FSU Program in Neuroscience

Interest

The Megraw lab investigates the functions of centrosomes and cilia in cell division, development and disease using Drosophila, mouse, and human cell culture models. This includes asymmetric division of stem cells, the regulation of centrosomal and other microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs), metabolic disorders due to loss of centrosome proteins, and regulation of primary cilium assembly and function. Centrosome-based disorders that impact stem cell function and brain development are a major focus of our research.

Current Research

The centrosome is the major microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) in animal cells and impacts many disease-related functions. We focus on the links between centrosome functions and inherited forms of microcephaly that arise from syndromes such as MCPH or SCKL. Our investigations show cell division-related defects in stem cells arising from impaired centrosome replication, but there are also specific metabolic impairments in cells mutant for centrosome protein genes. We suspect that Zika virus perturbs the same centrosome-related pathways in human neural stem cells, causing microcephaly in infected mothers during their pregnancy. We are investigating the links between Zika virus infection and centrosome impairment, to connect the inherited and viral-induced forms of microcephaly.

Recent Publications

Baghi M, Yadegari E, Rostamian Delavar M, Peymani M, Ganjalikhani-Hakemi M, Salari M, Nasr-Esfahani MH, Megraw TL, Ghaedi K (2021). MiR-193b deregulation is associated with Parkinson's disease. Meta Gene., 29:100910. PubMed
Niktab I, Haghparast M, Beigi MH, Megraw TL, Kiani A, Ghaedi K (2021). Design of advanced siRNA therapeutics for the treatment of COVID-19. Meta Gene, 29:100910. PubMed
Debec A, Loppin B, Zheng C, Liu X, Megraw TL (2020). The Enigma of Centriole Loss in the 1182-4 Cell Line. Cells, 9(5):1300. PubMed
Rabiee F, Lachinani L, Ghaedi S, Nasr-Esfahani MH, Megraw TL, Ghaedi K (2020). New insights into the cellular activities of Fndc5/Irisin and its signaling pathways. Cell Biosci, 10:51. PubMed
Zheng Y, Buchwalter RA, Zheng C, Wight EM, Chen JV, Megraw TL (2020). A perinuclear microtubule-organizing centre controls nuclear positioning and basement membrane secretion. Nat Cell Biol, 22(3):297-309. PubMed
Blake-Hedges C, Megraw TL (2019). Coordination of Embryogenesis by the Centrosome in Drosophila melanogaster. Results Probl Cell Differ, 277-321. PubMed
Ghoveud E, Teimuri S, Vatandoost J, Hosseini A, Ghaedi K, Etemadifar M, Nasr Esfahani MH, Megraw TL (2019). Potential Biomarker and Therapeutic LncRNAs in Multiple Sclerosis Through Targeting Memory B Cells. Neuromolecular Med, 22(1):111-120. PubMed
Hosseini A, Teimuri S, Ehsani M, Rasa SMM, Etemadifar M, Nasr Esfahani MH, Megraw TL, Ghaedi K (2019). LncRNAs associated with multiple sclerosis expressed in the Th1 cell lineage. J Cell Physiol, 234(12):22153-22162. PubMed
Zhou T, Zheng Y, Sun L, Badea SR, Jin Y, Liu Y, Rolfe AJ, Sun H, Wang X, Cheng Z, Huang Z, Zhao N, Sun X, Li J, Fan J, Lee C, Megraw TL, Wu W, Wang G, Ren Y (2019). Microvascular endothelial cells engulf myelin debris and promote macrophage recruitment and fibrosis after neural injury. Nat Neurosci, 22(3):421-435. PubMed
Teimuri S, Hosseini A, Rezaenasab A, Ghaedi K, Ghoveud E, Etemadifar M, Nasr-Esfahani MH, Megraw TL (2018). Integrative Analysis of lncRNAs in Th17 Cell Lineage to Discover New Potential Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Autoimmune Diseases. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids, 393-404. PubMed
Tillery MML, Blake-Hedges C, Zheng Y, Buchwalter RA, Megraw TL (2018). Centrosomal and Non-Centrosomal Microtubule-Organizing Centers (MTOCs) in Drosophila melanogaster. Cells, 7(9):121. PubMed
Chen JV, Buchwalter RA, Kao LR, Megraw TL (2017). A splice variant of centrosomin converts mitochondria to microtubule- organizing centers. Curr Biol, 27(13):1928-1940. PubMed
Manojlovic Z, Earwood R, Kato A, Perez D, Cabrera OA, Didier R, Megraw TL, Stefanovic B, Kato Y (2017). La-related protein 6 controls ciliated cell differentiation. Cilia, 6:4. PubMed