Ahmed LaboratoryAbout » Laboratories

Sanaalarab Al Enazy, “Sana”, was born and raised in Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with a five year interlude during her childhood in Cambridge in the United Kingdom. She entered pharmacy school at King Saud University in Riyadh in 2003, where she acted as a student regent, allowing her to develop leadership and teaching skills. She graduated from King Saud University with a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree in 2009. In 2009, she became a teaching assistant and practiced clinical pharmacology at King Khalid University Hospital, which opened her eyes to the severe need for targeted therapy to reduce side effects and improve drug delivery. Since then, her desire to help solve the unanswered questions in pharmacology and drug delivery has led her to pursue an academic career in pharmacology. In 2010, she joined the University of Texas Medical Branch as a PhD student under a scholarship provided by the Ministry of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia. Sana is currently a PhD candidate, under the mentorship of Dr. Erik Rytting. The goal of her current research is to develop a novel strategy to treat pregnant women suffering from severe chronic asthma, using targeted glucocorticoid-loaded nanoparticles that can specifically target the asthmatic lung, thereby reducing the incidence and severity of drug-associated adverse effects to the fetus. She has presented her work at The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Annual Meeting and Exposition in 2013 and 2014, as well as The Poster Session for Women’s Health Research Symposium in 2015, where she was awarded first place in translational medicine.

• B. Pharm., King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Rabab Al Lahham received her Bachelor’s of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Jordan in Amman, Jordan, and her Master’s Degree in Clinical Chemistry from the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Dr. Al Lahham received her Ph.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology under the mentorship of Dr. John Papaconstantinou. Her dissertation was entitled “Mitochondrial-Generated ROS Downregulates Insulin Signaling Via Activation of the P38 MAPK Stress Response Pathway”. Dr. Al Lahham is currently a postdoctoral fellow under the mentorship of Dr. Tatiana Nanovskaya, Where she is currently working on the effect of nicotine and bupropion exposure in pregnant Rats on the insulin signaling pathway in primary hepatocytes of the offspring.

• B.Sc., University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
• M.A., University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania
• Ph.D., University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas

Norah Albekairi was born and raised in Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She entered pharmacy school at King Saud University in Riyadh. During her studies, she emphasized in pharmacognosy, which is the study of medicines derived from natural sources. She also has gained experience in clinical pharmacology and has worked as a teaching assistant. Norah graduated from King Saud University with a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree. In 2009, she joined UTMB as a PhD student under a scholarship provided by the Ministry of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia. Norah is currently a PhD candidate, under the mentorship of Dr. Erik Rytting. Her work focuses on the treatment of fetal cardiac arrhythmias by transplacental therapy by exploiting the unique properties of nanoparticles for drug delivery. She has presented her work at the Annual Meeting of the Controlled Release Society in 2013, as well as the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Annual Meeting and Exposition in 2014.

• B. Pharm, Pharmacognosy, , King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Shariq Ali is an MD/PhD student currently working under Dr. Erik Rytting. He received his bachelor of science degree in Chemistry at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. During his undergraduate years, his project focus was the synthesis of polymers and polymer tethered fullerenes for the purposes of improving organic solar cell efficiency. His current research interests include drug delivery and nanomaterials. Shariq’s current project is working on using nanoparticles to improve anti-cancer therapy options during pregnancy.

• B.S., Chemistry, , Univeristy of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas

Publications
Ali, S, Rytting E. Influences of nanomaterials on the barrier function of epithelial cells.  Advances in experimental Medicine and biology. 2014;811:45-54.  doi:10.1007/978-94-017-8739-0_3.

Moore JA, Ali S, Berry BC.  Stabilization of PCBM domains in bulk heterojunctions using polystyrene-tethered Fullerene.  Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells.  2013;118:96-101. doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2013.07.044.

Alexander A, Eller J, Ali S, Berry BC.  The Effects of co-solvents on the reaction of amino-terminated polystyrene With fullerene.  Journal of Applied Polymer Science.  2013;130(4):2796-2800. doi:10.1002/app.39488.

Valentina was born and grew up in Novosibirsk, Russia. She earned her B.S. in Biological Sciences at Novosibirsk State University. After several years as a research assistant at UTMB, Valentina joined the Pharmacology & Toxicology graduate program in 2011. Valentina is currently working under Dr. Mahmoud Ahmed, studying whether bupropion is a safe and effective therapy for smoking cessation during pregnancy.

• B.S., Biological Sciences, , Noivosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia

Publications 
Zhang X, Wang X, Vernokovskaya DI, Fokina VM, Nanovskaya TN, Hankins GD, Ahmed MS.  Quantitative determination of metformin, glyburide and its metabolites in plasma and urine of pregnant patients by LC-MS/MS.  Biomed Chromatogr. 2014 Aug 27. doi:10.1002/bmc.3314. [Epub ahead of print].

Zolochevska O, Shearer J, Ellis J, Fokina V, Shah F, Gimble JM, Figueiredo ML.  Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cell pigment epithelium-derived factor cytotherapy modifies genetic and epigenetic profiles of prostate cancer cells.  Cytotherapy, 2014 Mar;16(3):346-56

Nanovskaya T, Patrikeeva S, Zhan Y, Fokina V, Hankins GD, Ahmed MS.  Transplacental transfer of vancomycin and telavancin.  Am J Obstet Gynecol.  2012 Oct;207(4):331.e1-6.

Fokina VM, Zharikova OL, Hankins GD, Ahmed MS, Nanovskaya TN.  Metabolism of 17-Alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate by Human Placental Mitochondrai.  Reprod Sci. 2012 Mar;19(3):290-7.

Wang X, Abdelrahman DR, Fokina VM, Hankins GD, Ahmed MS, Nanovskaya TN.  Metabolism of bupropion by baboon hepatic and placental microsomes.  Biochemical Pharmacology. 2011 Aug 1;82(3):295-203

Fokina VM, Patrikeeva SL, Zharikova OL, Nanovskaya TN, Hankins GV, Ahmed MS.  Transplacental transfer and metabolism of Buprenorphine in preterm human placenta.  American Journal of Perinatology.  2011 Jan;28(1):25-32.

Zharikova OL, Fokina VM, Nanovskaya TN, Hill RA, Mattison DR, Hankins GD, Ahmed MS.  Identification of the major human hepatic and placental enzymes responsible for the biotransformation of Glyburide.  Biochemical Pharmacology. 2009 Dec 15; 78(12):1483-90.

Nanovskaya TN, Patrikeeva S, Hemauer S, Fokina V, Mattison D, Hankins GD, Ahmed MS.  Effect of albumin on transplacental transfer and distribution of Rosiglitazone and Glyburide,; OPRU Network. Journal of Maternal Fetal Neonatal Medicine. 2008 Mar:21(3): 197-207.

Yan R, Fokina V, Hankins GD, Ahmed MS, Nanovskaya TN.  The effect of esterases on 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.  2008 Feb; 198(2):229.e1-5.

Fokina V, Frolova EI.  Expression patterns of WNT genes during development of an anterior part of the chicken eye.  Developmental Dynamics. 2006 Feb; 235(2):496-505.

Frolova EI, Fokina V, Beebe DC.  The expression pattern on opticin during chicken embryogenesis.  Gene Exp Patterns.  2004 May; 4(3):335-8.

Zhdanova NS, Fokina VM, Balloux F, Hausser J, Borodin PM, Volobouev VT, Serov OL, Larkin DM. 2003.  Current cytogenetic map of the common shrew, Sorex araneus L.: localization of 7 genes and 4 microsatellites.  Mammalia, 67:285-293.

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Jordan grew up in North and South Dakota. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 2008. He then went on to receive his M.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Colorado State University. Jordan matriculated to UTMB in 2012 entering the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology program, subsequently joining the laboratory of Sherif Abdel-Rahman in 2013. His current research project involves studying the effect of polymorphisms in the promoter of placental efflux transporters on the efflux transporters’ expression with and without exposure to environmental agents.

• B.S., Chemistry , South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota
• M.S., Biochemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado

• 2012-present, NIEHS Environmental Toxicology T32 Predoctoral Fellow,
• 2014, Ann and John Hamilton Endowed Scholarship,
• 2007, ACS Analytical Chemistry Division Undergraduate Award in Analytical Chemistry (American Chemical Society),

Publications
Zhu, Z-T.; Zhang, L.F.; Howe, J.Y.; Liao, Y.L.; Speidel, J.T.; Smith, S.; Fong, H. “Aligned Electrospun ZnO Nanofibers For Simple and Sensitive Ultraviolet Nanosensors.” Chem Commun 2009, 2568.

• B.S., , Nizhniy Novgorod State University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia

Publications
Filippov M., Miroshnichencko D., Vernikovskaya DI,m Dolgov S. The effect of auxins, time exposure to auxin and genotypes And somatic embryogenesis from mature embryos of wheat//Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture – 2006. –V.84 – P192-201

Dr. Meixing Xu is a Postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology under the mentorship of Dr. Sherif Abdel-Rahman. Currently her research interests focus on understanding how inherited genetic characteristics influence the susceptibility of individuals to environmental agents and affect patient’s response to drug therapy. My work involves in several research subject categories including 1) Population studies using molecular epidemiology approaches to better identify individuals at high risk associated with toxicity and carcinogenicity of environmental or therapeutically chemical exposures; 2) Mechanistic studies using cell culture systems and patient tissues to understand the functional significance and the mechanisms of human genetic polymorphisms in susceptibility genes to different drug treatment.

• B.S., Xiamen University, Fujian, China
• M.S., Xiamen University, Fujian, China
• Ph.D., Xiamen University, Fujian, China

Publications
Xu M, Nekhayeva I, Cross CE, Rondelli C, Wickliffe JK, Abdel-Rahman SZ. 2014.  Influence of promoter/enhancer region haplotypes on MGMT transcriptional regulation: A potential biomarker for human sensitive to alkylating agents.  Carcinogenesis, 35(3):564-71. Epub 2013 Oct 25.

Xu M, Ma L, Bujalowski PJ, Qian F, Sutton RB, Oberhauser AF. 2013. Analysis of the REJ module of Polycystin-1 using Molecular Modeling and Force-Spectroscopy Techniques. Journal of Biophysics, Volume 2013 (2013).

Xu M, Li J, Yang Z, Li A, Dong J. 2010. Simultaneous inhibition of MEK and CDK4 leads to potent apoptosis in human melanoma cells.  Cancer Investigation 28 (4): 350-356 (Co-first author).

Ma L, Xu M, Oberhauser AF. 2010.  Naturally occurring osmolytes modulate the nano-mechanical properties of Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) domains. J Biol Chem 285(49): 38438-43.

Ma L, Xu M, Forman JR, Clarke J, Oberhauser AF. 2009.  Naturally occurring mutations alter the stability of polycystin-1 PKD domains.  J Biol Chem., 284(47):32942-9.

Xu M, Wang F, Xiao X. 2008. Isolation and characterization of alkane hydroxylases from Pacific deep-sea sediment. Extremophiles 12(2):255-262.

Xu M, Wang F, Xiao X. 2007.  Construction and preliminary analysis of a metagenomics library from a deep-sea sediment of east Pacific Nodule Province. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 62(3):233-241

Xu M, Wang P, Wang F, Xiao X. 2005. Microbial diversity at a deep-sea station of the Pacific nodule province. Biodiversity and Conservation 14:3363-3380.

Wang P, Wang F, Xu M, Xiao X. 2004. Molecular phylogeny of methylotrophs in a deep-sea sediment from a tropical west Pacific Warm Pool.  FEMS Microbiology Ecology 47:77-84.

Xu M, Wang P, Wang F, Xiao X. 2004.  Microbial diversity in deep-sea sediments collected from different stations of Pacific. Marine Biotechnology 6:S161-S167.

Cross CE, Tolba M F, Rondelli C M, Xu M, and Abdel-Rahman S. 2015. Oxidative stress alters miRNA and geen expression profiles in villious first trimester trophoblasts.  BioMed Research International (Accepted)

Book Chapters

Wang F, Xu M, Xiao X. Isolation and characterization of alkane hydroxlases from a metagenomics library of Pacific deep-sea sediment. Chapter 46 in: Handbook of Molecular Microbial Ecology II: Metagenomics in Different Habitats, pp. 475-482.  Wiley-Blackwell 2011.

Ma L, Xu M, Oberhauser AF.  Single-molecule Force Spectroscopy of Polycystic Kidney Disease Proteins.  Chapter 16 in: spectroscopic methods of analysis – methods and protocols, pp. 297-310.  Humana Press 2012.

Xing Zhang graduated in 2006 from Hebei Medical University and received his Ph.D.in 2011 from Shenyang Pharmaceutical University where his research focus has been on herbal medicine based anticancer agent seeking and screening, and further their in vitro and in vivo metabolism study. As a postdoctoral fellow in the Maternal-Fetal Pharmacology and Bio-development Laboratories at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Xing ‘s current research focuses on pharmaceutical analysis for PK determination in clinical trials, under the direction of Dr. Mahmoud S. Ahmed.

• B.S., 2006, Hebei Medical University, China
• Ph.D., 2011, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, China

Publications
X. Qiao, X. Zhang, M. Ye, Y. Su, J. Dong, J. Han, J. Yin, D. Guo. Rapid characterisation of triterpene saponins from Conyza blinii by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 2010 (24) 3340-3350.

X. Zhang, M. Ye, R. Li, J. Yin, D. Guo. Microbial transformation of curcumin by Rhizopus chinensis. Biocatalysis and Biotransformation, 2010 (28) 380-386.

R. Li, C. Xiang, X. Zhang, D. Guo, M. Ye. Chemical Analysis of the Chinese Herbal Medicine Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.). Current Pharmaceutical Analysis, 2010 (6) 256-268.

X. Zhang, M. Ye, H. Hu, S.Tao, J. Yin, D. Guo. Biotransformation of bufadienolides by cell suspension cultures of Saussurea involucrate. Phytochemistry, 2011 (72) 1779-1785.

X. Zhang, M. Ye, S. Tao, G. Chen, J. Yin, Y. Dong, H. Hu, D. Guo. Biotransformation of arenobufagin and cinobufotalin by Alternaria alternate. Biocatalysis and Biotransformation, 2011 (29) 96-101.

X. Zhang, M. Ye, Y. Gong, S. Tao, J. Yin, D. Guo. Biotransformation of pseudolaric acid B by Chaetomium globosum. Process Biochemistry, 2011 (46) 2064-2067.

X. Zhang, X. Wang, D. Vernikovskaya, V. Fokina, T. Nanovskaya, G. Hankins, M.S. Ahmed. Quantitative determination of metformin, glyburide and its metabolites in plasma and urine of pregnant patients by LC-MS/MS. Biomedical Chromatography, 27 August 2014. DOI: 10.1002/bmc.3314.