Mohammad R. Saadatzadeh, PhD

Bio

Initially, M. Reza Saadatzadeh, PhD was eager to build upon his knowledge and research in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. To investigate the therapeutic potential of hematopoietic cells in regenerative medicine is one of his scientific skill. This highly translational research focused on designing strategies to recruit and program adult stem and progenitor cells to regenerate neovascularization in patients that undergo leg amputation. He coordinated the isolation of stem and progenitor cells from the placenta for these projects. Currently, his research program is centered around the use of orthotopic humanized adult and pediatric GBM and other metastatic tumor models to evaluate therapeutic potential of standard-of-care cytotoxic agents in combination with small molecular inhibitors that block both the PI3K/Akt/mTOR- and Mdm2-signaling networks. He is investigating the preclinical pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) characteristics of these innovative and unexplored combination treatments at both the molecular and cellular levels with his scientific team. In the context of these therapies, his research lab team is also using in vitro and in vivo screening models to develop intermittent dosing regimens that minimize therapy-mediated hematoxicity. In 2016, he helped establish a patient tissue pipeline in collaboration with Dr. Wade Clapp’s Pediatric NF1 group. He is working directly with his team in the development and characterization of patient-derived tumor xenograft models from patients with NF1 mutations. He also collaborates with Dr. Jamie Renbarger on the Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health’s Precision Genomics clinical and research initiative. The objective of this comprehensive program is to evaluate tumor genomics and transcriptomics along with germline genomics from children with relapsed cancer to identify potentially effective therapeutic interventions for pediatric patients with highly aggressive cancer. He works closely with Dr. Pollok’s team that is establishing the critically needed infrastructure and patient tissue pipeline for both internal IU and for external pediatric investigators. This will allow him and his team of researchers to evaluate a number of therapeutic options in cell line and patient-derived xenograft models to refine our therapeutic decision-making algorithm to help guide safe, effective therapeutics for children with deadly cancers. Additionally, with his background in hematopoiesis, he is involved in detailed evaluation of the underlying mechanisms on how bone marrow cells respond to cytotoxic therapies used to treat solid tumors such as GBM. Mentoring residents and students is one of Dr. Saadatzadeh’s favorite parts of academic science. He has mentored fourteen people including surgery residents and medical school students (2007-present). Dr. Saadatzadeh also has been in charge of curriculum development for the Molecular Medicine in Action program and help develop the Stem Cell Transplantation Module (2015-2018). He served as a member of the planning committee for establishing IncuCyte ZOOM Technology in the Angio BioCore. Within this role, Dr. Saadatzadeh assisted with onsite demonstration, CTSI equipment grant submission (funded in 2016), and integration of technology on the IUSM campus. He is a member and Technical Coordinator for the Brain Tumor Working Group and works closely with the In Vivo Therapeutics Core in coordinating patient samples for development and characterization of patient-derived xenografts (2013–present).