph.D from Keele University, 2018.
Undergraduate and Postgraduate teaching.
سرطان القولون والمستقيم (CRC) هو مرض شديد الخطورة يتسبب في مشاكل طبية سريعة التطور وله معدل وفيات مرتفع. يمكن تصنيف مُسْتَضِدٌّ مُنَاوِعٌ للنَّسيج (TPS) كمؤشر حيوي في سرطان القولون والمستقيم وأنواع أخرى من السرطانات. لوحظ ان لعامل نمو بطانة الأوعية الدموية (VEGF) دور علاجي في تكوين أوعية دموية جديدة. قد تساهم مثيلة الحمض النووي بتقليل انتشار السرطان. كانت هذه الدراسة مصممة لقياس الدور المحتمل لمستويات TPS و VGEF في
... Show MoreIntroduction and Aim: Forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) are the key regulators controlling the activity of Treg cells, which are crucial for maintaining immune tolerance and reducing autoimmune reactions. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential utility of elevated levels of FOXP3 and IL-10 gene expression as a diagnostic indicator in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Materials and Methods: The study used quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to examine the expression levels of FOXP3 and IL-10 transcripts in whole blood samples from Iraqi patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A group of healthy control subjects were also included in the study. Results: In blood samples taken fr
... Show MoreIntroduction and Aim: Kruppel Like Factor 14 (KLF14) gene plays an important role in metabolic illnesses and is also involved in the regulation of many other biological processes. This study's objective was to determine whether or not the KLF14 single-nucleotide-polymorphism (SNP) known as rs972283 was linked to an increased risk of peptic ulcer disease in the population that was being investigated. Materials and Methods: Participants in this study included 71 people who had been diagnosed with peptic ulcers and 50 people who were considered to be healthy controls. In order to genotype the KLF14 SNP rs972283, an amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) was carried out, and the PCR results were
... Show MoreBreast cancer (BC) is the most common malignant tumor in women and the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. This work was conducted to estimate the roles of oxidative stress, vitamin B12, homocysteine (HCY), and DNA methylation in BC disease progression. Sixty BC patients (age range 33–80 years) and 30 healthy controls were recruited for this study. Patients with BC were split to group 1 consisted of stage II BC women (low level), and group 2 consisted of patients in stages III and IV (high level). Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3), HCY, and vitamin B12 levels in the study groups were measured. Also, the 5-methylcytosine (5mC) global DNA methylation levels were evaluated. The results showed a significant
... Show MoreThe leading purpose of this work is the development of efficient culture conditions to induce calli from cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) under in vitro conditions. The mature seeds were surface sterilized with combinations of different concentrations of ethanol and NaOCl in different time durations and were germinated on MS basal medium. The results revealed that the best sterilization method of cabbage seeds was by using 70% ethanol for one minute, followed by 15 min in 2% (NaOCl). Seedlings were used as donor sources for hypocotyls, cotyledon leaves, true leaves, and shoot tip explants. These explants were cultured on different combinations of cytokinins (TDZ, BAP, Ad) an
... Show MoreAcute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is one of the commonest hematological malignancies affecting children and adults. Recent evidence suggests an involvement of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in ALL pathogenicity. Epigenetic aberration, especially altered DNA methylation marks, is a key event of cancer development. The present study aims to investigate how the ALL epimethylome reacts to viral infection through the assessment of the total 5-methylcytosine (5mC) levels in ALL patients, according to EBV infection. The 5mC global DNA methylation levels in 50 diagnosed ALL patients (age mean 26.23 yrs; age range 10-60 yrs) and 25 age-matched healthy controls were assessed using MethylFlash™ Methylated DNA Quantification Kit. Acute pri
... Show MoreCeliac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated disorder caused by gluten in genetically susceptible individuals characterized by chronic inflammation that essentially affects the small intestine. Objective: this study was designed to measure the potential role of some serological biomarkers including vitamin B12 and homocysteine (HCY) in the progression of CD as well as their relations to global DNA methylation (5mC). Materials and methods. Forty CD patients were enrolled in the study with an average age of (36.60 ± 2.03) years (range between 15 and 60). The diagnosis of the disease was confirmed by serological examinations and intestinal endoscopy in Gastroenterology and Liver Teaching Hospital in the Medical City Hospital in Baghdad
... Show MoreBackground: The transcriptional control of various cell types, especially in the development or functioning of immune system cells involved in either promoting or inhibiting the immune response against cancer, is significantly influenced by DNA or RNA methylation. Multifaceted interconnections exist between immunological or cancer cell populations in the tumor's microenvironment (TME). TME alters the fluctuating DNA (as well as RNA) methylation sequences in these immunological cells to change their development into pro- or anti-cancer cell categories (such as T cells, which are regulatory, for instance). Objective: This review highlights the impact of DNA and RNA methylation on myeloid and lymphoid cells, unraveling their intricate
... Show MoreColorectal Cancer (CRC) is a global medical problem that has a high rate of mortality. Interestingly, evaluating the hematopoietic growth factors is useful in the early diagnosis of CRC. Henceforth, this study was designed to measure the potential role of Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and Interleukin 3 (IL-3) in CRC progress and their relation to P53 expression and global DNA methylation (5mC). Blood samples were collected from a total of 60 Iraqi patients who participated in this study and were diagnosed with CRC, and from 30 healthy volunteers who served as control for comparison purposes. Serum levels of GM-CSF and IL-3 were assessed quantitatively using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
... Show MoreImmunosuppressive cytokines are the main components of the tumor microenvironment and perform a vital function in controlling the immune response to malignant neoplasms.The objective: to study the influence of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) on the development of breast tumors in women.Materials and methods. The concentration of cytokines IL-4 and TGF-β3 in blood serum was determined in 40 women with benign breast tumors, 40 women with malignant breast tumors, and 40 healthy patients without breast pathology, who were included in the control group.Breast cancer (BC) patients were divided into two groups; the first group included patients with the II stage of BC, who were considered to have a low le
... Show MoreChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health issue that is linked to early death and low quality of life. Management in its early phases may lead to better health results. Chronic inflammation related to advanced CKD, as indicated by higher levels of different pro-inflammatory cytokines or impacted levels of acute-phase proteins. This study was carried out in order to assess the roles of interleukins (IL-3 and IL-22), some kidney functions, complete blood count (CBC) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in CKD progression. Commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were utilized to calculate interleukin (IL-3 and IL-22) levels in the serum of 60 patients with CKD (age range 20-87 years) and 30
... Show MoreRheumatoid arthritis (RA) occurs through joint inflammation and affects approximately one in 200 adults worldwide, with women affected two to three times more frequently than men. The design of this study is to examine serum levels and changes in immunological markers in Iraqi patients with RA. To evaluate the advantages of clinical biomarkers of autoimmune disorderliness as well as changes in some immunological markers and clinical outcomes associated with Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients. Interleukins-3 and 5 (IL-3 and IL-5) were quantified by ELISA assay kits in the serum of 60 patients with RA disease (age range 20–60 years) and 30 age-matched healthy control groups. The BMI (body mass index), C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocy
... Show MoreRheumatoid arthritis (RA) can cause permanent joint damage and disability through inflammation in the joints. Other organs, such as blood vessels, lungs, heart, eyes and skin may also get affected. This study aimed to evaluate the changes of some oxidative stress markers including oxidative DNA damage and the clinical outcomes that are associated with Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients. Commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were applied to evaluate malondialdehyde (MDA), DNA damage marker 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHDG), and glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPX3) levels in serum of 60 patients having RA with ages ranging between 20-70 years and 30 age-matched healthy controls. The results showed a significant increase i
... Show MoreChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious threat to global medicine as more than two million get CKD yearly. However, the understanding of DNA damage, DNA methylation in chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains elusive. The study goal was to establish whether homocysteine (Hcy), oxidative DNA damage (ODD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX3) and 5-methylcytosine (5mC) could be used as a potential marker of CKD. Measurements of Hcy, ODD, and GPX3 levels were done by commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits of 60 patients with chronic kidney disease (age range 20-87 years) and 30 age-matched healthy controls. DNA extracted from blood of patients was used to evaluate the global 5-methylcytosine (5mC) levels by the MethylFlash
... Show MoreThe application of physiological oxygen (physoxia) concentrations is becoming increasingly commonplace within a mammalian stem cell culture. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) attract widespread interest for clinical application due to their unique immunomodulatory, multi-lineage potential, and regenerative capacities. Descriptions of the impact of physoxia on global DNA methylation patterns in hMSCs and the activity of enzymatic machinery responsible for its regulation remain limited. Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-hMSCs, passage 1) isolated in reduced oxygen conditions displayed an upregulation of SOX2 in reduced oxygen conditions vs. air oxygen (21% O2, AO), while no change was noted for either OCT-4 or NA
... Show MoreAcute myeloid leukemia is a malignant disease results from mutation in a multipotent haemopoietic stemcell. The study aimed to investigate NPM1 and FLT3-ITD mutations in Iraqi patients with AML and correlateresults with other clinical and laboratory findings. Fifty-eight AML patients, admitted to Baghdad TeachingHospital from October 2019 till March 2020 in addition to 25 normal controls, were included in the study.A detailed history, laboratory investigations including FLT3-ITD and NPM1 mutations were collected fromand analyzed. FLT3-ITD was detected in 17.24% of patients, NPM1 mutation in 10.34%. Most of thepatients are presented with pallor. FLT3-ITD mutation had a higher blast cell count (74%) while NPM1mutation had higher WBCs
... Show MorePluripotent stem cells (PSC) possess unlimited proliferation, self-renewal, and a differentiation capacity spanning all germ layers. Appropriate culture conditions are important for the maintenance of self-renewal, pluripotency, proliferation, differentiation, and epigenetic states. Oxygen concentrations vary across different human tissues depending on precise cell location and proximity to vascularisation. The bulk of PSC culture-based research is performed in a physiologically hyperoxic, air oxygen (21% O2) environment, with numerous reports now detailing the impact of a physiologic normoxia (physoxia), low oxygen culture in the maintenance of stemness, survival, morphology, proliferation, differentiation potential, and epigenetic
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