Biomedical Sciences

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Dr Jalal Jazayeri is currently a senior lecturer in Microbiology in the School of Biomedical Sciences. Jalal received his Ph.D degree in Molecular Microbiology from the University of Limerick, Republic of Ireland, having previously completed a Master's degree (M.Sc.) in Biological Engineering and Biotechnology from the University of Birmingham in England. After several years of post-doctoral research at various institutions Jalal joined Monash university (2001-2010) where, in addition to research, he has been involved in teaching and coordination of a number of subjects taught in the Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences degree programs. These included pharmaceutical microbiology, molecular biology, introductory physiology, biochemistry and the basis of drug action.

In addition, during this time jalal has also  been involved in a number of research projects which included (i) Microbiology: molecular genotyping and characterization of virulence factors in the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates obtained from cystic fibrosis patients (ii) DNA vaccines: development of DNA vaccines using the bacterium listeria monocytogenes as delivery vehicle (iii) Inflammatory joint diseases:  the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in cartilage degradation, synovial membrane inflammation and the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and (iv) Gene Therapy: design of non-viral gene delivery vehicle (lipopeptide based vectors) as transfection agents for therapeutic delivery of DNA fragments into the nucleus of cells.

Jalal's research experience and skills include: Gene cloning, protein expression in bacteria (E.coli) and mammalian cell lines (e.g. FreeStyle 293 Expression System using 293-F cells), gene expression profiling at the level of transcription using real-time PCR , hybridization techniques using western, northern and southern  blot analysis, molecular genotyping using PCR based techniques, ELISA assays, pharmacokinetics (PK) studies to evaluate serum properties of drugs and the application of animal model of arthritis to test drug candidates (cytokine receptor antagonists) in vivo.

1. Ann Pallis, Jalal A.Jazayeri, Peter Ward, Karolina Dimovski, and Suzanne Svobodova, Rapid detection of Clostridium difficile toxins from stool samples using Real-Time Multiplex PCR (2013) Journal of Medical Microbiology (accepted)
2. Hunt LC, Upadhyay A, Jazayeri JA, Tudor EM, White JD, An anti-inflammatory role for leukemia inhibitory factor receptor signalling in regenerating skeletal muscle, 2012, Histochemistry and Cell Biology (2013), Volume 139, Issue 1, pp 13-34
3. Upadhyay, Aradhana; Senychyn, Danielle; Gu, Ran; Santos, Leilani; Carroll, Graeme; Jazayeri, Jalal, K/BxN serum transfer arthritis is delayed and less severe in leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) deficient mice, Clinical and Experimental Immunology (2012), Vol 162(2)  71-8)
4. Jazayeri JA, Carroll GJ, (Book Chapter, pp157-188) Half-life extension by fusion to the Fc region in Therapeutic Proteins: Strategies to modulate their plasma half-life. John Wiley (2012), ISBN 978-3-527-32849-9
5. Hunt LC, Upadhyay A, Jazayeri JA, Tudor EM and White JD Myogenic transcription factors and cell cycle inhibitors are regulated by leukemia inhibitory factor to mediate inhibition of myogenic differentiation. Skeletal Muscle (2011); 17
6. Jazayeri JA, Carroll GJ, Vernallis AB. Targeting the gp130 receptor subunit to control pain and inflammation, Journal of Interferon and cytokine Research, (2010) Vol 30,2 865-873
7. Jazayeri JA, Carroll GJ, Vernallis AB.  Interleukin-6 subfamily cytokines and rheumatoid arthritis: Role of antagonists. Int Immunopharmacol (2010);10:1-8.
8. Carroll G, upadhyay A, Sharma G, Jazayeri J. Ferritin concentrations in synovial fluid are higher in Osteoarthritis (OA) patients with HFE gene mutations (C282Y or H63D). Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology (2010) 39,5 pp413-420
9. Upadhyay A, Sharma G, Kivivuori S, Raye WS, Zabihi E, Carroll GJ, Jazayeri JA. Role of a LIF antagonist in LIF and OSM induced MMP-1, MMP-3, and TIMP-1 expression by primary articular chondrocytes. Cytokine (2009);46:332-338.
10. Mozafari MR, Pardakhty A, Azarmi S, Jazayeri JA, Nokhodchi A, Omri A. Role of nanocarrier systems in cancer nanotherapy. J Liposome Res (2009);19:310-321.
11. Kuo CY, Sinha S, Jazayeri JA, Pouton CW. A stably engineered, suicidal strain of listeria monocytogenes delivers protein and/or DNA to fully differentiated intestinal epithelial monolayers. Molecular Pharmacology (2009);6:1052-1061.
12. Carroll GJ, Breidahl WH, Jazayeri JA. Confirmation of two major polyarticular osteoarthritis (POA) phenotypes--differentiation on the basis of joint topography. Osteoarthritis Cartilage (2009);17:891-895.
13. Tarwadi, Jazayeri JA, Prankerd RJ, Pouton CW. Preparation and in vitro evaluation of novel lipopeptide transfection agents for efficient gene delivery. Bioconjug Chem 2008;19:940-950.
14. Jazayeri JA, Carroll GJ. Fc-based cytokines : prospects for engineering superior therapeutics. BioDrugs (2008);22:11-26.
15. Jazayeri JA, De Weerd N, Raye W, Velkov T, Santos L, Taylor D, Carroll GJ. Generation of mutant leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF)-IgG heavy chain fusion proteins as bivalent antagonists of LIF. J Immunol Methods (2007);323:1-10.
16. Jazayeri JA, De Weerd N, Raye W, Kivivuori S, Zabihi E, Carroll GJ. In vitro evaluation of leukemia inhibitory factor receptor antagonists as candidate therapeutics for inflammatory arthritis. J Interferon Cytokine Res (2007);27:281-289.
17. Jazayeri JA. Biochemical  studies on sheep body louse Bovicola Ovis, comparison of pyrethroid and organophosphate resistant and susceptible strains. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology (2004);80:1-11.
18. Giles KM, Daly JM, Beveridge DJ, Thomson AM, Voon DC, Furneaux HM, Jazayeri JA, Leedman PJ. The 3'-untranslated region of p21WAF1 mRNA is a composite cis-acting sequence bound by RNA-binding proteins from breast cancer cells, including HuR and poly(C)-binding protein. J Biol Chem (2003);278:2937-2946.
19. Balmer LA, Beveridge DJ, Jazayeri JA, Thomson AM, Walker CE, Leedman PJ. Identification of a novel AU-Rich element in the 3' untranslated region of epidermal growth factor receptor mRNA that is the target for regulated RNA-binding proteins. Mol Cell Biol (2001);21:2070-2084.
20. Seth D, Shaw K, Jazayeri JA, Leedman PJ. Complex post-transcriptional regulation of EGF-receptor expression by EGF and TGF-alpha in human prostate cancer cells. British  J Cancer (1999);80:657-669.
21. McCulloch RK, Walker CE, Chakera A, Jazayeri JA, Leedman PJ. Regulation of EGF-receptor expression by EGF and TGF alpha in epidermoid cancer cells is cell type-specific. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 1998;30:1265-1278.
22. Yang HA SK, Jazayeri JA, Barton JE and O’Brien PA. Association of rhizoctonia strains with bare pathch disease of wheat in Western Australia. Plant Pathology (1993);43:878-884.
23. Jazayeri JA, Pembroke J. Molecular cloning and expression of celluloonas flavigena cell-associated amylase activity. Biotechnology Letters (1993);15:219-222.
24. Jazayeri JA, Pardakhty A. Mutants of Cellulomonas flavigena with altered cell-associated amylase activity (1989);11:1-2.
25. Pembroke J, Jazayeri JA. Studies on the amylase activity of Cellulomonas flavigena. Microbe 1986;86:143-145.
26. Jazayeri JA, Pembroke J. Transformation of the coryneform Cellulomons flavigena with the plasmid DNA via electroporation. Biotechnology Techniques (1986);1986:43-45.

Research interests

Characterization of the virulence factors in the Australian Epidemic Strains (AES) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa - The project involves molecular genotyping of sixty two clinical isolates of P.aeruginosa  using  Ribotyping, ERIC and BOX PCR,  as well as Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) . In addition, the expression levels of several virulence factors; e.g. elastases, alkaline protease and  protease IV as well as the blue pigment pyocyanin, are also profiled.  Real-time PCR is also used to measure the expression level of the elastase gene from the clinical isolates at the level of transcription having determined  the elastase mRNA  life.

Role of cytokines in inflammatory joint diseases (Arthritis):

Evaluation of IL-6 cytokine subfamily antagonists for he treatment of Inflammatory arthritis (ongoing).  This project is investigating the role of two pro inflammatory cytokines; leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and oncostatin M (OSM), in articular cartilage degradation. We have used both human and porcine primary chondrocytes as well as established cell lines, to investigating the role of LIF and OSM on a range of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) release leading to articular cartilage degradation. In addition, the project is evaluating two potential antagonists LIF receptor antagonist to block the pro inflammatory activities of LIF and OSM. The genes encoding the protein antagonists were cloned, expressed in E.coli, purified and their biological activities determined using cell based assays. Additionally, to prolong the serum half life of the antagonists their genes were fused to Fc region of human IgG1.  The in vivo studies associated with this project included the pharmacokinetics studies, to determine the antagonists serum stability, half-life and toxicities.

DNA vaccines:

We are using attenuated Listeria monocytogenes to deliver DNA vaccines to undifferentiated   epithelial cells. The project has already generated a recombinant stable, suicidal Listeria monocytogenes strain capable of delivering antigens as protein or DNA into non diving intestinal epithelial cells. We are now testing the construct in vivo to determine the antibody immune cell (T-cell) response.

Gene therapy:

This project is focusing on the design and valuation of  a range of novel gene delivery agents. For this purpose, we designed a series of lipopeptide as transfection agents, consisting of an alkyl chain, one cysteine, and various other amino acid residues, viz., 1 to 4 histidines and 1 to 3 lysines. These constructs are being evaluated for their biophysical properties and transfection efficiencies.

Breast Cancer:

Progesterone membrane receptor component 1/ sigma 2 receptor (PGRMC1/S2R) is associated with the regulation of various cellular processes, including lipid metabolism and apoptosis. In addition, PGRMC1/S2R plays a role in tumourigenesis and promoting cell survival of human cancer cells following chemotherapeutic treatment. The cellular mechanisms and pathways leading to tumourigenesis are not fully understood. Previous work has identified that this protein is differently phosphorylated in breast cancers differing in estrogen receptor status. The aim of this project is to characterize this further using mass spectrometry and confocal microscopy.

Teaching philosophy

Dr Jazayeri has come to realise that effective teaching is more about the learner than the teacher. A good teacher will teach students how to ask questions, challenging them intellectually and encouraging deeper learning. He also believes that it is important for students to be inquisitive, challenging not only their teachers but also the subject materials as any scientist must do. He tries to build up such skills, which will develop students' analytical and critical thinking skills.

One of Dr Jazayeri's other teaching strategies is that of problem-based learning in tutorial and practical sessions. He believes that practical classes provide an excellent opportunity for teaching new concepts and engaging students in active learning. In addition, they provide teachers with the chance to evaluate students' practical skills, intellectual ability, and cognitive and motor skills. Conception and knowledge of the subject can also be assessed in such sessions. Observational skills, handling and interpretation of results, as well as communication skills can all be reflected and assessed in both laboratory classes and in the laboratory report each student prepares and submits.

Subjects that teach and coordinate

• Special  topics in Medical Sciences (BMS301) - encompassing a range of communication skills, e.g writing review articles of publishable quality, poster preparation and oral presentation techniques;
• Microbiology, immunology and Biotechnology
• DNA and Forensic Technology - Fundamentals of DNA fingerprinting (STR, VNTR, RFLP, mDNA, YSNPs etc)
• Introduction to Forensic Science - This subject is designed to introduce the concepts, disciplines and principles of the forensic sciences and  their application to modern policing practices and justice. Topics include the history of forensic science, an overview of the commonly utilised scientific disciplines (e.g. forensic biology, medicine, pathology, population genetics, odontology, anthropology, toxicology, chemistry, psychology, document examination, ballistics, and crime scenes.
• Therapeutic Proteins -  in particular the  application of engineered proteins/antibodies for treatment of a range of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Membership in professional organisations

• the Australian Society for Microbiology
• Swiss Society of Microbiology
• European League against rheumatism (EULAR)