Massoud Vosough MD. Ph.D.
Department of Regenerative Medicine
Associate Professor
Head of Regenerative Medicine Department
Massoud Vosough is medical professional with a diverse background in the regenerative medicine field. After graduating from Tehran University of Medical Sciences with a degree in general medicine, he continued his studies and specialized in his current profession
Starting in 2006, Dr. Vosough studied medical biotechnology, pursuing a doctorate at the Pasteur Institute of Iran. His research focus culminated in thesis on the “mass production of liver cells in a bioreactor, utilizing both embryonic and induced stem cells”, which was conducted at Royan Research Institute.
After successfully defending his thesis, Massoud passed two consecutive postdoctoral courses at Karolinska Institute in Sweden, where he worked under the guidance of Professor Stefan Strom. During this period, he contributed to the HUMAN project in the European Union and various other projects in the realm of regenerative medicine.
Presently, Massoud is the head of the Regenerative Medicine Department and Head of the Cell Therapy Center at Royan Research Institute. His current research focuses on the control of gastrointestinal and liver diseases, with a primary focus on utilizing stem cells for the treatment of chronic and degenerative conditions.
Dr. Massoud Vosough’s dedication to advancing medical knowledge and contributions to the forefront of regenerative medicine showcase his passion for making a lasting impact in this field.
Welcome to our research interest section, where we explore cutting-edge advancements in making gastrointestinal (GI) and liver cancer history. Our primary focus is on hepatocyte differentiation therapy and innovative molecular/targeted approaches.
In our group, collaboration of Medical Doctors, Engineers, and experts in Basic science, led to the development of different research studies, providing a dynamic environment for advanced researches.
One of our key research avenues involves the generation of liver organoids from hiPSCs or primary human hepatocytes (PHHs). We are dedicated to differentiate hiPSCs into hepatocyte-like cells on a large scale, enhance the maturity of hiPSC-derived hepatocytes and maintain PHHs through co-culture with supportive cells and liver-specific ECM-microparticles. These models serve as robust platforms for drug testing, providing invaluable insights into molecular and targeted therapy approaches. Our commitment extends to tissue engineering applications for regenerative medicine and toxicological studies. Our efforts in hepatic research encompass:
- Engineering hydrogels and scaffolds to repair injured livers.
- Creating organoid-like tissues by 3D cell culture alongside with liver specific ECM.
- Development of microfluidic devices for regenerative medicine applications.
- recognition and modification of genetic pathways in HCC
- Biomarker discovery by the use of bioinformatics approach
Additionally, our research encompasses innovative therapeutic approaches to combat liver cancer. For hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we are pioneering radionuclide therapy, 3D liver cancer modeling (tumoroid), Cell-ECM and cell (HCC)-Cell (non-parenchymal) interaction.
At the intersection of HCC differentiation therapy and advanced molecular/targeted approaches, our multidisciplinary research aims to reshape the landscape of liver regeneration studies. Stay tuned as we continue to push the boundaries of knowledge and contribute to the future of liver-related therapeutics.
MSc and PhD students:
Parisa Taheri, MSc Student
Project Title: Evaluation of Treatment With Human Placenta Extract on Non- alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Microtissues Model to Attenuate Fat Accumulation
Zahra Hendi, MSc Student
Project Title: The effect of human placenta extract treatment on fibrogenic properties of activated LX2 cells
Kosar Rahi, MSc Student
Project Title: Evaluation of Cell Proliferation, Apoptosis, EMT, and Cell Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells after Treatment with Human Placenta Extract
Zohreh Hashemian, PhD Student
Project Title: Application of HNF4α-specific lncRNA to Improve Metabolic Performance of Cancerous Hepatic Micro-Tissues
Hani Keshavarz Alikhani
Post Doctoral Fellow
Project Title: Evaluation of the effect of hsa-miR-30b-3p treatment on LDL uptake in hepatocytic cells through specific targeting of PCSK9, APOB and CETP genes
Sarah Miremadi, MSc Student
Project Title: The impact of treatment with Retinoic acid on fibrogenic properties of activated hepatic stellate cells through crosstalk with Hedgehog signaling
Amirhossein Farrokhzad, MSc Student
Project Title: The effect of changing the expression of KDM6A on cancerous features in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line
Elmira Amini, MSc Student
Project Title: Simultaneous inhibition of WNT/β-catenin and TGF-β signaling pathways by IWP-2 and SB431542 small molecules in order to reduce cancerous potential of hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, Hep3B
Fatemeh Majidi, PhD Student
Project Title: Liver fibrosis in vitro modeling by co-culture of liver parenchymal and non-parenchymal cell lines in liver extracellular matrix-derived hydrogel, for drug evaluation
Tina Mandegarfard, MSc Student
Project Title: The Effect of Treatment with 3-Indolepropionic Acid on EMT* Inhibition and Apoptosis Induction in 3D Micro-Tissues Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Zahra Marhamati, MSc Student
Project Title: Evaluation of anti-aging effects of HPE on normal human dermal fibroblast
Shiva Sherafaty Pour, MSc Student
Project Title: Apoptosis Induction by Resveratrol-loaded Poly Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid micro-particles in 3D Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Roghayeh Naserkhaki, PhD Student
Project Title: Evaluating anticancer effects of Turmerone-loaded niosomes on hepatocellular carcinoma model
Alumni
Mehdi Alikhani
PhD Alumni
Roya Solhi
PhD Alumni
Mahsa Ghasemzad
MSc Alumni
Zahra Hajilou
MSc Alumni
Samieh Asadian
PhD Alumni
Kosar Nouri
PhD Alumni
Ibrahim Ghoytasi
MSc Alumni
Zohreh Mirlavasani
MSc Alumni
Zahra Heydari
PhD Alumni
Shukoofeh Torabi
PhD Alumni
Mahdieh Hashemi
MSc Alumni
Ensieh Zahmatkesh
PhD Alumni
Negar Asadollahi
PhD Alumni
Sadaf Bahadori
MSc Alumni
Recent Publications:
1. XBP1 as a novel molecular target to attenuate drug resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma, Zahra Hendi, Pedram Asadi Sarabi, David Hay, Massoud Vosough, 2023/12/13, Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets,
2. Enhanced intracellular accumulation and cytotoxicity of bortezomib against liver cancer cells using N-stearyl lactobionamide surface modified solid lipid nanoparticles, Farid Mostafaei, Muhammad Sarfraz, Shukoofeh Torabi, Behzad Baradaran, Massoud Vosough, Parvin Zakeri-Milani; 2023/11/23 International Journal of Pharmaceutics
3. Autophagy orchestrates resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, Homeyra Seydi, Kosar Nouri, Niloufar Rezaei, Atena Tamimi, Moustapha Hassan, Hamed Mirzaei, Massoud Vosough, 2023/5/1, Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy
4. Co-delivery of doxorubicin and paclitaxel via noisome nanocarriers attenuates cancerous phenotypes in gastric cancer cells, Niloufar Rezaei, Hamid Asadzadeh Aghdaei, Nikoo Hossein-Khannazer, Massoud Vosough; 2023/7/1, European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics
5. (‐)‐Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate induced apoptosis by dissociation of c‐ FLIP/Ku70 complex in gastric cancer cells, Mahtab Shahriari Felordi, Mehdi Alikhani, Hamidreza Aboulkheyr, Abbas Piryaei, Mustapha Najimi, Massoud Vosough; 2023/9; Journal of Cellular
and Molecular Medicine
6. Immunotherapeutic approaches in Hepatocellular carcinoma: Building blocks of hope in near future, Neda Minaei, Massoud Vosough,
2022/12/17; European Journal of Cell Biology
7. HNF4α is Possibly the Missing Link between Epithelial‐Mesenchymal Transition and Warburg Effect during Hepatocarcinogenesis; Bahare Shokouhian, Massoud Vosough; 2022/12/7, Cancer Science
8. Mimicking the liver function in micro-patterned units: Challenges and perspectives in 3D-Bioprinting; Zahra Heydari, …., Massoud Vosough; 2022/4/26; Bioprinting
9. In vitro modeling of liver fibrosis in 3D microtissues using scalable micropatterning system; Ensieh Zahmatkesh, …., Massoud Vosough,
Andreas Nussler; 2022/4/2; Archives of Toxicology
10. Natural Scaffolds Used for Liver Regeneration: A Narrative Update; Masoud Vazirzadeh, Massoud Vosough, Kamran Ghaedi; 2022/3/23; Stem Cell Reviews and Reports
11. Extraembryonic Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells in Liver Diseases: A Critical Revision of Promising Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products; Mohammad Amin Shahrbaf, Massoud Vosough; 2022/3/23; Cells
12. Mesenchymal stromal cell therapy improves refractory perianal fistula in Crohn’s disease: case series clinical interventional study; Massoud Vosough, Mehdi Mohamadnejad; 2022/2; Cell Journal
13. PSC associated inflammatory bowel disease: A distinct entity; Alireza Beheshti-Maal, Massoud Vosough; 2022/2/1; Expert Review of
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
14. Hepatic stellate cell activation by TGFβ induces hedgehog signaling and endoplasmic reticulum stress simultaneously; Roya Solhi, Massoud Vosough; 2022/1/18; Toxicology in Vitro
15. Rhenium Perrhenate (188ReO4) Induced Apoptosis and Reduced Cancerous Phenotype in Liver Cancer Cells; Samieh Asadian, …….,
Massoud Vosough; 2022/1; Cells