Education
BS Marathwada University, India
MS (Biochemistry) Marathwada University, India
PhD (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology) Bombay University, India
Post-doctoral training (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology) University of Iowa

Honors and Awards

• Ad Hoc reviewer, NIH/CSR, Clinical Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumors Study Section (CNBT), 2007-
• NIH RO1 Award 2004-2008 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• VA Merit Review Award 2004-2007 Department of Veterans Affairs
• "Special Contribution Award" and $1000 for unique contribution to the mission of Veterans Administration by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 1989, 1994 and 1995
• "Outstanding Rating Certificate" for significant contribution through exceptional performance for 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996 by the Department of Veterans Affairs
• Reviewer for the Carver Collaborative Pilot Grants
• Reviewer for the Carver Medical Research Initiative Grants
• Member Interview Committee for selection of Medical students
• Member Interview Committe for selection of MSTP students

Professional Activities/Editorial Boards

• Society for Neurosciences
• American Society of Cell Biology
• American Society for Neurochemistry
• American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Editorial board: Neurochemical Research
• Reviewer for the following journals: Brain Research; Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology; Neurochemical Research

Research Interests

• Cellular and molecular biology of brain proteins
• Immunopathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
• CNS inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease
• Structure-function analysis of GMF
• Stress-activated protein kinases in inflammatory signal transduction
• Oxidative stress in pathogenesis of diseases
• Inflammatory mediators and cytokines in acute pancreatitis
• Programmed cell death and tumor control

Recent Publications/Reviews
A. Zaheer, S Zaheer, S.K. Sahu, S. Knight, H. Khosravi, S.N. Mathur and R. Lim: A novel role of glia maturation factor: induction of granulocyte-macrophage-colony stimulating factor and proinflammatory cytokines. J. Neurochemistry 101, 364-376, 2007.

A. Zaheer, S. Zaheer, S.K. Sahu, B.Yang, and R.Lim: Reduced severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in GMF knockout mice. Neurochem. Res 32, 39-47, 2007.

A Zaheer, S K. Sahu, Y Wu, A Zaheer, J Haas, K Lee, and B Yang: Diminished cytokine and chemokine expression in the central nervous system of GMF-deficient mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Brain Research 1144, 239-247, 2007.

K Menon, Y Wu, J Haas, S K. Sahu, B Yang and A Zaheer: Diminished degradation of myelin basic protein by antisulfatide antibody and interferon-γ in myelin from glia maturation factor-deficient mice. Neuroscience Research 58, 156-163, 2007.

S Zaheer, Y Wu, J Bassett, B Yang and A Zaheer: Glia maturation factor regulation of STAT expression: a novel mechanism in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Neurochem. Res 2007 (In Press).

A Zaheer, S Knight, A Zaheer, M Ahrens and B Yang: GMF over expression in neuroblastoma cells activates glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and Caspase-3. 2007 (Under Review)

A Zaheer, JT Haas, C Reyes, SN Mathur, B Yang and R Lim. GMF-knockout mice are unable to induce brain-derived neurotrophic factor after exercise. Neurochem. Res, 31(4) 579-84, 2006.

R Lim and A Zaheer: Glia maturation factor in brain function in "Handbook of Neurochemistry and Molecular Neurobiology", (3rd edition) Vol. 9, "Neuroactive Proteins and Peptides", (Abel Lajtha, Ed.) Publisher: Springer-Verlag. Pp 203-222, 2006.

A. Zaheer, S.N. Mathur and R. Lim: Overexpression of glia maturation factor in astrocytes leads to immune activation of microglia through secretion of granulocyte-macrophage-colony stimulating factor, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm., 294, 238-244 (2002).

A. Zaheer, M.A. Yorek and R. Lim: Effects of glia maturation factor overexpression in primary astrocytes on MAP kinase activation, transcription factor activation, and neurotrophin secretion, Neurochem. Res., 26, 1293-1299 (2001).

R. Lim, A. Zaheer, M.A. Yorek, C.J. Darby and L.W. Oberley: Activation of NF-kB in C6 rat glioma cells after transfection with glia maturation factor (GMF), J. Neurochem., 74, 596-602 (2000).

N.J. Pantazis, A. Zaheer, D. Dai, S. Zaheer, S.H., Green and R. Lim: Transfection of C6 glioma cells with glia maturation factor upregulates BDNF and NGF : trophic effects and protection against ethanol toxicity in cerebellar granule cells, Brain Res., 865, 59-76 (2000).

A. Zaheer and R. Lim: In vitro inhibition of MAP kinase (ERK1/ERK2) activity by phosphorylated glia maturation factor (GMF), Biochemistry, 35, 6283-6288 (1996).

R. Lim and A. Zaheer: In vitro enhancement of p38 MAP kinase activity by phosphorylated glia maturation factor (GMF), J. Biol. Chem., 271, 22953-22956 (1996).

A Zaheer and R. Lim: PKA- and PKC-phosphorylated glia maturation factor (GMF) promotes the catalytic activity of protein kinase A, J. Biol. Chem., 272, 5183-5186 (1997).

R. Lim, A. Zaheer, J.A. Kraakevik, C.J. Darby and L.W. Oberley: Overexpression of glia maturation factor in C6 cells promotes differentiation and activates superoxide dismutase, Neurochem. Res. 23, 1445-1451 (1998).

A. Zaheer and R. Lim: Overexpression of glia maturation factor (GMF) in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells activates p38 MAP kinase, MAPKAP kinae-2, and tyrosine hydroxylase. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 250, 278-282 (1998).

A. Zaheer, J.L. Weiss, P. Goyal and R. Lim: Enhanced expression of neurotrophic factors by C6 rat glioma cells after transfection with glia maturation factor. Neurosci. Lett. 265, 203-206 (1999).

Books and/or chapters
R Lim & A Zaheer: Preparation of Glia Maturation Factor-beta. In: Methods in Neurosciences, P M Conn (ed), Vol. 6, pp 321-337 . Academic Press. 1991

A Zaheer & R Lim: Oxidative refolding of recombinant human Glia Maturation Factor-beta. In: Protein Refolding, G Georgiou & E D Bernardez-Clark (eds), ACS Series 470, pp 79-85. American Chemical Society. 1991

R Lim & A Zaheer: Structure and function of Glia Maturation Factor-beta. In: Adv. Exp. Med. Biol, Plasticity and Regeneration of the Nervous System. P S Timiras (ed), vol. 296, pp 161-164. Plenum Press. 1991

Address

Office location: S707 GH and 3181 ML
Laboratory: 430 MRC
Phone: 319-353-6094/319-335-8529
Fax: 319-335-6821
E-mail: asgar-zaheer@uiowa.edu