Dr Mohammed A. Nassar

Department of Biomedical Science
The University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield S10 2TN
United Kingdom

Lecturer
Room: D07 Florey Building
Telephone: +44 (0) 114 222 2392

Career history

2010-present: Lecturer, dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Sheffield University, UK.
1999-2009: Senior postdoctoral Fellow, Molecular Nociception Group, Dept. of Biology, UCL, UK.
1998-99: Postdoctoral Fellow (Wellcome Prize Fellowship), Wellcome Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Dept. of Pharmacology, UCL, UK.
1994-98: Postgraduate student (Wellcome Prize studentship), Wellcome Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Dept. of Pharmacology, UCL, UK.
1994: Research assistant in the Wellcome Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Dept. of Pharmacology, UCL, UK.
1993: Research assistant in Dept. of Bacteriology, Belfast City Hospital, UK.

Research interests

My research is focused on primary sensory neurons. The cell bodies of these neurons make sensory ganglia, including dorsal root ganglia (DRG), and are part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

These neurons convey sensory information from the both internal (e.g. viscera, muscles and bones) and external environment (skin) to central nervous system (CNS). Sensory neurons convey both innoxious and noxious stimuli. The latter is perceived in the CNA as pain.

My research interest lies in investigating the molecular changes in sensory neurons that are associated with pathological pain. This is important in order. My lab uses variety of methods based on molecular biology, cellular biology, mouse transgenic and behavioural analysis to identify targets for novel and effective analgesic drugs.

Funding

Recent publications

Zhao J, Yuan G, Cendan CM, Nassar MA, Lagerstrom MC, Kullander K, Gavazzi I, Wood JN.
Nociceptor-expressed ephrin-B2 regulates inflammatory and neuropathic pain.
Mol Pain. 2010 Nov 8;6(1):77. [Epub ahead of print]
Zhao J, Lee MC, Momin A, Cendan CM, Shepherd ST, Baker MD, Asante C, Bee L, Bethry A, Perkins JR, Nassar MA, Abrahamsen B, Dickenson A, Cobb BS, Merkenschlager M, Wood JN.
Small RNAs control sodium channel expression, nociceptor excitability, and pain thresholds.
J Neurosci. 2010 Aug 11;30(32):10860-71.
Golden JP, Hoshi M, Nassar MA, Enomoto H, Wood JN, Milbrandt J, Gereau RW 4th, Johnson EM Jr, Jain S.
RET signaling is required for survival and normal function of nonpeptidergic nociceptors.
J Neurosci. 2010 Mar 17;30(11):3983-94.
Eijkelkamp N, Heijnen CJ, Willemen HL, Deumens R, Joosten EA, Kleibeuker W, den Hartog IJ, van Velthoven CT, Nijboer C, Nassar MA, Dorn GW 2nd, Wood JN, Kavelaars A.
GRK2: a novel cell-specific regulator of severity and duration of inflammatory pain..
J Neurosci.. 2010 Feb 10;30(6):2138-49.
Fricker FR, Zhu N, Tsantoulas C, Abrahamsen B, Nassar MA, Thakur M, Garratt AN, Birchmeier C, McMahon SB, Wood JN, Bennett DL.
Sensory axon-derived neuregulin-1 is required for axoglial signaling and normal sensory function but not for long-term axon maintenance.
J Neurosci. 2009 Jun 17;29(24):7667-78.
Chen PE, Errington ML, Kneussel M, Chen G, Annala AJ, Rudhard YH, Rast GF, Specht CG, Tigaret CM, Nassar MA, Morris RG, Bliss TV, Schoepfer R.
Behavioral deficits and subregion-specific suppression of LTP in mice expressing a population of mutant NMDA receptors throughout the hippocampus.
Learn Mem. 2009 Sep 30;16(10):635-44. Print 2009
Abrahamsen B, Asante C, Zhao J, Cendan CM, Marsh M, Martinez-Barbera J, Nassar MA, Dickenson A and Wood JN.
Modality-specific peripheral pain pathways.
Science2008 Aug 1;321(5889):702-5.
Nassar MA (joined first), Ostman JA, Wood JN, Baker MD.
GTP up-regulated persistent Na+ current and enhanced nociceptor excitability require NaV1.9.
J Physiol. 2008 Feb 15;586(4):1077-87;