Mohammad Dadashipour

I have a basic and applied microbiology (BSc & MSc) background and worked as a research assistant in microbiology/ biochemistry. My MSc research was on screening of microorganisms for heavy and toxic metal accumulation.

I started my 10-year journey to the world of Japan during which I worked in three labs within two institutions and experienced the country's high calibre in research, attended enormous national and international meetings and made a network: I got a PhD in Biotechnology (enzyme engineering and bio/chemistry) from Toyama Prefectural University under the legend, Professor Yasuhisa Asano. My project was on a few industrial enzymes including enhancement of protein solubility using directed evolution/ enzyme engineering and characterisation including substrate specificity, biocatalysis and biochemical kinetics.

Then, I was hired as a post-doc researcher in the prestigious ERATO Asano Project (Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology by Japan Science & Technology Agency), the largest scientific grant in Japan (approximately 15M USD, 2012 rate). The project generated impactful outcomes in scientific and applied areas including dozens of patents and many peer-reviewed papers. My main project was a massive research work from discovery to the characterisation of a highly stable and efficient millipede enzyme as an alternative to the existing industrial enzymes. It was a new window on the world of arthropods as new and very stable enzymes for biocatalysis of pharmaceutical building blocks and other valuable chemicals (2012-2015).

Read about the cover image here & the full paper here

In the news-Millipede Harbors Speedy Catalyst: A millipede enzyme makes valuable chiral building blocks for pharmaceuticals faster than its industrial counterparts. See ACS Chemical & Engineering News here.

I then moved to Kyushu University (Japan), where I worked as a senior researcher on sugar-metabolising enzymes from a hyperthermophilic archaeon and discovered and purified a few enzymes and most importantly, a unique isomerase. This work resulted in two new EC numbers by IUBMB (mutase) & (epimerase). See the enzyme discovery paper in J Bacteriology (ASM) here. I enjoyed conducting research with one of the pioneers of archeal whole genome sequencing, Dr Yutaka Kawarabayasi.

After a gap, I moved to the UK and joined Dr Christopher Law at Queen's University Belfast working on recombinant chitinases and later started a glycoengineering project with Professor Miguel Valvano. Both have been great experiences with great people. 

I joined Teesside University in early 2022 as lecturer in Biotechnolgogy and have been actively contributing to teaching, module leadership, research and student supervison.

I have been working on different aspects of enzymes (and other proteins) including screening, discovery, biochemistry, engineering and the application for the last 20 years (see a few of enzymes on IUBMB Enzyme Database here)

Both upstream and downstream of proteins and enzymes including:

1. Enzyme screening and enzyme assays among microorganisms, plants and animals (and metagenome) for diagnosis and biocatalysis
2. Enzyme and protein production employing native microbial isolates and diverse heterologous recombinant gene expressions (prokaryotic systems like E. coli, its cell-free system and Burkholderia cenocepacia as well as eukaryotic systems like Pichia pastoris, Wheat-germ cell-free and LEXSY)
3. Enzyme/ protein purifications from the various microbial, plant, and animal (arthropods) sources (native and recombinant) using various chromatography systems
4. Enzyme characterizations including substrate spectrum and biochemical kinetics
5. Secondary structure analysis of wild-type versus mutant enzymes and proteins (using FT-IR, CD and Fluorescence spectroscopy)

Engineering of various enzymes and proteins-Examples are mutagenesis and directed evolution of:

1. HNLs have higher in vivo solubility in E. coli and for biocatalysis
2. SerDHs for diagnosis/ as a biomarker
3. Lipocalins in a glycoengineering project for vaccine development and diagnostic kit preparation

Biocatalytic reactions using enzymes for the synthesis of pharmaceutical building blocks (main focus on HNLs and sugar-metabolising enzymes)

Phosphorylated sugar nucleotide-metabolising enzymes from a hyperthermophilic microorganism, Sulfolobus tokodaii and discovery of a unique isomerase enzyme with high biotechnology potential- These enzymes make an end product in each pathway which is a substrate for glycosyltransferases (GTs). These enzymes can transfer the above product onto proteins: a connection with personalised medicine. Proteins with glycans on their structure behave differently...

Briefly:

-Enzyme and Protein Biotechnology

-Enzyme and Protein Discovery and Engineering for Biotechnology, Medical and Pharmaceutical Applications

In more words:

-Enzyme screening and discovery

-Enzyme/ protein engineering and directed evolution

-Enzyme/ protein biotechnology and applications

-Enzyme biochemistry

-Applied enzymology

-Biocatalysis & Biotransformation

-Industrial/ white biotechnology

-Glycoengineering for vaccine development

-Upstream and downstream processes (USP & DSP)

-Interested in biologically active compounds (BACs), naturally occurring proteins and enzymes with medical properties and Synthetic Biology

Type of enzymes:

Chitinases

Sugar-metabolising enzymes (epimerase, mutase, GTs)

HNLs

CAs for carbon capture

Diagnostic enzymes

Students:

Motivated national and international students having a plan to study in MSc or self-funded PhD applicants (and those who have a plan to apply for PhD scholarship) are strongly couraged to visit the links below and then contact me. 

Note: Please make sure that you are eligible to apply for any of the schemes listed below.

MSc/ postgraduate courses: https://www.tees.ac.uk/postgraduate_courses/biosciences/

PhD and research courses: https://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/research/students_prospective.cfm 

https://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/postgrad/pg_scholarships.cfm

https://www.findaphd.com/phds/latest/

Funding and student loans: https://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/postgrad/pg_funding.cfm

https://www.gov.uk/doctoral-loan

Post-Docs:

If you are interested in applying for Marie Curie Fellowship or similar funding schemes feel free to contact me for primary discussions and application preparation. 

https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/postdoctoral-fellowships

https://www.embo.org/funding/fellowships-grants-and-career-support/postdoctoral-fellowships/

Module leader, Life Science Research Project (LSRP) (SCI4013-N)

Module leader, Advanced Downstream Bioprocessing (SCI4051-N) for MSc. Bioprocessing  & Biotherapeutics (Read about and apply for the course here). See my students in their practical sessions here.

Interested in:

Enzymatic catalysis/ biocatalytic synthesis of pharmaceuticals

Enzyme engineering for biocatalysis and biotechnological applications